Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) is the most westerly region of Italy, bordering France to the west and Switzerland to the north. Within Italy it has borders with Lombardy, Liguria and Aosta Valley. It is one of the few Italian regions which have no coastline. It is mountainous, with Alps to the north and west and lowermountains along to border with Liguria in the south. The mountains give way to hills and rice-growing plains.

Like neighbouring Lombardy, Piedmont is also a key Italian winter sports and ski destination, with resorts such as Sestriere, Alagna Valsesia or Macugnaga. Piedmont was home to the 2006 Winter Olympics. Also like its neighbour, this is the home of the lakes - the south-western end of Lake Maggiore is in Piedmont, as is the smaller but no less beautiful Lake Orta. The hills of Piedmont area walker's paradise and the regions boasts some spectacular castles. Turin is well-known as an industrial city, but it also hosts the Royal Palace of the Savoys and of course the Holy Shroud of Turin.

There are some great historic holiday homes to rent in Piedmont and some of the region's castles hve been converted or operate as luxury hotels. If you are looking for places to stay on the lakes, there are plenty of villas and apartments to let here. Most of these are traditional in style. In the mountains, accommodation is in ski chalets, ski apartments, privately-run hotels and b&bs. Farmhouses and cottages can be hired in rural areas.