Why Chieri? Once we decided to make the move to Italy, the big question was where to live. Given the location of the school (see map below), there were three options: (1) In Torino, the big city but 7-8 miles away with a small mountain in between; (2) in the small-ish city of Chieri, less than 2 miles away; (3) in one of the lovely small towns scattered all around this area, such as Pinot Torinese.
We like to think of ourselves as city-people, and love the scale and vibe in Torino, but we think this is a good chance to love in smaller-town Italy. Maybe a chance to really blend in with daily life in a community, get to know neighbors, etc.
Also, the commute from Torino, while not very far, would involve some amount of meandering through the mini-mountains twice a day - no fun for me (after three concussions in my life, I can get dizzy pretty quickly during a mountain drive - we're glad we were able to come and visit in February to scope all of this out, otherwise I might have underestimated the effort involved in the commute).
Of course, many IST teachers live in Torino and love it - the nightlife, shopping, easy access elsewhere, and an invigorating drive (for those without a history of head injuries!) - and in fact, the school offers a shuttle bus to/from Torino every day. So it makes sense for many.
But Barbara and I were lucky to find a perfect apartment right in the heart of Chieri - good size, bright, nice views, and not super expensive. Another IST teacher is building a house and was leaving the apartment in July, so we jumped at the chance to take it over (my colleague wouldn't recommend it to us if it wasn't a good place, right?).
We've really taken to Chieri - it's a wonderful little town of about 30,000, (quoting a tourist brochure here...) "halfway between Turin and the Langhe region, offering everything you'd expect from the hills of Piedmont; flavors, history, and nature." It's rich in history - check any of these links for lots of information - having been settled as early as 400 BCE by Celtic tribes who crossed over from the Alps and mixed in with the Ligurians.
There are two theories for the origin of the name "Chieri": (1) "Its original name would have been Karreum or a variant thereof...based on the root kar, which possibly means "stone" (Wikipedia).
(2) In 1155, the city was conquered and pretty much destroyed by Holy Roman Empire Emperor Frederick I (aka "Barbarossa," or red beard). As he left the city, he reportedly looked back at the city and said "Chi eri?" which translates to "Who were you?" I like that [admittedly apocryphal] story much better...and a solid line if you ever break up with someone!
Chieri has had a pretty good run over the centuries, with the exception of losing 1/3 of the population, Thanos-style, to the Bubonic plague in 1630.
Its wealth and fame drew from the "city's base as a medieval centre for Textile trade and manufacture." It was spared destruction during World War II, and grew to its current size after the war, with migration from elsewhere in Italy, due to Chieri's proximity to major manufacturing areas in Torino and Milano.
Today, Chieri is quite vibrant, with loads of cafes, restaurants, and shopping - while it feels like a quiet and modest place, the caliber of the restaurants/shops suggest a fair amount of affluence here.
The area supports two open air markets that each operate twice/week, so we can walk to a market four times/week - in addition to all of the retail options (local as well as chain stores).
But most important, we are only steps away from three bar/cafe places for coffee in the morning and drinks in the evening.
So far, our favorite is Tandem Bar and its owner/barista Mario). We hope you can come and visit us for some coffee and to experience authentic daily life here in our little city!