The best MTB trails around Monastero Bormida

Ecclesiastical building maintained in excellent condition

Monastero Bormida is a charming Italian medieval village located in the province of Asti, in Piedmont, nestled in the picturesque landscapes of the Langa Astigiana. The village was founded around the year 1050, when a group of Benedictine monks was called by Marquis Aleramo to clear and repopulate the lands devastated by Saracen raids.

Roccaverano is a charming and authentic Italian municipality located in the province of Asti, in Piedmont. With an altitude of about 800 meters, it rises on the hill that divides the Bormida valleys and is the highest inhabited center in the entire Asti area. This picturesque medieval village is internationally famous for two main reasons: its rich historical heritage and the production of the renowned Robiola di Roccaverano DOP.

Roccaverano is a charming and authentic Italian municipality located in the province of Asti, in Piedmont. At about 800 meters above sea level, it stands on the hill that divides the Bormida valleys and is the highest inhabited center in the entire Asti region. This picturesque medieval village is internationally famous for two main reasons: its rich historical heritage and the production of the renowned Robiola di Roccaverano DOP

The Castle of Monastero Bormida was not originally built as a defensive structure but as a Benedictine monastery, founded around 1050 by monks from the Abbey of Fruttuaria, called by the Aleramici Marquises to reclaim the lands devastated by Saracen raids. The 27-meter tower still visible today was originally the bell tower, and the river flowing a few meters from the southern tower confirms the non-military nature of the building. In 1393, the Benedictines abandoned the monastery, and its feudal history began: the fief passed to the Del Carretto marquises, who in the 15th century added the first defensive structures, transforming it into a castle. The building is a quadrangular structure with an internal courtyard, protected by towers on multiple sides and connected to the former bell tower by a small suspension bridge. On the south facade, there is a two-arched Renaissance loggia with a small stone column. Inside, the rooms on the main floor—transformed in the 17th century—feature mosaic floors and sail and cross vaults with frescoes of floral and geometric motifs. The castle later passed to the Della Rovere family and subsequently to the Genoese Polleri family, finally becoming the property of the Municipality starting in 1880. Today it is open to visitors and is part of the regional circuit "Castelli Aperti".

Exceptional view of Roccaverano.

Beautiful old arched bridge.

Roccaverano is one of the highest elevations in the area, from the town you can enjoy a 360° panorama of both the surrounding hills and the mountains of the Alpine arc (guaranteed view, in good weather, from Monte Rosa to the Maritime Alps!) The road that goes up from Vesime is quite regular, with gradients that almost never exceed 9%, furthermore I found it pleasantly free of traffic (I went up on a Saturday) The central square is very beautiful, dominated by the remains of the castle and the eighteenth-century church, the bar/restaurant is also strategic, perfect for a beer or a snack. An ideal place for a stop, before taking the road back.