The vast flat plain on the Po, covered with the watery expanse of rice fields around Vercelli and Novara, eventually gives way in the west to the majestic heights of the Alps. Turin, the argest city in the area and the capital of Piedmont, stands at the edge of the plain, nestling almost in the shadow of the mountains. Further northwest, attractive Alpine valleys headed by dramatic peaks provide the setting for the traditional villages, ancient towns and castles around Aosta. |
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