Forte di Fenestrelle
Forte di Fenestrelle
5
Monday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
The Fortress of Fenestrelle is the longest military fortification in Europe; nowadays thanks to Associazione San Carlo's volunteers is open to visit.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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5.0
1,566 reviews
Excellent
1,345
Very good
184
Average
25
Poor
6
Terrible
6
Alberto Bonamico
1 contribution
Apr 2023
Had a great time visiting (3 hours tour) led by Gian who shared a lot of history and little stories with us. Nice exercise too climbing half the way up the fort. Highly recommended.
Written 12 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MichaL M
1 contribution
Oct 2022
Absolutely fantastic place. Fortress is really magnificent. After seeing it, probably any castle in the world will be able to impress me so much. Fortress is around 80km from turin and trust me it is really worth to rent the car and drive there. The only thing worth noting is that to truly see the fortress it is necessarry to participate in guided tour which starts around 9 a.m. or 3 p.m. Guided tour lasts 3 hours or 7 hours (only starting on the morning) and trust me it is worth every $ (especially when it is so cheap compared to much inferior and more popular places)
Fortress was so fantastic that we joined guided tour in italian language (we don't speak nor understand italian :) ) just to explore it. Through 3 hours with our guide Gian (i hope i remembered correctly :D ) we were able to explore around the 30-40% of whole fortress. Even though tour was in italian Gian did great job in explaining and describing some things in english and thanks to him it was really fascinating experience :)
I recommend visiting the fortress very much. Only thing that I regret is that I did not know about the tours before coming there and I have missed the opportunity of seeing the top fort of the fortress, However thanks to that I have a reason to come back there in future which i ceirtanly will :)
Also restaurant in the fortress have nice selection of very tasty piemont most traditional dishes.
And all of this.... without enormous crowds of tourists from all over europe like in most popular italian cities. During our visit through whole day maybe we seen 50 people max....all of them from Italy :)
lier
I have been in Italy before and to this time it is the best thing i have seen there :)
Fortress was so fantastic that we joined guided tour in italian language (we don't speak nor understand italian :) ) just to explore it. Through 3 hours with our guide Gian (i hope i remembered correctly :D ) we were able to explore around the 30-40% of whole fortress. Even though tour was in italian Gian did great job in explaining and describing some things in english and thanks to him it was really fascinating experience :)
I recommend visiting the fortress very much. Only thing that I regret is that I did not know about the tours before coming there and I have missed the opportunity of seeing the top fort of the fortress, However thanks to that I have a reason to come back there in future which i ceirtanly will :)
Also restaurant in the fortress have nice selection of very tasty piemont most traditional dishes.
And all of this.... without enormous crowds of tourists from all over europe like in most popular italian cities. During our visit through whole day maybe we seen 50 people max....all of them from Italy :)
lier
I have been in Italy before and to this time it is the best thing i have seen there :)
Written 8 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manux77
Brussels, Belgium44 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
This one-of-a-kind fortress sprawls over 3 levels connected by staircases over 600 metres of altitude, about an hour away from turin. Guided tours are available for a fraction of the price of what they would cost abroad and are run by amazing volunteer guides - ours (Michele) besides being very knowledgeable was clearly passionate about the fortress and knew plenty of interesting anecdotes to keep everyone interested. We did the 7-hour tour with our kids (aged 6 and 8) - as there are plenty of stops, they managed very well (there are plenty of stops en route, you won’t be actually walking for 7 hours). This is a gem of a place, i would love to return to see it with snow as well as to attend one of theatre shows / re-enactments that that place every few weeks. Thanks for a great day to Michele from his “bodyguards” (our kids were given the title for the day) from Belgium, we wish you all the best for the renovations of the fortress and hope that it will get the recognition (and the funding) it deserves.
Written 5 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deybi W
Alessandria, Italy315 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
This place with bus from Turin it's about 2 hours, when we are come the tour for tourists close (tour for fortress) but there is one restaurant there so we spend time for gelato 🤗
Written 5 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A Wandering Web Travels
Calgary, Canada178 contributions
Jul 2018 • Business
We took the self-guided tour of the fort as there were no guided tours in English available. Tours are in Italian, German or French. We could have joined the guided tour in a foreign language that had already started but we opted not to. Instead, we took an English paper guide and walked around the fort on our own. I would have preferred a tour in English to get more out of the visit but the fort is still very impressive. It is the second longest fortification in the world next to the Great Wall of China. The stairs cannot be climbed without a guide so we went up as far as we were allowed. There is a restaurant on-site but it is not open until later in the afternoon. There are bathrooms onsite; however, I did not use them. My husband used the men's toilet and he said it was not very good. Views of the mountains are fantastic. If you want a guided tour, I suggest contacting the fort to see what tours are available and in what language.
Written 2 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jaoxi2015
Hualien, Taiwan359 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
Free parking out of the fortress,there are 2 kind of tickets: 10€ for 3 h visit ore 15€ for 7 h visit. Both are with guide, our was very kind.
Written 31 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tualie
Varese, Italy1,363 contributions
Aug 2017 • Family
…better if mountain hiking shoes… the one-hour visit covers only the first part of the fortress (Forte San Carlo) where is concentrated the main military buildings like the officers headquarters, church, governor’s offices and the fort housing permanent military exhibits; cost 5,00. The three-hour visit covers the aforementioned plus visits to gunpowder barracks and a walk (or climb) a piece of the 4000 covered stairs (tunnel) until a mid-checkpoint; cost 10,00. The whole day visit intend to walk the whole complex until the fort at the top of the mountain, the return through the pine forest aside the walls of the fortress; cost 15,00.
The fortress dates from 1700’s built during the Savoyard era (Kingdom of Sardinia afterwards Kingdom of Italy); the purpose was to protect possible foreign invasions; when this valley was under French jurisdiction, the French built Fort Mutin (now in ruins) just across the valley; very interesting the view from this to Fenestrelle.
Mandatory to reserve a tour if intended to visit this fortress, pity that English is not available (anyway just ask, sometimes they manage to get guides with some English or French knowledge if asked in advance)
The fortress dates from 1700’s built during the Savoyard era (Kingdom of Sardinia afterwards Kingdom of Italy); the purpose was to protect possible foreign invasions; when this valley was under French jurisdiction, the French built Fort Mutin (now in ruins) just across the valley; very interesting the view from this to Fenestrelle.
Mandatory to reserve a tour if intended to visit this fortress, pity that English is not available (anyway just ask, sometimes they manage to get guides with some English or French knowledge if asked in advance)
Written 22 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard A
UK46 contributions
Apr 2018 • Family
Steeped in history, the fortress of Fenestrelle - sometimes called the 'Great Wall of Europe' - is a hugely impressive structure whether viewed from a distance or close up, and can be visited on a pre-booked guided tour (although usually in Italian only). The normal 'short' version takes 3+ hours, and is fantastic value for money at just 10 Euros, and a longer (7 hour) expedition is also available by arrangement. You need to be fit to tackle the climb up and down, but some parts of the main fort can also be accessed on certain days of the week if you have a mobility impairment or very young children. Thoroughly recommended.
Written 15 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kateheathcote
Shrewsbury, UK7 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
Out of season, so unable to visit the whole fort. Staff very attentive despite us being the only visitors
Amazing lunch prepared for us
Would love to return to visit the whole fort which extends from the valley to the top of the mountain
Amazing lunch prepared for us
Would love to return to visit the whole fort which extends from the valley to the top of the mountain
Written 1 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Made-In-Mars
Marseille, France138 contributions
Aug 2017 • Family
From the road, you can see the place and it looks amazing. Once you're inside, it is even more wonderful!
There are 3 sorts of tours: 1 hour, 3 hours and 9 hours. We chose the 3h tour but we wish we had taken the 9h!
The visit starts with an underground visit of the base of the Fortress and after, we started climbing the stairs and the paths the animals and guards used to walk.
The guide explains the history of the place step by step. As we walked higher and higher, the view was more and more sublime...
It is probably the most amazing fortress I've ever seen! And I've seen a lot!
Be careful, not only the tour is ONLY with a guide, but it is just in Italian. Our guide also spoke English and French, but just answered questions between two stops... So, since the first hour is just a presentation of everyday life of the inhabitants in the 18th, it was extremely boring for some people. Some even left the tour... But after this hour, the tour worths everything else!
Clearly, I highly recommend it!
Last -but not least- all the personnels and the guides are working for free since it is an association...
There are 3 sorts of tours: 1 hour, 3 hours and 9 hours. We chose the 3h tour but we wish we had taken the 9h!
The visit starts with an underground visit of the base of the Fortress and after, we started climbing the stairs and the paths the animals and guards used to walk.
The guide explains the history of the place step by step. As we walked higher and higher, the view was more and more sublime...
It is probably the most amazing fortress I've ever seen! And I've seen a lot!
Be careful, not only the tour is ONLY with a guide, but it is just in Italian. Our guide also spoke English and French, but just answered questions between two stops... So, since the first hour is just a presentation of everyday life of the inhabitants in the 18th, it was extremely boring for some people. Some even left the tour... But after this hour, the tour worths everything else!
Clearly, I highly recommend it!
Last -but not least- all the personnels and the guides are working for free since it is an association...
Written 19 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abbigliamento a maggio
Paola B
Pinerolo, Italy10 contributions
Consiglio sempre di portare almeno un guscio o un piumino leggero.
Doki83
Vigevano, Italy730 contributions
Per chi soffre di vertigini non è proprio adatto?grazie.
Federica M
Novara, Italy195 contributions
Buongiorno,arrivando da Torino,come è la strada?Ci sono tante curve/tornanti?Per chi soffre la macchina è un percorso consigliabile?Grazie!
splendidag86
Borghi, Italy19 contributions
In quale paese/città mi consigliate di alloggiare per andare a visitare Fenestrelle?
Gloria B
93 contributions
Per avere tutti i servizi utili,tipi bar,ristoranti,farmacie ecc, consiglio la città di Pinerolo che è anche molto carina da visitare con i suoi portici
Tiziana S
Province of Turin, Italy5 contributions
Quale tipo di abbigliamento consigliate per una visita di 3 ore?
beppe C
Cantalupa, Italy40 contributions
Hanno già dato tutti ottimi consigli. Mi permetto di aggiungere di portarti dietro un bastoncino da camminata perché la discesa la si fa su una mulattiera con diverse asperità nel terreno . Aggiungi anche un piccola torcia se non vuoi utilizzare quella del smartphone per l'ascesa delle scale interne che non hanno alcun punto luce né naturale né artificiale. La vista è bellissima (anch'io ho fatto il tratto breve) ma, se sei giovane o abituata alle camminate, ti consiglio di fare tutto il percorso perché lo spettacolo dovrebbe essere garantito.
Antonella B
Genoa, Italy24 contributions
Vorrei visitare il forte con due bambini di 4 anni e mezzo. Lo ritenete adatto?
Alberto S
La Spezia, Italy204 contributions
Se si vuole fare un giro piccolo si , altrimenti diventa complicato...
Antonella B
Genoa, Italy24 contributions
Vorrei visitare il forte con due bambini di 4 anni e mezzo. Lo ritenete adatto?
alberto p
Genova, Italia1,659 contributions
Per la difficoltà del percorso non ci sono problemi, forse non reggono le tre ore di visita guidata e purtroppo non si può visitare da soli.
Buongiorno vorrei visitare il forte la mia cagnolina può entrare? Grazie
Barbara
Samarate, Italy318 contributions
I cani possono entrare nel forte ma non sono sicura che possano entrare nel castello. Prova a telefono
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Claim your listingFORTE DI FENESTRELLE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Forte di Fenestrelle
- Forte di Fenestrelle is open:
- Thu - Mon 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- Thu - Mon 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Hotels near Forte di Fenestrelle:
- (0.20 km) Le Petit Fenestrelle
- (1.71 km) Pràcatinat Hotel & Restaurant
- (0.79 km) Residenza La Ruina
- (0.91 km) Campeggio Serre Marie
- (14.06 km) Ciao Pais
- Restaurants near Forte di Fenestrelle:
- (0.26 km) La Rosa Rossa
- (0.24 km) Cafe Des Forcats
- (0.41 km) Le Antiche Mura
- (0.50 km) Trattoria Il Grillo
- (0.84 km) Taja e gusta
- Attractions near Forte di Fenestrelle:
- (2.70 km) I Murales
- (12.07 km) Ecomuseo delle Miniere e della Val Germanasca
- (11.36 km) Arco di Augusto
- (3.85 km) Colle delle Finestre
- (2.57 km) Lago del Laux