Yes. Since your driver is dedicated to your group for the day, you can build in extra stops, such as the surrounding rice fields or a detour toward Lake Maggiore, without juggling separate tickets or schedules. Just tell your driver what you'd like to see when planning the route.
Novara sits almost exactly between the two cities: about 50 km (31 miles) from Milan and around 100 km (62 miles) from Turin. A private transfer typically takes under an hour from Milan and just over an hour from Turin, door to door, without the connections or fixed schedules of regional trains.
Novara's historic center is compact and walkable, so three to four hours covers the highlights. Start at Piazza della Repubblica for the Broletto and cathedral, then cross to the 5th to 6th century baptistry before wandering the surrounding streets. It's an easy, unhurried add-on to a longer Piedmont day.
No, they're two separate landmarks. The neoclassical cathedral on Piazza della Repubblica was rebuilt in the 1860s on the site of a much older church. The Basilica di San Gaudenzio stands elsewhere in the city and is known for its soaring dome, designed by architect Alessandro Antonelli, one of the tallest brick domes in Europe. Both are worth seeing if your schedule allows.
The piazza is Novara's historic core, framed by the Broletto's medieval and Renaissance buildings, the Town Museum, and the Novara Museum of Modern Art. The neoclassical cathedral dominates one side, holding Renaissance artwork, mosaics, and frescoes that survive from the 12th century church which previously stood there.
Novara packs Roman origins, medieval rebuilding, and 19th century architecture into one small city that most itineraries overlook. It's also the gateway to Piedmont's rice country, the fields ringing the city shape much of the region's character. A day trip here offers an authentic, uncrowded contrast to the bigger cities nearby.
