Asti - Sanctuary of Crea

An itinerary that will take you to discover some of the green oases in the province of Asti, up to the hills of Alessandria and on to the Sanctuary of Crea, one of the Sacred Mounts of Piedmont, which since 2003 have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. A plunge into the Basso Monferrato, among gentle slopes, wide valleys, woods, meadows, vineyards and plenty of history as testified by castles and perched villages, almost magical, as if they were suspended in a very distant time. A wide-ranging trail also enhanced by a generous nature, rich in biodiversity and relaxing landscapes that help you forget fatigue, the kind of fatigue that you might feel a little bit: the trail marked out by the CAI section of Asti is 30 km long and includes some uphill stretches, with an estimated journey time of around 7-8 hours.

It departs from Asti, find the parking lot near the sports field in Via Marello and reach the Romanesque-Gothic Maria Ausiliatrice church in Viatosto (dating back to the 12th century, it can be visited), which overlooks the surrounding countryside and offers a 360° view of the Rilate Valley and the city. At the junction, turn right to reach Valmanera. Here you will come across a tiny church and a small village school, which is now the headquarters of a charity cultural association. Follow the CAI trail signs that will take you into the Callianetto countryside (the Gianduja mask was born in a casot, a farmhouse in this countryside) and then towards Castell'Alfero, the birthplace of Giovanni Battista De Rolandis, the patriot who, with Zamboni, created the rosette of the national tricolour at the end of the 18th century.

You go partly on asphalt, partly on dirt roads, past houses, through woods, poplar groves, streams and small lakes to reach the Asti-Montiglio provincial road which, of course, you do not follow, but soon leave behind, then you cross the railway tracks and continue on a dirt road that runs alongside the railway and then turns right to reach the bridge over the Versa stream. You will cross it and walk along the stream to the next bridge and then reach the hamlet of Perrona. Another stream, this time the Viazza, which you cross and follow until you reach the station of Penango.