Project consultantDaniele Manzone, Annalisa Catalano(Ideazione srl, Alba)

Realization of the stopping points Arch. Silvia Brovia (Alba)

Publisher’s proof readers “alberoparlante”Holden Art (Torino)

Graphics project and realizationLaura Grosso (E.R.I.C.A. soc. coop., Alba)

TextsPaolo Racca (Ideazione srl, Alba),Giuseppina Casucci (direttore GAL),Roberto Cavallo (E.R.I.C.A. soc.coop., Alba)

PhotographsGiuseppe Malò (unless specifically indicated)

Map realizationPietro Giovannini, Edoardo Galvagno(Pop-Art Studio, Alba)

Printed byLitografia Jollygraf (Villanova Mondovì)

Project managerGiuseppina Casucci (direttore GAL)

Project for the promotion of localtourism carried out by GAL LangheRoero Leader with EC, state and regionalcontributions within the EC initiativeLeader Plus 2000 – 2006

Via Umberto I, 1 - 12060 BossolascoTel. 0173/793508-799000www.langheroeroleader.itwww.stradaromantica.it

GAL expresses its special thanks to the Comunità Montana Alta Langa, thelocal Public Authorities, the town Councils and everyone who has kindlycollaborated with pictures and texts to the best realization of this project, fortheir love of this land.

Visiting the Langhe and Roero Regions is like opening a door to a fascinatingland with a thousand aspects, each one the keeper of a memory, a piece ofhistory or a shared tradition. We want to accompany tourists along theStrada Romantica of the Langhe and Roero, suggesting an overall view ofroutes to take and places to visit during their stay.

Our attachment to this land is ancient and unbreakable. The landscape itself,the profile of our hills, is part of our culture and everyday life, we could donothing else than begin our story here. We would like for visitors to enjoy thesame sensations that we, the inhabitants of the Langhe and Roero, feel whenwe go along the streets that gently wind over hillsides until reaching thesummit: from there our views and hearts open upon our world, from there wewould like to begin our tale.

We’ll follow the suggestions of eleven stories, eleven chapters of our historyand the life of our people: images and words lain down with care on thepaths that unite the stopping points of the Strada Romantica of the Langheand Roero. Each of these contains a glimpse of the territory and to each onewe have entrusted the task of preserving a memory: the orchards and therugged Cliffs of the Roero region, the geometry of the vineyards on the Langahills, the hazel groves and the woods of the High Langa that tell of the sweetfruits of this land; the castles and towers that watch from each rise recall thefeudal past, the farmhouse courtyards that retain the memory of the vigilsand farming traditions, the sunny squares that echo with the sound of gamesand traditional festivals.

Following the Strada Romantica of the Langhe and Roero means entering,little by little, into the life of this territory. Together we’ll follow the sinuousprocession of the hills, long roads that contend with the vineyards for the sun,we’ll engage ourselves with moving views, places ready to reveal a new aspectaround every curve. Here the hero of our story is the landscape, fascinatingnarrator of history and silent keeper of memories.

Let’s calmly browse the pages of this territory, listening to the sound of everyword and following the rhythm of each sentence. Images and emotions thatseem like dreams will arise before us. But let’s keep our eyes and hearts openwide so as not to run the risk of losing any of the magic.

Ente Turismo Alba Bra Langhe Roero GAL Langhe Roero LeaderPresident President Aldo Sartore Giorgio Manfredi

The Langhe and Roero are a mosaic ofinfinite landscapes, impossible to encom-pass in a single glance. They are betterto discover one piece at a time, followinga course that allows us, little by little, toreconstruct a whole universe. The Strada Romantica of the Langhe andRoero – created by GAL Langhe Roero Lea-der within the framework of the EC Initiati-ve Leader Plus – strives to just this kindof approach: to describe a unique, yet di-verse landscape, through aspects that,by tradition or suggestion know how toevoke the spirit of the whole. At the cen-tre of the scene are eleven stopping points which reveal the extraordinarynatural and human landscape. The plot of histories and memories is set th-rough eleven themes - exploring the relationship between man and his landto local popular traditions, up to the most recent history- and the territory isinterpreted through them, giving recognition to a priceless heritage.The Strada Romantica of the Langhe and Roero was conceived to offer tou-rists an original travel experience, but with respect for the rhythms and spi-rit of the territory: this can be noticed by the structures at the panoramicpoints along the trail, created to allow visitors to fully enjoy the landscapethat hosts them. On top of the hills or in the shade of the ancient towers,visitors will find hints and suggestions waiting for them for following their

path: the “quinte informative,” infor-mation panels placed to provide de-tails on the surrounding tourist at-tractions and the “cippi panorami-ci,” a series of display boards, re-calling the sinuous form of thesurrounding hills, that suggest aninterpretation of the territory fol-lowing the assigned theme of eachstopping point, offering an original

Introduction to the StradaRomantica of the Langhe andRoero Regions

way for tourists to get to know theterritory at depth, nearly becomingfilled by the stories and sugge-stions.Places of rest and observation, theeleven panoramic points invite visi-tors to give a bit of time to them-selves, like the solitary reading ofa book or a chat with friends: herethen the discreet presence of thetalking tree, one of the most poetic aspects of the installations, which con-fides the story of the territory to its leaves through literary passages, andthe “romantic bench” for tourists to rest on, designed for sitting comforta-bly in pairs, made with metal treated in an annealing process and workedwith a grommet procedure to infuse lightness into the handmade item. From one stopping point to the next, escorted by some of the most fasci-nating views in the world, you will come into contact with the jewels of thisland: its flourishing wine production, truffles and hazelnuts, as well as itssecular traditions, the small gems of rural architecture that adorn villagesand slopes, witnesses to the feudal age made of castles and towers, andmagnificent residences that look down from the most striking peaks. LaStrada Romantica of the Langhe and Roero is a physical and emotionaljourney: over one hundred kilometres of roads and paths set in a landsca-pe of irresistible charm, infinite emotion to be experienced and just asmany suggestions to savour to be able to read and interpret the spirit of aterritory.

Steep hills, deep gorges andcliffs: these are the famous Roc-che of the Roero region, on theleft side of the Tanaro River.Vezza d’Alba was built here morethan one thousand years ago; theruins of the castle that belongedto the Roero family until the 17thCentury are a vestige of its feu-dal age.In Vezza we suggest you visit thenice Baroque Church of San Ber-nardino and two other interestingchurches: the Parish church ofSan Martino and the Shrine of theMadonna dei Boschi, which is lo-cated between the hamlets of Val-le Sanche and Valle Maggiore.The Naturalistic Museum of theRoero houses reconstructions oftypical natural environments ofthe region.

Langhe and Roero became famousall over the world for their mostprecious product: the truffle. It hasbecome a part of the collectiveimagery, also thanks to figures suchas Gioacchino Rossini (for him itwas "the Mozart of mushrooms"),Alfred Hitchcock (who wasattracted by the mysterysurrounding the truffles, so much soas to want to make a film aboutthem) and Marylin Monroe (whowrote to Giacomo Morra, the "kingof truffles", that she had «nevertasted anything more exciting»).

Truffles, foodand tastes

the theme of the stop

stop 1:Municipality of Vezza d’Alba(353 m a.s.l.)

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...from Vezza d’Albato Magliano Alfieri -(11km)

Your journey on the Strada Ro-mantica begins from the rock thatdominates the village of Vezzad’Alba: the view from the panora-mic terrace extends for 360° over hills and villages, woods and vineyardsof the Roero region.You can reach it by walking along a path for a shortdistance.Then you continue downhill and turn to the left into via Mazziniand via Marconi, go through piazza San Bernardo and leave by via Cu-neo. After a few hairpin bends, follow the SP152 crossing Borgonuovo.Once you reach the chapel dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo, turn left inthe direction of Canale/Torino as far as the roundabout crossing the SR29in Borbore.You go straight on along the SP50 towards Castellinaldo. Af-ter 200 metres you turn left, following the road signs to Castellinaldo andMagliano Alfieri.[We suggest you make a detour of only a few kilometres from the route ofthe Strada Romantica. From the crossroads, you cross the hamlet of Ma-dernassa, where the homonymous, famous Madernassa pears are cultiva-ted, and reach the village of Guarene, with its beautiful castle and panora-mic terraces over the towers of Alba.].Two kilometres further on, in the area of Castellinaldo, you reach a cros-sroads: take the left road which climbs uphill through the vineyards andgo on through Variglie road. On your left side, you pass the country churchof San Salvario.Turn downhill to the right and reach the panoramic ter-race of Piazza Castello: you pass below an arch of the castle and godownhill on the right, passing the town hall and the “Casa Rossa” of the18th Century. Then, you turn left into via Roma, which is linked to theSP176. Go straight on towards Magliano Alfieri, where you can enjoy a

fantastic view over Castellinaldo, andgo uphill towards the opposite hill.At the following crossroads, you turn ri-ght into the SP177 towards Magliano.You can reach the castle by following viaAsilo Alfieri.You can walk in the limi-ted traffic area passing the massive ca-stle in the direction of the Church ofSant’Andrea.The stopping point of the Strada Ro-mantica is on the panoramic terrace ofthe church courtyard. From here youcan admire the Tanaro valley. On theopposite side you can see the first hills ofthe Langhe and, on the right side, thetown of Alba.

towards the next stop

Magliano Alfieri stands for the hi-story of the Roero region: from theancient Roman age to the feudal ti-me, when the territory was domina-ted by a few aristocratic families.Here is the “kingdom” of the Alfierifamily, who commissioned the con-struction of the imposing castlebetween 1660 and 1680 that domi-nates the town centre, and whichwas the residence of one of the mo-st important Italian poets, the youngVittorio Alfieri. The castle,where youcan also find the noble chapel of theSanto Crocefisso, is the property ofthe town hall. The castle houses the“Museo d’Arti e Tradizioni Popolari”,an interesting ethnographic mu-seum with a characteristic sectiondedicated to plaster ceilings, whichwere carried out with a particularbuilding technique which was wide-spread in farmhouses in the areasof Roero, Asti and Ovada.

An ancient castle dominates everyvillage of the Langhe and Roeroregion: the feudal age stillsurvives thanks to many buildingswhich create a fairy-taleatmosphere. The fortresses on thehilltops tell the visitors the historyof this land through the names oftheir families, such as Falletti,Roero and Alfieri, and thelegends tied to them, as in the caseof the Volta Castle of Barolo andthe Prunetto Castle, whichbecame the subject of mysteriousstories and superstition.

Langa andRoero castles

the theme of the stop

stop 2:Municipality of Magliano Alfieri(328 m a.s.l.)

Cas

tle(M

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ipal

Arch

ives

, Mag

liano

Alfie

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...from Magliano Alfierito Neive - (11km)

Leave the Church of Sant’ Andrea(the stopping point in MaglianoAlfieri) and the Alfieri Castlebehind you.Leaving the small car park, turn tothe right through via Troia, andturn right again into the SP152.Once you are outside the village,you go along a winding road extending through the vineyards, you pass ahairpin bend and then you leave the main road and turn to the right justbefore the Chapel dedicated to Santa Maria delle Nevi, which is made of redbricks. Here you will also find the “Parco della Rimembranza, a war memo-rial of the two world wars, and the orthodox Chapel dedicated to Sant’Anastasia and the Reconciliation, which was built with Russian wood.Along the downhill road you will pass a small cemetery. At the first cros-sroads, turn to the left and go downhill towards the valley. Just before thenew cemetery, you turn left and continue as far as the hamlet of Moisa.Whenyou are in the hamlet, turn first left along a small torrent, then you turn tothe right, reaching this way the “Sentiero del Roero S3”. Walk along thispath for about 1.5 Km, then you turn left at the first crossroads and reach theroundabout in Baraccone. Continue in the direction of Neive, crossing thewhole industrial area. Go straight on along the road, crossing the TanaroRiver, which divides the Langhe region from the Roero region. On the oro-graphic right side of the river, the landscape is characterised by a row of gul-lies, which belong to the marl group of Sant’ Agata, which was formedabout 65 thousand years ago during a geological phenomenon called “thecapture of the river Tanaro”. After reaching the area of Neive, you follow theroad signs to the historic centre (Neive capoluogo) and turn left just after ahairpin bend. You take the ring road; the village is on your right.When youare halfway up the hill, about 200 mt before the sports facilities, you will findthe stopping point of the Strada Romantica. Here you can admire, from theleft to the right, respectively, the Barbaresco Tower and the Roero castles ofGuarene, Magliano Alfieri and Govone.You can continue just a few metres

further along the mainroad, and you will find awooden staircase throughwhich you can gain accessto the old town of Neive,which has been proclaimed“one of the most beautifulItalian villages” thanks toits beautiful historic buil-dings.

towards the next stop

It is easy to understand why Nei-ve belongs to the route of the“Most beautiful Italian villages”,you just need to have a look atits medieval old town with its ty-pical houses with red roofs over-looking the narrow lanes.You will also find other ancienttestimonies: the Clock Tower,which is the last vestige of theold castle, the Baroque Archcon-fraternity of San Michele with itsprecious wooden portal, Cotto’sHouse with beautiful ceilingsand fireplaces of the 18th Cen-tury.Outside the village, along the Ti-nella torrent on the way to Man-go, in the countryside you will al-so find a marvellous Romane-sque bell tower, which belongsto the fascinating Church of San-ta Maria del Piano.

This land seems to be a presentfor man in order to enjoy goodwine: the hills offer their slopes tothe sun, and a tradition made upof hard work and enthusiasm hasmade the region of Langhe andRoero one of the most importantcentres of wine-growingworldwide. Enjoy this land withthe intense aromas of its wines,such as Barolo, Barbaresco,Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Arneis andMoscato, and admire thechanging colours of its vineyardsin the different seasons.

A multitude of winesand vineyards

the theme of the stop

stop 3:Municipality of Neive(309 m a.s.l.)

Red

vine

yard

sw

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(Fra

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Gia

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...from Neiveto Treiso - (9km)

The route of the StradaRomantica continues bygoing left from the Neivestopping point and ontothe uphill road thatbrings you to the Histori-cal Centre. Here, at astop sign in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, continue straight ahead in Via Circonval-lazione. On the left the first viewpoint opens up over the Langa of Moscato,while the historic centre of Neive is perched on the right.At the other end of the village, at the height of the little church of San Rocco,you enter an avenue of plane-trees on the left. At the end, turn left and at theroundabout keep to the right in the direction of Treiso/Barbaresco/Tre Stelle.Along the road, reaching the hamlet of Slizza, the Tanaro Valley extends tothe right, dominated by the first buttresses of the Roero. Meanwhile, turningyour gaze behind, you can admire the village of Neive.The road winds over ridges and dips near the hamlet of Gavello, where theview opens onto the Tinella Valley. At the next junction for Barbaresco conti-nue in the direction of Alba/Treiso.[Here, with a brief circular deviation of about 4 km, you can continue withthe visit of Barbaresco. Leaving the car under the sundial in front of the Tou-rist Office, with the Enoteca Regionale del Barbaresco to your back, followthe central avenue on foot to reach the renowned tower.]The Strada Romantica continues instead going beyond Tre Stelle: at the se-cond crossroads turn left, still in the direction of Treiso, which you reach af-ter having passed the hamlets of Giacosa and Casotto. At the roundaboutcontinue to the right towards the centre, descending towards the beautifulBaroque Church of the 1750. In the square, which offers diverse panoramicviewpoints and hosts various taverns, make a U-turn near the town hall,going back up in via Savona in front of the Parish church. Once back on theridge take a right. At the hamlet of Giacone, the first signs of land erosionappear on the left to anticipate the “Rocche dei Sette Fratelli,” (The Rocks of

the Seven Brothers) a fewhundred meters ahead on theright. In the hamlet of Canta,after the Chapel dedicated tothe Partisans, descend to theright towards the hamlets ofMeruzzano/Ginotti/Montersi-no.The entrance to the “Roc-che dei Sette Fratelli” stop-ping point is at the third bendon the right, beyond the lasthouses, before Cascina Reiso.

towards the next stop

Treiso (from the Latin Terzius) wasprobably the site of the third milestone of the Roman road“Magistra Langarum”. It led fromAlba Pompeia to the FrenchProvence and some fragments stillremain among these hills, birthpla-ce of Publio Elvio Pertinace whobecame emperor in 193 A.D. (nowthe name of a hamlet of Treiso).Besides the classical Baroquestyle Parish Church dedicated tothe Blessed Virgin of theAssumption, around the townstand numerous rustic chapelsand commemorative pillars,among them the War memorial inremembrance of the heroes of theResistance. In autumn in the hillsof Treiso, Neive and Barbarescothe Nebbiolo grapes are harve-sted, from which the renownedBarbaresco wine is made.

The legend tells of sevenblasphemous brothers that, struckby divine fury, fell into theprofound gorge of the Rocche deiSette Fratelli.But these hills have seen pages ofhistory written under their gazesrelated to the Italian Resistanceduring the Second World War.Histories of simple men andwomen, told in the yearning proseof Beppe Fenoglio, partisan,witness and narrator of auniversal suffering, who stoppedhere to observe the Alba valley,calling Treiso “a village for livingin peace”.

Fenoglio’s Hills of theResistance

the theme of the stop

stop 4:Municipality of Treiso(410 m a.s.l.)

Feno

glio

play

sbo

wls

(Ugo

Cer

rato

)

...from Treisoto Trezzo Tinella- (7km)

After Admiring the “Rocchedei Sette Fratelli” from theTreiso stopping point, goback up until reaching thehamlet of Canta, rejoin theSP230 and turn right: you overlook a panorama of the Langa immortali-zed by a famous photo taken by Alba photographer Piero Masera, with theDolcetto vineyards irregularly cut by the road that leads to the farmhousesof Meruzzano. Continue, passing the junction for the village of Trezzo Ti-nella, staying on the main road in the direction of Manera.Then turn left atthe roundabout of Borneto, following for Manera/Mango.The landscapesuddenly changes: towards the north-west the vineyards begin to leave spa-ce for hazelnut plants, the prevalent crop of the Alta Langa.At the roundabout, go straight towards Bossolasco/Manera. From this junc-tion though, it’s also possible, with a deviation to the left towards Mango, toreach a public area equipped for a Tourist stop, with a panoramic view-point and a monument dedicated to the “Donna di Langa”(The Langa Woman). Continue towards the hamlet of Manera crossing theplaces mentioned in “La Malora”, the masterpiece by Beppe Fenoglio set inthe nearby the hamlet of Pavaglione. About 200 metres from the downhill,take a left, going onto a semi paved road towards the hamlet of Boscasso.After another 300 metres, leave the car in the parking area provided by themunicipality and continue on foot.The brief dirt path leads to the Bric Boscasso: in this way you reach the stop-ping point of the Strada Romantica, on the divide of the Cherasco and Bel-bo valleys, immersed among rows of grapevines. We are on a strip of landof the municipality of Trezzo Tinella, wedged between the Municipalities ofCastino, Benevello and Borgomale.From here, on a clear day, the entire Alpine ridge is visible, running fromMarguareis (peak of the Maritime Alps), to the unmistakeable Monviso,from the Gran Paradiso to the pyramid of Cervino to the Monte Rosa mas-sif. [Continuing on foot from the stopping point for about 500 metres alongthe path on the ridge, you arrive at the Cascina Langa (now restored by pri-

vate owners as a commericialand tourist structure), a notedplace cited by Fenoglio in his re-counts; continue from here forabout 200 metres and you arriveat the monument “Donna diLanga” at the panoramic view-point in the hamlet of Pian-sarìn.]

towards the next stop

On the border between the Langheand Monferrato, Trezzo Tinella, atiny village set among the woods,is guardian of one of the mostspectacular views in the entire ter-ritory. From Boscasso you have theimpression of being on top of theworld,where the scenic amphithea-tre of the mountain chain that runsbetween Valle d’Aosta and Liguriais balanced by the images of infini-te small villages that appear on theplateau. Here the Langa womanand her role in the history of thesevillages are honoured with a monu-ment, located in Piansarìn, whichis much loved by the inhabitants ofthe Langhe.Points of interest in the village arethe Parish of Sant’Antonio Abate,a typical Piemontese neoclassicconstruction with barrel vault, andthe Chapel of Sant’Anna ai Fiori.

Rural traditions and commercialneeds gave rise to figures thatbecame legendary: they crossedthese hills for decades, going fromfarmhouse to farmhouse andbringing goods and news fromother towns.The cadreghé (carpenters whomade chairs) and the cartunè(carters) increased trade andlegends: the art of storytellingwas very important for theevening entertainment, and thefarmhouses turned intoimprovised theatres after sunset,where people acted and inventedtheir life.

On the road betweenAlps and hills

the theme of the stop

stop 5:Municipality of Trezzo Tinella(341 m a.s.l.)

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unic

ipal

Arch

ives

ofB

enev

ello

)

...from Trezzo Ti-nella to Benevello -(2,5km)

Travelling once again by car,from the car park at Cascina Bo-scasso, descend until reachingthe provincial road and take aleft.Towards the hamlet of Ma-nera on the left, there is a highly regarded naturalistic area which extends upthe two sides of the Rio delle Grazie valley.Continue along the Provincial road and pass the chapel of Monte Marino,who-se picnic area is often lively with traditional festivals organized by the local Mu-nicipal Tourist Board. From here you can see the Bric del Ferro.At the crossroads go down to the village of Manera and go straight in the direc-tion of Benevello/Bossolasco/Murazzano, crossing the SR29.Here the divide runs along the orographic basin between Belbo (on the left) andCherasca (on the right). It’s easy to distinguish the side which is oriented in thedirection of the slope, by the gentler slope, with North-Western exposure, whichhosts sowable fields, farm houses and other crops, from the side oriented in theopposite direction, with steeper slopes, South-Eastern exposure and covered inwild growing vegetation forming a forest of pine and oak.This zone was hit strongly by landslides during the great flood of 1994. At thecrossroads, turn left to enter the residential area of Benevello, from via Roma,flanking the sferisterion where they still play “balon” (a sort of handball), anancient traditional sport of the Langa people and the Ligurian hinterland ma-sterfully described by the pens of Pavese, Fenoglio and Arpino. Leave the car in

the parking area and go up onfoot to the centre, in the directionof the town hall/ medievalcastle/Church of San Pietro inVincoli, reaching the stoppingpoint on the left.The informative display boardsare located in via della Chiesaand via delle Scuole, in front ofthe parish church.

towards the next stop

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With Benevello we enter the terri-tory of the Alta Langa, naturallookout point over the surroun-ding area: from here the gazesweeps over the Alba plains andthe soft profile of the Bassa Lan-ga, until reaching the imposingchain of the Maritime Alps. Thehistoric centre of Benevello hasits nucleus in the square, wherethe castle stands, probably erec-ted around 1100 for surveillanceover the road that leads from theLanghe to Alba.Still today it is the fulcrum of theentire historical centre, alongwith the Parish church dedicatedto San Pietro in Vincoli, whichhouses the large fresco depictingthe Langa, a recent work by apainter from Lequio Berria, LuigiCarbone.

Going up towards the highest hillsof the Alta Langa the panoramareveals a covering of luxuriantwoods, precious and untouched; thepeople of the Langa have strongties with them, that has becomeindispensable by an ingenious , butsimple lifestyle, that has becomeindissoluble thanks to the respectthat they have for nature and itsgifts.The relationship is by now afamiliar one, wood as a lifecompanion: it was cradle, toy,work, greasy pole (an ancientgame), and it was close to them infinal farewell.

The Langawoods

the theme of the stop

stop 6:Municipality of Benevello(671 m a.s.l.)

Woo

d(L

oren

zoM

uria

ldo)

...from Benevelloto Sinio - (10,5km)

From piazza Castello, inthe historic centre of Be-nevello, go down again tothe left to via della Chie-sa, piazza Belvedere andviale Langhe, until rea-ching the crossroads of thehamlet of Grimalda, where you turn left.The road passes beside the sanctuary of the Madonna della Langa: inproximity, there is the possibility of a detour to the right reaching the vil-lage of Montrucchi, along a road from which you can admire the sequen-ce of the hilltops.La Strada Romantica continues just to the right of the ridge with a viewover Montelupo Albese, Rodello and Diano d’Alba.Between woods and hazel groves, you leave the area of the production ofdolcetto wine to enter Lequio Berria (on the left), in the zone of the Pied-montese “tonda gentile Igp” hazelnuts.Reaching the crossroads, keep to the right towards Alba/Rodello, alongthe SP32.You enter the territory of Rodello, after passing the hamlet ofValgaia on the left, you see the “Fossa dei Quiri”, a deep gorge where thelandscape is wild, composed mainly by woods with some hazel groves he-re and there.At the roundabout continue going straight in the direction of Alba/GalloGrinzane/Diano/Montelupo.Just after passing the sign of the municipality of Montelupo Albese, fol-low the street that ascends to the left, for about 1.5 kilometres, leavingthe village centre below and to the right. At the first crossroads go strai-ght, staying at that elevation.Take a left, merging onto Strada Ballerina(which gets its name from the farmhouse of the same name, just below).Follow until the end of the wooded area, entering the territory of the mu-nicipality of Sinio: the stopping point is found on the left, 50 metres fromthe paved road.

In one single look, startingfrom the right, it’s possible totake in the villages of Monte-lupo, Diano d’Alba, Grinza-ne, Roddi, Verduno, La Mor-ra, Castiglione Falletto, Ser-ralunga, Perno di Monforte,Novello, Roddino, Serravalleand Albaretto della Torre,with numerous castles andfortifications among the vi-neyards.

towards the next stop

Sinio was built in the land of Dol-cetto and Barolo between hillsand vineyards that offer harmonyand quiet. The ancient village, of medievalorigins, has a concentric urbanconformation divided into fourparts which is not common in theLanghe, in which three internalparallel streets are the essentialvertical routes, linked transver-sally by a single street and thesquare, in which the Church ofSan Frontiniano stands.The village is dominated by thecastle, built on the ruins of a pre-vious manner, destroyed by theSforza in 1431, it was rebuilt onthe wishes of the Del Carretto fa-mily, in front of which stands theChapel of San Sebastiano.The deconsecrated Church of theMadonna Annunziata of the 17thCentury is host to the Town Thea-tre of Sinio.

Thanks to the company “NostroTeatro di Sinio” ancient history andtraditions tied to an agriculturalpast are relived: in particular, every14 August, in occasion of the “Nottedelle masche” (night of the witches)the “legends of the masche” areenacted; they were sorcerersresponsible for witchcraft andterrible happenings that populatethe stories of the old and thenightmares of children, insatisfaction of the atavistic need ofevery culture for frightening andfeard figures and, to tie thecommunity together and shapepopular rules and wisdom.

Stories of the Langa:the theatre of the hills

the theme of the stop

stop 7:Municipality of Sinio(357 m a.s.l.)

Lit

cand

le(V

alte

rS

alva

no)

...from Sinioto Cissone - (16km)

La Strada Romantica resumesturning left onto Strada Balleri-na from the stopping point andcontinuing for about 2 km as faras the village of Sinio; passbetween the castle and the Parishchurch, crossing piazza Marconi, and descending to the left in via Cavour.Leave the village, passing in front of the cemetery and turning left in the direc-tion of Valle Talloria, then immediately turning left again towardsBossolasco/Albaretto Torre/Roddino and a hundred metres ahead on the ri-ght, follow for Serralunga via Valdicroce. After crossing the Talloria streamthe road climbs up to the Langa of Serralunga.Reaching the peak, at the crossing of a dirt road, you can enjoy a splendid viewof the castle and village of Serralunga. A bit further, looking to the left, there’sa spectacular view of Sinio and its medieval village layout.You can comparetwo structures characteristic to medieval villages: that of Serralunga, in whichthe castle is at the centre of a series of concentric circles of residences that ser-ved as protective buttresses in case of a siege; that of Sinio, in which the castle,near the parish church, was built in the place considered most safe and plea-sant with the houses sloping down towards the valley on the same side.Follow the SP125 to the left in the direction of Roddino, among the Nebbiolovineyards for Barolo wine. After the church Madonna della Neve, turn againto the left at the crossroads for Bossolasco/Serravalle/Roddino on the SP57.Just after the sign that indicates the beginning of the village of Roddino, turnright into the SP359 towards Cissone/Dogliani, following the steep descent forabout 2 km. From here, on the right, the view encompasses the Langa del Ba-rolo, with Monforte in the front and Novello in the background. At the end ofthe descent you arrive at the valley floor in Riavolo which, as a local sayinggoes, “together with the Rea river takes Dogliani to the devil”, to emphasizethe torrential character of this waterway: turn left, in the direction of Serra-valle/Cissone.Then go up again for about 4 km until the village limits of Cissone, observingon the right the alluvial plain that goes towards Cuneo. Reaching the village,

a panoramic view of the Lan-ga del Barolo and the Alpinearc from the balcony wherethe war memorial stands. Af-ter visiting the village, conti-nue on SP187: the stoppingpoint is located on the left atthe exit of the village,after thepublic weigh station. Leavethe car and go up the coniferhillock on foot.

towards the next stop

The village of Cissone domina-tes the small wild, wooded val-ley, hollowed out by the Riavolotorrent. The surrounding woodsare crossed by many pathswhere you can enjoy relaxingwalks.The Roman origin of the villageseems to be confirmed by thediscovery of a funerary stonenow kept in the Town Hall.The village square is situatedamong the Brotherhood churchof the Disciplinati (with an origi-nal Baroque altar), the TownHall and the Parish Church, andis dominated by the Churchdedicated to Santa Lucia. Itsmassive façade almost clasheswith the church’s cosy interior,rich in ancient works by hand ofpeasant devotion.

An anchovy which hung from thekitchen beams and against whichpolenta slices were rubbed to begiven some flavouring: this is asignificant image of the past life inthe country, which is oftenmentioned by the elders when theytell the young generations aboutthe past. It was hard work to tillthe land of Langhe and Roero: theancestors’ toil made it fruitful andgenerous thanks to their preciousknowledge throughout the seasons,the rhythms of the land and eachjob, from the ploughing to thesowing, from the harvesting to thethreshing.These memories stillshape the personality of the localpeople.

The Langa peopleand land

the theme of the stop

stop 8:Municipality of Cissone(661 m a.s.l.)

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...from Cissoneto Murazzano -(16km)

From the stopping point inthe village of Cissone, youcontinue on the SP187 inthe direction of SerravalleLanghe, passing the landchapel of San Sebastiano.On the right, you can admire the classic mosaic landscape of the mostauthentic Langa: in a small piece of land you can see cereals (maize, corn,etc.), hazelnut-trees, meadows, woods and some vineyards; this was thetypical autarkic structure of the ancient farmhouses.Then you reach the village of Serravalle Langhe: you turn to the right intothe SP32 towards Murazzano/Bossolasco.Pass the “Blue Fountain” on your left side in the hamlet of Lodole, and afterone kilometre you reach the village of Bossolasco, where you find theSentiero della Resistenza (Path of the Resistance), which is dedicated to thememory of the partisans’ deeds in 1944-45; you can see some monuments onthe Bric delle Forche (which has been recently renamed “Colle dellaResistenza”), which is located just outside the village. When you reach theroundabout before entering the town, follow the road signs toMurazzano/Ceva/Savona, along the Rea Valley on your right side. We alsosuggest a short visit to Bossolasco, which is called “the Jewel of the Langhe”and the “Village of the Roses”.Beyond the village, you will pass the Church of San Rocco, with a panora-mic view over the Higher Langa: on your left you have the Belbo Valley,with the villages of Niella Belbo and San Benedetto Belbo.You will then reach a roundabout near the Passo della Bossola (770 mta.s.l.), go then uphill towards Murazzano in the direction of Savona/Ceva.Cross a region rich in woods until you reach the hamlet of Rea Soprana,where you find Fenoglio’s path in a beautiful panoramic position.After about one kilometre, turn to the right at the crossroads, following theroad signs to Murazzano centro/Dogliani (downhill road); the Bric delSermenton is on your left; turn right once again at the roundabout beforethe village. When you reach the ancient covered market, take the street on

your right: after a short walkuphill, you reach a car parkwhere you can park your carand continue on foot.We suggest you reach the towerpark, which is the symbol of thetown and where you find thestopping point of the StradaRomantica.

towards the next stop

Murazzano is full of elegant andrefined buildings, and is called“Piedmont’s shield and key” be-cause of its strategic position.Its tower is thirty-three metreshigh; it is perfectly square andbuilt with stones of highest qua-lity; it is the best well-kept toweramong the many watchtowerswhich were built on the HigherLanga hills as the Saracens of-ten plundered this region.The Shrine of the Madonna diHal with the Buzignano Gate,which marked the boundary ofthe old town, and the Church ofSan Lorenzo are worth seeing;we suggest you also visit thebeautiful Tovegni Palace, whichwas built in an eclectic style andshows two majestic Art Nouveaudormer windows, and the WindMill, which was first built as awatchtower and then turned intoa mill for corn.

Farm work was never-ending, itrequired continuous dedication andcare in order to keep the pace withthe changing of the seasons. Feastsand spare time in the Langa wereregulated by religion: the SundayMass, the pilgrimages and thepatron festivals; marriages wereorganized with the help of thetraditional figure of the bacialé(matchmaker). Gambling andbetting were among the mostappreciated recreational activities,together with card playing in thetaverns and along the streets, andthe “balon” (handball) in the square.This sport has become a part of thelocal culture of Langhe and Roero,since it also mirrors the most salientfeatures of this folk: so stubborn andso sweet in their love for traditionsat the same time.

Langa traditions

the theme of the stop

stop 9:Municipality of Murazzano(739 m a.s.l.)

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...from Murazzanoto Mombarcaro -(18km)

Start from the car park inpiazza Cerrina, turn in thecounterclockwise directionaround the park of the tower(the stopping point ofMurazzano).Cross the square Umberto I and go downhill to the right into via Roma, pas-sing the San Rocco church. After a short walk uphill, you will reach the ringroad: at the roundabout turn left towards Savona/Montezemolo. Pass thehamlet of Pedaggera and turn left into the SP661.At the crossroads that crosses the SP54, turn left towards Mombarcaro. Godownhill crossing the hamlet of Bragioli. At the end of the descent, after thebridge and before going uphill on the opposite hillside, turn left into theBelbo valley. Follow the road which crosses the valley, here the landscape isdotted with enclosing walls and farmhouses which are made of the typicalstones of the Langa. From here you can also enjoy a spectacular view overthe hill of Mombarcaro, which was mentioned in Fenoglio’s novel “Il parti-giano Jhonny”.After 2.5 km leave the road which crosses the plain at the chapel “Pilone delReduce”, a modern war memorial. Go uphill to the right towards the ham-let of Valle. In the centre of the hamlet, turn right and follow the road signsto Mombarcaro until you find the SP103, just after the Shrine of Madonnadelle Grazie.In Mombarcaro, the highest village of the Langhe with its 896 mt a.s.l., fol-low the ring road and the road signs to the tourism office and the Museumof History (via Galliano). Pass the ancient medieval arch (14th Century) andgo along the main street of the village as far as its opposite end. Park yourcar in the car park in the Belvedere square and walk uphill to the church ofSan Michele Arcangelo (16th Century), which is also called the “roof of theLanghe”.The stopping point is near the church, and it dominates the surrounding val-leys. In the area of Mombarcaro, we suggest you visit the deconsecrated

Church of San Rocco, asmall stone building thatFenoglio defined as “ablack ship moored along ablack crest of nothing”,and the picturesque hamletof Cadilù, which is sur-rounded by cultivatedfields, where the brief andsarcastic novel “Pioggia ela sposa” by Fenoglio is set.

towards the next stop

The name of Mombarcaro has Latinorigins: from the Latin mons (hill)and barcari (barbarism, from boats),the hill from which sailing ships andbig boats could be seen. It is an em-blematic name for the “top of theLanghe”: here the view opens outfrom the Maritime Alps to the perpe-tual snow of the Monte Rosa. We suggest you visit the historicaland ethnographical museum, theChurch of San Rocco with the “Ca-valcade of the deadly Sins”, thebeautiful frescos by Antonio Ocellofrom Ceva and the Sanctuary of theMadonna delle Grazie (in the ham-let of San Luigi). The surroundings of Mombarcarowill enchant you: the luxuriant coun-tryside, in some places still uncon-taminated, is dotted with votive cha-pels and small villages,which are of-ten made up of a few stone housesalong a road.

Here thinking about the seaseems impossible: it is hidden bywoods and hills, although theLigurian beaches are quite near.But from some hilltops, on aclear day you can see theshimmering of the waves.In these hills, which were sopoor in the past, the sea wasfood for the spirit.With its tales, it fuelled a desire:to plough the waves and cross itfor many days, until one reachedthe land of abundance, “LaMerica”.

The sea

the theme of the stop

stop 10:Municipality of Mombarcaro(896 m s.l.m.)

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...from Mombarcaroto Camerana - (12km)

From the car park in the squa-re, with your back to the pano-ramic terrace, looking towardsthe parish church, turndownhill to your left. Stay onthe right side until you arriveagain at the ring road, and after a brief descent, at the stop sign, you turnto the left. Cross the village of Mombarcaro and pass the Sanctuary ofMadonna delle Grazie of the 17th Century (on the right side), the Bormidavalley extends on your left side.You continue along the watershed, gently downhill: at the crossroads youturn right towards Ceva. At the end of the descent, after about 600 metres,at the first crossroads turn right, and continue for about 5 km on anasphalted road along the Belbo river, crossing fields cultivated with thefamous potatoes of the upper Belbo valley. After passing an excursionists’refuge with a charming mountain church, you turn left and continue onthe SP439.You pass a picnic area and the hamlet of Barbei and then you reach thearea of Camerana and the crossroads to Camerana-Villa, where you findthe town hall.Follow the road signs and turn left into via Piave: pass the town hall, thenyou cross the village and reach the square of S. Annunziata. Here youfind the Church dedicated to S. Annunziata, which dates back to the 18thCentury and displays a characteristic leaning bell tower. You can parkyour car and go to the other side of the square. Walk up to the bell tower,which is the last vestige of an ancient fortress which dated back to the 10thCentury. Here you find the last stopping point of the Strada Romanticaalong the old Salt road. If you want to continue your tour, you can reach

the beautiful village of Prunetto,which is located a few kilometresfurther on. It dominates the hilltopthat separates the Bormida valleyfrom the Uzzone valley. This locationis worth visiting not only for itsmagnificent landscape, but also forthe richness of its flora, which is par-ticularly luxuriant in spring, and fortwo esteemed architectonic monu-ments: the castle of Scarampi, whichdominates the village, and the sanc-tuary of Santa Maria del Carmine(14th Century), with a beautiful groupof frescos dating back to the 15thCentury.

towards the next stop

Camerana is made up ofvarious hamlets extendingon to a broad valley alongthe Bormida River fromBormida valley to the upperBelbo valley.It is located between twolarge woods, the SelvaPallarea and the Forestowood; the plain extendstowards the Belbo valleyuntil the main hamlet ofVilla, which is characterized by its old tower, which is still silhouettedagainst the horizon as in stubborn defence standing among ruins of theancient manor house in despite of its age. The first documents about thisfortification date back to the 10th Century: in 967 a document about theyearly incomes of the land churches destined to the Bishop of Savona,

Bernardo, reported the presence of afortress in this place. It was just asmall fortified house with the aim todefend the village, but it was veryimportant for its position, since it wasat the crossroads of the most impor-tant roads which connected thePiedmontese hinterland with theLigurian Riviera, along the so called“salt road”.In the 15th Century the ancient for-tress was turned into a castle.The building survived to one thousandyears of wars, plague and cataclysms;eventually it was destroyed by thelocals in 1937; only the tower wasspared, and just because nobodyknew how to pull it down. From the top

stop 11:Municipality of Camerana(525 m a.s.l.)

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of the tower, at thirty metres of hei-ght, you can enjoy a wonderfullandscape: the view opens to thehamlet of Villa and over the wholeBormida Valley. The BaroqueChurch of S.S. Annunziata with itsprecious high altar made of finepolychrome marble mosaics andthe peculiar leaning bell tower isworth visiting. The nature of theregion will surprise you: the

Riserva Naturale (WildlifeSanctuary) Sorgenti del Belbo,which is located among the villa-ges of Montezemolo, Cameranaand Saliceto, is a particular, uniqueand uncontaminated part ofLanga. The area is perfect fortrekking, riding a horse or a moun-tain-bike, or even for cross-countryskiing.

The rural ingenuity has developeda great skill in the exploitation ofself-sown vegetation: herbs, shruband trees are used for cooking,medicine, house building, toolmanufacturing or ornamentalpurposes.Many wild fruits growspontaneously: chestnuts orwalnuts are rich in calories andthey are the basic ingredients formany typical recipes of theLanga. Plants and herbs areoften used for cooking andmedicine: for instance nettles areused for the filling of agnolotti,while mallow has sedativeproperties.Even if these herbs are used everyday for cooking and medicine,please remember that a largenumber of plants are protected.A regional regulation prohibitsthe picking of about seventyspecies in the region of Langaand Roero; in particular pickingwild orchids is strictly forbidden:the forty-three different speciespresent in the Langa are a uniquerichness of this region, since theyrepresent almost the half of theItalian orchid species.

Hundreds of orchidsand other flowers

the theme of the stop-

Camerana - Mombarcaro: from the square of S. Annunziata in Camerana,turn right into the SP111 and continue for about 3 km, then you turn right inthe direction of Zemme and continue for 5 km. At the crossroads, go straighton towards the Belbo valley. After 2.5 Km, go uphill and turn right into thehamlet of Valle and follow the road signs to Mombarcaro. The stopping pointis near the church, in the highest part of the village.Mombarcaro - Murazzano: from Mombarcaro go downhill along the SP103as far as the crossroads to Ceva, and turn right. You cross the hamlet of Bra-gioli and, at the next roundabout, you turn to the right. Follow the SP661 toMurazzano until you reach the roundabout just outside the village. Follow thestreet leading to the historic centre/tourist information point. Once you havereached the ancient covered market, go uphill on your right side and reachthe car park at the foot the park. The stopping point is on the panoramic ter-race around the tower.Murazzano - Cissone: you leave Murazzano following the road signs to Alba/Bossolasco. In Bossolasco, take the ring road, leaving the historic centre onyour right side; at the roundabout, go straight on along the SP32 towards Al-ba. When you are in Serravalle, you turn left towards Cissone. After about 2km you find the stopping point on your right side near the weigh bridge, justbefore the village.Cissone - Sinio: cross the village of Cissone and go downhill along theSP56 for 4 km. At the end of the valley, turn right towards Roddino/Ser-ralunga, and go uphill for 2 km. At the crossroads in Roddino, you turnleft to Serralunga. After about 3 km, turn right to Sinio and follow thesame direction at the next crossroads too. When you are in Sinio, followthe road signs to Montelupo (via Bricchi): the stopping point of the Stra-da Romantica is after 2 km on the right side, at the top of the climb.Sinio - Benevello: leave the stopping point of Sinio behind you, thenturn right and turn right again at the next three crossroads, until youreach the area of Rodello. At the roundabout, take the road to Bosso-lasco. You pass the hamlet of Valgaia just before the village of LequioBerria, then you turn left to Benevello. Enter the village centre and goup towards the castle, where you find the stopping point of the StradaRomantica.Benevello - Trezzo Tinella: in Benevello, go downhill along via Roma, thenat the crossroads, turn right into the SP106 to Alba. When you reach thecrossroads in the hamlet of Manera, go straight on uphill towards Trezzo

From Camerana to Vezza d’Alba

Tinella. After about 1 km, turn right into a small, partly unpaved roadtowards the hamlet of Boscasso, until you reach a car park 300 m furtheron. You continue on foot to the top of the hill, where you find the stoppingpoint of Trezzo Tinella.Trezzo Tinella - Treiso: go downhill leaving the car park and turn righttowards Trezzo Tinella. Turn left at the first roundabout towards Treiso.Follow the road signs to Treiso at the roundabout in Borneto and at thecrossroads in the hamlet of Cappelletto. Go downhill as far as to thehamlet of Canta: turn left towards Meruzzano/Ginotti/Montersino; thestopping point is at the third hairpin bend, after the last houses.Treiso - Neive: go uphill to the hamlet of Canta and turn left. Go on for 2km until you reach Treiso. At the roundabout, follow the road signs towardsNeive and continue in the same direction also at the crossroads in TreStelle. At the roundabout in Neive, go towards the old town, going uphill tothe right. Cross the medieval square passing through the portal of SanRocco, and go downhill into via Borghese. Turn left into via Circonvallazio-ne after the arch. You will find the stopping point after 150 m, on your ri-ght side, just after the sport facilities.Neive - Magliano Alfieri: from the stopping point in Neive, turn to the rightand go downhill. Turn to the left at the stop sign and go downhill again,whenyou arrive on the SP3, turn to the left. Follow the provincial road until you arein Baraccone. Here, at the roundabout go towards Canale: turn right after 50m, just after a small bridge. You continue for 1.5 km as far as the hamlet ofMoisa. At the stop sign, turn to the left into via Moisa. After 300 m, turn rightinto via Cane as far as the new cemetery. Turn to the right and go uphill for200 m ; at the crossroads turn to the right. Once you reach the small churchmade of red bricks, turn left and go uphill for about 1 km as far as MaglianoAlfieri, following the road that leads to the castle.Magliano Alfieri - Vezza d’Alba: leave the castle behind you, turn left intovia Asilo Alfieri, leave the village and go towards Priocca along the SP2. Af-ter 500 m, turn to the left and continue towards Castellinaldo. Once youare in the lower part of the village, go uphill to the town hall and the ca-stle. Turn left after the walls and go uphill to the right into via Duca degliAbruzzi and via San Salvario. After about 700 m, you find a crossroads op-posite to the church, turn to the left and go downhill for about 1 km. Turnright at the stop sign. From here, follow the road signs to Vezza d’Alba un-til you reach the town hall in the upper part of the village, in the square ofSan Martino. Park your car and walk uphill to the stopping point on thetop of the rock.