Biella, a creative Alpine town famous for being one of Italy’s cities of crafts and folk art, in 2019 was recognized as a UNESCO Creative City.
Famous for the production of cashmere and a paradise for hikers and bikers
Nestled in the Alps, about an hour north of Turin, Biella is the Italian wool and textiles capital and is known for the production of cashmere. Many of the former woollen mills, knitting mills and workers’ houses have been transformed into creative incubators for experimentation with new artistic cross pollinations. The Biella area is a natural for hikes of all types, from those on flat ground and with gorgeous views, to those on paths carved onto the side of mountains, and the even more strenuous ones that climb up to the highest peaks. The area is also ideal for mountain biking, and rentals are available at the start of many of the trails like the Oasi Zegna.
The Oasi Zegna nature reserve and was the brainchild of Ermenegildo Zegna, the visionary head of the Italian textile empire. Visitors can choose to wander around on their own account or take one of the English language guided tours that are available. The oldest part of Biella, known as the Borgo del Piazzo, was founded before 1200 and has steep narrow cobbled streets and also a funicular railway linking the newer lower town to the top of the hill. The old settlement has many small churches, the oldest of which is the Church of San Giacomo.
An ancient Roman gold mine and Italy’s Best Golf Course
Among the sites of archaeological interest we find an open-sky old gold mine from the Roman era in the Bessa Special Nature Reserve. The eye-catching large hillocks of pebbles, which are residue from the gold mining, have a mysterious and unique appearance. Biella can also boast Italy’s - and one of Europe’s - best golf courses, the Golf Club Le Betulle. This 18-hole, par-73 course was designed by the famous English architect John Morrison, and has a high degree of technical difficulty.
Discount outlets and a place of pilgrimage
Biella is the center of Italy’s production of finest woollen and cashmere products. These can be bought directly at discounted prices (and huge savings) from the many outlet stores of labels such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Fila, Cerruti and Piacenza. They can also be found in the stores that belong to the manufacturers that produce them. Thirteen kilometres away, at 1,180 metres asl, the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna of Oropa is Piedmont’s most famous place of pilgrimage and one of the most important in Italy. The complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the entire area is the Special Nature Reserve Sacro Monte di Oropa. For Information: https://www.atl.biella.it
