Monferrato is an area that nestles between the provinces of Alessandria and Asti in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. Its breathtaking landscape, renowned for its gentle hillsides and traditional vineyards, is today listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This scenic territory is made of different sub-divisions: Upper Monferrato, Monferrato Astigiano, Eastern Monferrato and Lower Monferrato which is bordered by the rivers Po and Tanaro and has as its main urban center Casale Monferrato, a small historic city, with a rich artistic and cultural heritage.  

Lower Monferrato, with its rolling hills, is famous for its vineyards which produce well-known wines such as Barbera and Grignolino. This is the part of Italy which is home to two world-famous special products: truffles and hazelnuts.  Impressive are the many magnificent castles that dominate the nearby hills.

Monferrato landscape | © vpardi/fotolia

The itinerary begins at 10:00 a.m. with a visit to an infernòt and the Ecomuseum of Stonework in the tiny village of Cella Monte, situated in the heart of the hilly countryside of Lower Monferrato.

An interesting type of architecture which is typical of this area of Piedmont and inextricably linked to its wine-producing tradition is the infernòt, a dark underground cavern which is dug by hand from a particular type of sandstone known as “pietra da cantoni”   

It was invented by the local folk as an addition to their existing cellars to provide a pitch dark environment for storing bottled wine. 

A visit to the  Ecomuseum of Stonework will help learn more about this unique type of stone which locals used as building material and which dates back to the Miocene geological age.

 

Infernòt | © AndreaChiesa/fotolia

The tour moves on through the hills of the Valcerrina valley, to reach the tiny hamlet of Varengo in the townland of Gabiano, where the main attraction is the Church of Saint Eusebio. The Church is perched on the highest point of the hill of Varengo which offers splendid views of the hamlet of Gabiano with its imposing 8th century castle and across the hills of Monferrato. 

Then follows a cocktail lunch at the magnificent Sannazzaro castle in Giarole accompanied by local wines and gastronomic specialties.

Casale Monferrato, Duomo | © ClaudioColombo/fotolia

 

The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the city of Casale Monferrato, the main center of business for the area. The Palaeologus dynasty ruled Monferrato from here before it came under the control of the Mantua-based Gonzaga family. The tour includes a visit to the Cathedral of Saint Evasio, patron saint of the city. Its origins stretch back to the 8th century. As a special exception, the Church of Saint Micheal will be opened for this tour which will then be followed by a visit to Synagogue, one of the most noteworthy examples of a Baroque Synagogue in the Piedmont style. The itinerary concludes with a visit to the richly frescoed palace of the noble Gozzani Treville family, designed in 1711. 

Drop off in Milan is scheduled for 8:00pm*

*we can also offer you to extend your trip in Monferrato for one night (the hotel price will be paid by the participant), for more details please contact us at booking.icomtdm@gmail.com