I published a new book last month. It is available on Amazon as a paperback and is called: 30 Day Hikes Near Tokyo.
Here is a sample PDF with a few hikes: Sample PDF. You can also go to the companion web page for the book, where you will find GPS tracks for the hikes, as well as links to additional photos and public transport directions.
Last fall, I walked from Poisy to Cran-Gevrier near Annecy, passing through Gorges du Fier, Parc Altaïs, Parcours Nature Fier et Erbe and Cercle de l’Eau.
Last fall, I went on a hike to Crêt de la Dame, a small mountain near Pont de la Caille.
The Turin Cathedral (Duomo di Torino or Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista) is a church in Turin built at the end of the 15th century. It hosted the Shroud of Turin from 1578, when it was moved from the Holy Chapel (Sainte Chapelle) in Chambéry, to 1649, when the Chapel of the Holy Shroud (Cappella della Sacra Sindone) next door was completed. It currently hosts it again since the fire of the chapel in 1997.
The cathedral has a bell tower (Torre campanaria), separate from the main body, which can be visited. It is quite high (63 m) and offers a great view on the city of Turin and the surrounding mountains. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance of the Diocesan Museum of Turin (Museo Diocesano di Torino), on the other side of the cathedral from the tower. After that, there is an underground passage to reach the tower then stairs to get to the top.
After visiting Susa, I stopped in Avigliana on the way back to Turin: It is a town located at the mouth of the Susa Valley, half-way between Susa and Turin. It has a medieval town (Borgo Vecchio) which still retains some buildings of that era and is overlooked by a castle in ruins (Castello di Avigliana), with a great view on the Medieval Town, the Susa Valley, the surrounding mountains and the Avigliana Lakes Natural Park.
While staying in Turin, I also made a short trip to Susa, a town located towards the border with France. Susa is right below the mountains so it was a nice change of scenery from the city. During Roman and medieval times, the town was the main entry point into Italy from France and still has many ancient historical buildings.
I went there early in the morning, taking one of the frequent trains running from Porta Nuova in Turin, and strolled around for a few hours.
Parco Italia ‘61 is a park in the Lingotto area of Turin, not far from the Po river. It is built on the location of Expo 61, the international labour exhibition held in 1961. Italy expanded the event with an exposition celebrating the centennial of Italian unity and the Expo is remembered as Italia ‘61. The park is split in 2 parts, Giardino Corpo Italiano di Liberazione and Giardino Giuseppe Levi, separated by the Palavela, a building that was used during the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics.
The Grand Synagogue, also known as Israelite Temple (Tempio Israelitico), is a jewish place of worship located in the city of Turin. It was initially built at the end of the 19th century in a neo-moorish style, then rebuilt after WW2.
The Royal Palace of Turin (Palazzo Reale) is a historic palace of the House of Savoy in Turin. It was originally built in the 16th century, after the dukes of Savoy moved their capital from Chambéry, and was modernized in the 17th century. It served as the seat of power for the dukes of Savoy and later, kings of Sardinia and Italy. The palace also includes the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, which was built to house the Shroud of Turin, as well as the Galleria Sabauda, which contains a large art collection.
The Church of Santa Maria al Monte dei Cappuccini is built on a hill overlooking the river Po in Turin. That hill has a great view on the city and is a popular place to watch the sunset.