​The survival of viticulture and the art of wine making, despite the Barbaric invasions which followed the fall of the Roman Empire, is mainly due to monks who, in the shelter of their monasteries, carried on and then handed down the tradition of cultivating grape vines and producing wines, which was required for the celebration of the Eucharist. In the area which is known today as the “Collina Torinese” (Turin Hill), this role was played by the Augustinian monks of the Vezzolano Abbey who spread the cultivation of wine to the surrounding area.

In talking about wines from the Province of Turin, it is impossible not to cite the little treatise: “On the excellence and diversity of the wines that in the Turin Mountains are made and the ways they are made,” written in 1606 by Giovanni Battista Croce, an eclectic character who came to the Court of Savoy. A goldsmith, architect, agronomist and enologist of Milanese origin, he greatly contributed to the dissemination of grape vines and the production of wines in the area.

The interest in these wines aroused at Court, stimulated the proliferation of rows of grape vines cultivated around bourgeois properties and the noble villas on the Hill which were, from that period on, referred to as “vigne”. The most renowned one was the Queen’s Vineyard of the Madame Royale Christine of France.

Ideal for peaceful walks or bicycle rides, this area offers enchanting panoramic views of Turin. The Po River Park provides ample space for nature and sports activities along the banks of the river.

The Po Hill is part of the UNESCO MAB reserve.