OUR EXPERIENCES
Through experiences and the collection of information we have managed to create packages of one or more days that we can offer to tourists who arrive in Piedmont, stay for a few days and manage to create a perfect combination between the location they have chosen and everything that the territory can offer.
FOCUS ON CREMOLINO AND SURROUNDINGS
Our guide Claudio will accompany you to discover this enchanting medieval village; since the 10th century it has been the object of expansionist aims by various families, including the Lords of the Bosco, the Malaspina and finally the Savoy. The latter, in the first decades of the 1700s, included under their Duchy not only Cremolino but also the entire territory of Monferrato, swearing loyalty to it. The name of the municipality of Cremolino has its origins since Roman times where "Curtis-Maurina" appears as the identifying name of the village. It was then modified and adapted to popular speech, until it reaches the present day as "Cremolino".
Even today, a beautiful medieval castle stands majestically in all its beauty, perched above the hill. With its imposing appearance, it dominates the small village that surrounds its structure.
We then find another architectural beauty that was built in an older era, compared to the medieval mass. The place in question is the Bruceta sanctuary, a place of worship , rich not only in artistic and historical beauties, but also closely connected to the spiritual dimension. Here visitors can observe and enjoy the beauty and evocative silence of the surrounding environment. The main artistic element, which can be venerated inside, is the portrait of the Madonna with child on stone, perfectly preserved and having survived a bad fire that destroyed the church around the 9th century.
Built between the 11th and 13th centuries, the castle of Cremolino was used by the lords of the various families who succeeded it. It was mainly a place for defense and long-distance sighting of enemies. The structure of the castle has been preserved over the centuries, maintaining its original architectural beauty unchanged. Reachable on foot, along the small streets that branch out throughout the town until you reach the steep climb that precedes the access bridge to the castle. The town developed around the protective walls of its structure, thus ensuring greater protection in the event of external attacks on the community in previous centuries.
At the end of the visit we move to Mirepua' FoodLab for a light lunch consisting of:
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Local cured meats
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Local cheeses
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Ravioli del plin with roast sauce
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Bunet
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1 glass of Ovada docg per person
At the end, a short transfer to reach Morsasco, through the rolling hills of Monferrato and the Big Bench, from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view.
PRICES STARTING FROM € 65
FOCUS ON GAVI
Gavi is not only famous for wine and good food. In fact, it is also a place rich in history and cultural attractions which have earned it the title of first orange flag of the Italian Touring club of the province of Alessandria. The town, in fact, was for centuries a stronghold on the Via del Sale controlled by the Republic of Genoa . La Superba gave it a purely Ligurian imprint in its urban planning, fortifications and above all in the habits and customs of the inhabitants.
After having finished drinking a good glass of Gavi, I invite you to visit the village with the symbolic monument of the town: the Fort .
9.30 am meeting our guide Claudio who will accompany you to discover Gavi, starting from its symbol par excellence: The fortress. Perched on the high hill overlooking the town, it is a notable example of military architecture. It was built by the Genoese between the 16th and 16th centuries and represents the most important defensive outpost in Lower Piedmont. It has the shape of a six-pointed star and was built on a pre-existing medieval castle. The latter had hosted, just to underline the importance of the place even in the Middle Ages, the emperor Frederick Barbarossa who was fleeing after defeat in the Battle of Legnano in 1176. Nowadays it can be visited and hosts numerous initiatives, both cultural and to promote the territory.
Returning to the town, wandering through the streets, you come across other interesting monuments to visit. First of all the Church of San Giacomo Maggiore dating back to the 12th century, built in Romanesque style with sandstone from local quarries; the church has a basilica plan with three naves and is topped by a dome that acts as a bell tower. Very characteristic is the splayed portal which, above the architrave, has a sculpted lunette representing the Last Supper. Inside there is a valuable polyptych by the painter Gandolfino da Roreto which depicts the Madonna and Child between Saints James and John the Baptist.
A short distance away you will find one of the few remains of the fortifications that surrounded Gavi in the past, the so-called "Portino". This was one of the gates that gave access to the village; although there are no documents stating the date of construction, it is presumable that it dates back to the 16th century.
At the end of the city visit we end the day like this:
In a short time we reach the "Big Bench #306", located in the Barabba vineyard, property of the Osteria Piemontemare. Small tasting of the wine produced in this vineyard at the bench, experience among the rows of the vineyard and description of the area through the landscape to learn about the characteristics of the area closest to the sea of Piedmont.
Conclusion of the tasting in Vineria Piemontemare, on a large wooden table, with a guided tasting of all our wines, accompanied by small tastings of typical products.