“… After Montà at the first turn, the horizon opens wide, full of jagged hilltops and town clinging to the peaks of the hills, peppered with belltowers and turrets; it’s as if you are being awaited, in that vibrant and alive landscape, and then you quickly descend past Canale, to the Tanaro swollen with water…”
Carlo Levi – Return to Alba
Roero
The Roero is the hilly area that flanks the left bank of the Tanaro river, which separates it from the Langhe, and reaches out towards the provinces of Turin and Asti. Here the human activities and the historical boroughs are speckled through a still wild natural landscape made of thick wooded areas and rugged hills.
It was the noble Astigian Roero family to name the territory, as, during the Middle Ages, they owned the majority of the castles and the land underneath them.
A 32km long crack splits the gentle rolling hills of the Roero: it’s the Rocche, an unusual geological phenomenon from the dawn of time, over the peak of which reside the summit boroughs. It’s an area of transition, characterized still today by a strong mercantile and hosting inclined vocation built over the course of centuries.
The ancient crafts and trades and artisan shops: reconstructed environments for a dive into the past, in the panoramic Medieval Castle in Cisterna d’Asti.
The traditional architectures: wandering through the vineyards and finding refuge from the heat of the summer sun in the shade of the ciabòt, basking in the coolness of the crutin, the subterranean cellars dug right into limestone.
The Sabaudian mansions and residences: Guarene, Magliano Alfieri and Govone, castles overlooking the Tanaro, a view already deeply appreciated by the noble Savoy family. Bra, the city of vegetable gardens and of the culture of the table. The Osterias facing the Baroque churches give rise to the philosophy of “Slow Food”.
And finally… the folk tales about the masche, the local witches, who live on in the memory of these places and in the testimonies of their inhabitants.
Cultural events easily reachable from our agriturismo
The Ecomuseo delle Rocche del Roero encompasses in one big open-air museum the eight hilltop municipalities built during the 11th century along the Rocche fault line.
From Cisterna to Pocapaglia, passing through Montà, we come across an unique territory made up of towns and villages perched on the hill crests, and of an unique flora that encompasses both dry and highly humid microclimates, often coexisting side by side.
“The Rocche” are a geological soil erosion phenomenon which characterize the central region of the Roero area, creating ravines that plunge downwards for hundreds of meters.
Discover the “Rocche del Roero” via the tourism proposal offered by the Ecomuseo: guided trekking tours, over a 100km of curated paths (also suitable for mountain biking), “Bio Pic-nics” in small traditional buildings, wine tasting visits to the local wine cellars and much more. (www.ecomuseodellerocche.it)
– within less than 30km from us:
- Naturalistic Roero Museum in Vezza d’Alba.
- Ancient arts and crafts Museum in the Medieval Castle in Cisterna d’Asti.
- Arts and folk traditions Museum “La Cultura del Gesso” in the Magliano Alfiery Castle.
- Bra, the baroque city of Slow Food and its museums: the Toy Museum, the Museum of Archeology, History and Art – Palazzo Traverse, the Civic Museum “Craveri” of Natural History.
- Alba, capital of the Lanche and of the truffle, with its medieval towers and the Civic museum of Archeology and Natural Sciences “Eusebio”.
- Barolo, Grinzane Cavour, Serralunga d’Alba: the vineyards, the Regional Enoteche, the Corkscrew Museum, WIMU the Wine Museum, the Medieval Castles.
- Barbaresco, Neive, Mango: the vineyards, the Enoteche, the historical town centers that date back to medieval times, the Square Tower of Barbaresc, the Adventure Park.
- Asti and its historical city center that dates back to medieval times: the San Pietro complex, the Trojan Tower, the Gothic Cathedral.
– between 40 and 60km from us:
- Turin, the savoy city of automobiles and culture: the Mole Antoneliana, the Museum of Cinema, the Egyptian Museum, the Royal Palace, the Oriental Arts Museum, the Modern Art Gallery, the Automobile Museum, the Royal Armory, the Superga Basilica.
- The Royal Palace of Venaria Reale.
- Savoy Castle in Racconigi and Lipu Oasis Park for Storks and Anatids.
- Hunting Palace in Stupinigi, UNESCO heritage.
Activities for everyone
Trekking
Wonderful paths await you in Montà, headquarters and starting point to explore the Ecomuseo delle Rocche, an open-air museum that encompasses the eighth hilltop municipalities built during the 11th century along the Rocche fault line, a geological soil erosion phenomenon that characterizes the central region of the Roero area.
In collaboration with the Montà Tourism Office and the Association Andar per Roero, we’’l help you find the path best suited for your needs. On request, you can enjoy a picnic lunch in a beautiful Ciabot del Roero.
Biking
For all the Tour in Bike lovers, and also those who prefer a slower pace – single, families or groups – we trust the experts in the sector who, with their skilled staff, will be able to help you to freely and safely follow your passion.
You can rent not only the bikes, but all all the accessories too, helmet, gloves; a special discount is reserved for Cascina Ponchietta guests.
An absolute novelty is the new Didactic Outdoor Centre with Bike Park in Montà.
The Ecomuseo delle Rocche project “Centro Outdoor”, located in Montà, San Grato, is the first location in south Piedmont dedicated to all the open-air activities in the Roero area.
Motorcycling
We recommend some interesting routes that we know to be particularly appreciated by bikers, which you can find on the Alba Bra Langhe Roero website ( www.visitlmr.it )
– Slow Rhythms through the hills 110 km
– A Di-Wine Tale with Hazelnuts
– A Di-Wine Sory 95 km
– Views on Monferrato 180 km
The gold in our hills: the white truffle
In autumn, the undisputed star of our hills is the d’Alba White Truffle.
If you so desire you can witness and participate in a truffle hunt, the most exciting experience for a truffle lover. A truffle hunter and their dog will guide you through the woods to seek the precious underground fungus, led only by the unerring nose of the truffle dog and the sharp instincts of the hunter, gained after long years of experience.
During your hunt you will have an expert flanking you, accompanied, if needed, by a french, english and/or german speaking guide, who will give you the key information to understand how, where and why truffles grow.
If you are interested we can assist you in making reservations for your truffle hunt with the local Trifulè!