The All Saints' long weekend: villages, foliage and thermal baths without the tourists
Where to go for the 1 November long weekend, between Piedmont and Abruzzo: villages, woods ablaze with autumn and thermal baths far from the crowds.
The 1 November long weekend is the moment when inland Italy is at its best: the woods turn copper, the thermal baths become a pleasure again and the mountain villages empty of the few summer tourists. Deciding **where to go for the 1 November long weekend** means choosing the right altitudes and a slow pace. Piedmont and Abruzzo, at the two ends of the Apennine and Alpine spine, offer exactly this: predictable foliage, ancient stone and warm waters. Here's an itinerary divided by region, with real destinations and a practical rule about the foliage.
The foliage rule
The rule is simple: between late October and early November the best colour isn't at high altitude (up there the larches have already dropped their needles) but between 700 and 1,100 metres, where beeches, chestnuts and maples last longer. Aim there and you'll rarely go wrong.
**Piedmont: Valsesia, Monferrato and a valley without roads**
The Valsesia is the safest bet for foliage. From Varallo upwards the slopes blaze with beech and chestnut; an easy walk like the one towards the Tailly Lakes and the Val d'Otro offers mirrors of water framed by the woods, while the Gole del Lavì and the loop of the three lakes are perfect for anyone wanting a circular route without the crowds. At the head of the valley, the wooden houses of Pedemonte at Alagna tell the Walser story beneath Monte Rosa: in early November the village is quiet and the larches around it form a golden backdrop.
Above Varallo, the Sacro Monte di Varallo unites art and woodland: climbing to the frescoed chapels on an autumn morning, with the mist rising from the valley, is an experience few think of for a long weekend.
If it's pure wilderness you're after, the Val Grande, the largest wilderness area in Italy, becomes in autumn a sea of beech woods with no roads or villages: go properly equipped and with short stages, but the silence pays you back.
For those who prefer hills to peaks, the Monferrato is the gentler alternative. The Abbey of Vezzolano guards a Romanesque cloister among now-harvested vineyards and oak forests, while the Ricetto di Candelo, the fortified village where wine was once kept, is the right destination for a rainy day, among cobbled "rue" and cellars.
And the thermal baths? In the lower Val Tanaro there's Garessio, a spa village among chestnut woods and the Langhe: waters, short walks and a late foliage that often holds until mid-November. Those wanting a spiritual finale can close the loop at the Sacra di San Michele, above the Val di Susa, where the Staircase of the Dead takes on its full meaning precisely in the days around All Saints'.
The Abruzzo side
**Abruzzo: the Maiella, thermal baths and stone fortresses**
Abruzzo is the warm side of this long weekend, and the Maiella is its heart. Caramanico Terme, set in the park at around 600 metres, is the ideal base: its spring waters and the Valle dell'Orfento, yellow with poplars and maples between late October and early November, are the classic spa-and-foliage pairing. From here starts the climb to the Hermitage of San Bartolomeo in Legio, set into a rock face above the woods: an hour's walk among glowing beeches and hornbeams.
At the foot of the massif, the abbey of San Liberatore a Maiella lines up Romanesque stone and monumental beech woods like those of the nearby Bosco di Sant'Antonio, above Pescocostanzo, where the candelabra-shaped beeches are worth the detour even without a link.
For lovers of dramatic landscape, the Gran Sasso offers Rocca Calascio: the highest fortress in the Apennines, spectacular when November's crisp air clears the horizon. Further south, among the badlands of the Sangro, Buonanotte is a village abandoned to a landslide, suspended and photogenic, to be visited with care. And to close on an archaeological note, the Italic temple of Schiavi d'Abruzzo, a Samnite sanctuary among the mountains of the Trigno, offers ruins at altitude and no queues.
Before you set out
A final tip: book accommodation a few days in advance (the long weekend stays popular in spa areas), bring hiking boots and set out early. Foliage and warm waters need no crowds to be memorable.
Practical guides for Todi
Practical info
When is the best time to visit The All Saints' long weekend?
The recommended time is October and November, when it is less crowded.
Where is The All Saints' long weekend?
The All Saints' long weekend is located in Italy.
