Ciriè

What I did and saw:
​Sacra di San Michele-
​Also know as Saint Michael’s Abbey, the Sacra di San Michele was built on Mount Pirchiriano just outside the city of Turin. Although I wasn’t able to go inside while I was there I was able to walk around and take advantage of the amazing views of the surrounding countryside and of the city of Turin. This location was also the inspiration for the famous book The Name of the Rose.

Reggia di Venaria Reale-
The Reggia di Venaria Reale is a massive former royal palace and gardens. It was originally built as a hunting base and was also used by the House of Savoy. It is one of the most visited museums in all of Italy. I spent a good amount of time there and could have still spent much more time there.

English Camp-
​As I did in Volterra and Casalmaggiore, I also taught an ACLE English camp in Ciriè. The camp in Ciriè was the most well organized and had a relatively extravagant final show for the parents.

​San Giovanni Battista and Chiesa di San Giuseppe-
​The San Giovanni Battista building was built in the 1300’s, then restored in the 1800’s, and contains some beautiful artwork. The Chiesa di San Giuseppe is easy to walk past as its facade blends in with the surrounding architecture. However, it is worth stopping in the see the beauty this 17th century building contains.

Where I ate and drank:
​Ristorante Lago Grande Pub Bel Sugne'-
After visiting the Sacra di San Michele with my host family, we went to eat at Ristorante Lago Grande Pub Bel Sugne’. It is situated beautifully on the lakefront of the Lago Grande di Avigliana. Inside the restaurant there are also a number of life size comic book superheroes. I had the gnocchi to eat while I was there, which was very good.

Zen Zero-
Zen Zero was a short walk from the location of the English camp, so I went there a couple afternoons with some of the other English teachers to have an Italian aperitivo (which I talked about in my Casalmaggiore post).

Casale 93 (Turin)-
On my first day in town, my host family showed me around Turin, and we ate at Casale 93. They gave me an excellent suprise there, and I also got to meet some of the other teachers there.

Gelateria San Ciriaco and Gelodoc-
​I had gelato at a few places in Ciriè, but San Ciriaco and Gelodoc were my favorites. Like many gelato places in Italy, they were very tasty (and well priced!).

Where I stayed:
​I stayed with an awesome host family in Ciriè. During my week there, I ate most dinners at their house. They also showed me around Ciriè and the Turin area.

How I got around:
​My host family drive me to camp every morning , as well as to the many places we went to see in the surrounding area. In the afternoons I usually walked to get around, and I also got rides from some of the camp staff for some after camp activities.

My favorite thing:
There was a lot to like about Ciriè, but I especially liked the Reggia di Venaria Reale, the Sacra di San Michele, and the kindness of my host family.

My least favorite thing:
There are not a ton of things to do inside Ciriè itself, but Turin is just a short drive away.

For next time:
Next time in Ciriè it would be nice to check out more of the Turin area.