Discover Prali

Prali offers a range of themes to consider when planning your trip: alpine lakes and trails, traces of the mining industry, museums, and winter sports. If you are looking for a hotel in Prali, you can tailor your choice to whichever of these aspects of the area interests you most. Excursions range from a stroll by the lakes to underground explorations and winter activities. The differences in trail length, duration and theme below can help you plan your stay according to your own itinerary.

Alpine lakes, trails and traces of history

The Conca dei 13 Laghi covers an area with about ten small lakes; there used to be thirteen. They are probably of glacial origin. The area is designated a Site of Regional Importance (SIR). The two-hour “I laghi e le antiche leggende” walking trail is rated easy and can also be cycled by mountain bike. The Conca also contains traces of military history: the Perrucchetti shelters, abandoned barracks, and military roads 201 and 230. Nature and military history can thus be explored in a compact area, though the trails offer different kinds of outings.

“Il sentiero dei bambini” is a family hiking trail from Ghigo to Villa. A five-part story accompanies the route; the attractions and installations along the way include chainsaw sculptures, gnome houses and a forest of talking trees. The Sentiero delle borgate offers a different focus: it leads visitors to discover the hamlets around the upper Val Germanasca and combines historical and ethnographic connections with panoramic and natural views. As a half-day walk with little elevation gain, it differs in duration from the two-hour loop in the Conca.

Experience mining underground

The Ecomuseo delle Miniere e della Val Germanasca has more than four kilometres of developed and equipped underground tunnels in the Paola and Gianna mines. The experiences have different focuses: ScopriMiniera takes visitors underground aboard a mine train in the Paola mine. ScopriAlpi leads through a tectonic contact about 65 million years old beneath the Gianna mine. It illustrates the collision of Africa and Europe and the formation of the Alps.

ScopriAlpi also includes tunnels and facilities, multimedia installations, lights, sounds and narrated voices as part of a three-hour exploration. Bike & Mine offers a different perspective on the underground tunnels: participants ride more than two kilometres through the Gianna mine. When choosing between these experiences, the theme and format can help guide you—mine train, geological explanation, multimedia exploration or cycling are different ways to experience mining.

Snowshoe trails and winter sports

Prali has marked snowshoe trails established by the “Le Ciaspole” association. Route 1 runs from Giordano di Prali to Grange del Torre and back. It is rated easy, has an elevation gain of 435 metres and takes two to two and a half hours. The trails are seasonal; conditions depend on snow and weather.

The ski area also offers several distinct options: it has 1,100 metres of vertical drop and four lifts. According to the information provided, the snowpark is suitable for both beginners and experienced freestyle skiers and snowboarders. The ski school offers lessons and activities in alpine skiing, snowboarding, carving and cross-country skiing; courses are seasonal. The cross-country ski trail is more than twelve kilometres long and runs from Ghigo di Prali to Villa di Prali. In winter, the bocce courts in Prali are also turned into a natural ice rink. You can compare the information on trails, lifts and other activities according to your interests.

Museums and getting there

The Museo Valdese di Prali is accessible by public transport: either by scheduled bus from Turin to Prali, or by train to Pinerolo followed by a scheduled bus to Prali. Check timetables before travelling. A museum in the former school in Villa di Rodoretto recreates domestic interiors and a classroom in a mountain school. A museum housed in one of the oldest Waldensian temples in Val Germanasca documents the history of the Waldensian community through its places of worship; the temple was built in 1556. The reconstructed school and domestic rooms, and the history of the places of worship, offer different insights into the valley’s cultural heritage.

Discover more destinations: Pont Canavese, Valprato Soana, Collegno, Sparone, Piobesi Torinese, Chivasso, Torrazza Piemonte, Stazione

For the main travel overview: Turin.