Towns and cities

Acqui Terme (8 kilometers) lies in the heart of the river Bormida, and is a little “tropical oasis”. The symbol of this city is a marble fountain, called “La Bollente”, which means “the boiling spring”, because the spring produces sulfur water of 74,5 degrees Celsius, making it a popular Italian spa. It’s an attractive city with a historical city center, where you can walk through the old streets, shop around, have a drink (with aperitivo) on one of the cozy terraces, or have a great meal in one of the many restaurants. Twice per week, there is a big market, where a lot of local fresh products are for sale.

Canelli (29 kilometers) is a city with an important wine production. Below the streets, you’ll find a 13 kilometer long passageway with old, authentic wine cellars with beautiful vaults.

Asti (52 kilometers) is an old Roman town, which is definitely worth visiting. The oldest Palio, a horse race through the city, of Italy takes place here once a year, on the third Sunday of September.

Alba (60 kilometers), famous for its white truffle, is surrounded by wine villages, such as Barolo, Barbaresco and Monforte. During fall, Alba fulfills its reputation as wine and delicacy center with a culinary explosion of breathtaking truffle dishes. On the first Sunday of October, they organize the “Palio degli Asini”, a donkey race through the city.

Genoa (80 kilometers) is situated beautifully along the Mediterranean sea. The city has a historical city center with many monuments and distinctive old streets with many alleys where you can have a good meal and go shopping. The city lies like an arena arched upwards along the slope of the Apennine Mountains. The beating heart of the city is the harbor with the big marina and the aquarium.

Turin (110 kilometers) is a charming city with a city center built in the Baroque style and shopping arcades. Turin has a lot to offer; elegant old coffee shops, good restaurants, Baroque palaces and squares. majestic arcades, the famous market Ballon (a flea market which takes place every second Sunday of the month), one of the biggest museums of Egyptian art worldwide and a beautiful film museum, situated in the 167 meter high tower, the Mole Antonelliana. Besides the museum, you can also take the elevator up to enjoy the view of Turin. Just the elevator ride alone is a recommendation. The center of Turin is not that big, and it’s great to simply wander around.

Milan (140 kilometers) is also fantastic to visit. It’s the fashion capital of Italy and visiting Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II is a must. Climbing the Duomo, visiting the art district Brera and drinking an aperitivo in Naviglio, the district with the channel running through it, are all worth doing. It is recommended to visit Milan by subway, as it is a big city and the sites are slightly spread out. Milan has beautiful buildings, cozy courtyards and naturally beautiful people.

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