2 Best Sights in Rivoli, Piedmont and the Valle d'Aosta

The Baroque castle of Rivoli now houses a fascinating museum of contemporary art. The building was begun in the 17th century and then redesigned, but never finished, by architect Filippo Juvarra in the 18th century; it was finally converted into a museum in the late 20th century by the minimalist Turin architect Andrea Bruno. Its sister museum, Villa Cerutti, houses 300 paintings (including works by Renoir and Kandinsky) and sculptures, plus rare books and furnishings, in a 20th-century villa not far from the castle; visits are only by prior reservation and guided tour on weekends for adults and children ages 10 and up, with individual nonguided visits offered one Saturday each month.

The richly decorated House of the Green Count, in the oldest part of Rivoli, attests to the wealth and importance of its onetime owner, Amedeo VI of Savoy (1334–83). Legend has it that the count attended tournaments dressed all in green, hence the name. Inside, a small gallery occasionally hosts temporary exhibitions, which may increase the entrance fee.