Holiday apartment in Ala di Stura: culture, trails and winter experiences
Accommodation in Ala Di Stura
Ala di Stura combines historic discoveries, waterside trails, local cheese culture and winter activities to create a varied destination. Those choosing a holiday apartment in Ala di Stura can tailor their stay to different interests: guided walks and frescoes appeal to visitors interested in culture, while the environmental trail and the landscapes along the Stura di Lanzo add opportunities for exercise and observing nature.
Holiday apartment in Ala di Stura among sundials and art
A distinctive testimony to the town's history is the Torre della Dogana. The former customs house is 12 metres high and decorated with frescoes of the Savoia coats of arms and ornamental details. Following its restoration in 2006, the Torre della Dogana became one of the important stops on Ala di Stura's historical and cultural walking tours. The parish church of San Nicola Vescovo also features several notable details: it is a 4th-century church, contains a 16th-century painting and has a Lombard-style bell tower.
The walking tours lead to further individual works of art and historical testimonies. On the Martassina tour, the church of San Michele has a south-facing sundial that was renewed in 2004. On the Mondrone tour, visitors can see a depiction of the Flight into Egypt painted by Andrea Bogliano in 1876. The hamlet of Villar is also home to a fresco dated 1577 and attributed to Perini, depicting the Trinity, the Madonna and Child, and Saint Maurice.
Sundials further shape Ala di Stura's distinctive character: the town has around 76 sundials and is known as the “Comune delle Meridiane”. This creates a cultural theme that can easily be combined with a walk through the various districts, without limiting the stay to a single type of excursion.
Trails, water and landscapes
For active days, the Ala di Stura–Balme–Pian della Mussa environmental trail is the main attraction. It runs along the Stura di Lanzo river and is connected to an extensive network of paths. The Sentiero Pian delle Masche leads from the Santuario di Martassina to Ala di Stura through alpine pastures, forests, clearings and streams. The Gorgia di Mondrone adds to these landscape experiences as a waterfall in the Località Tomà in Ala di Stura.
Depending on your preferred travel pace, you can combine cultural walking tours, walks and nature experiences in different ways. Accommodation in Ala di Stura is therefore particularly suitable for planning a stay in which you want to do more than visit individual sights and instead choose between historic attractions, trails and different landscapes.
Local speciality and winter activities
Regional food culture is also part of the character of the town. At the farm shop of Formaggeria Cà du Roc in Pian della Pietra, Ala di Stura, you can buy the cheeses made there directly. In winter, the ARPIET ski area expands the range of activities: it has a chairlift from the town to Pian Belfè, another chairlift to Punta Karfen, two drag lifts and a conveyor belt for children.
Another winter option is the La Giaseri natural ice rink. It does not have a refrigeration system and is intended for ice skating, hockey and broomball. This means that when choosing your holiday apartment or holiday home in Ala di Stura, you can take different priorities into account: historical walking tours, trails along the Stura di Lanzo, regional cheese production or winter sports.
Further destinations in the surrounding area
For further orientation, you can also discover Vico Canavese, Monti, Rubiana, Alpette, Maddalena, Pianezza, Usseaux and Salbertrand.
For the broader travel overview: Turin.
