Gavi Between Fortress, Churches and Wine

Gavi brings together impressive fortress architecture, religious art, wine tradition, and routes through a varied landscape. Here, you can combine historic buildings directly with nature experiences and regional tastings, without the individual facets of the town having to tell the same story.

Fortress and Religious Buildings

The Forte di Gavi is a historic fortress built primarily for defence. The Genoese erected it on the site of an existing medieval castle. Construction began in 1626 and lasted four years. During this time, the castle was transformed into the fortress seen today, including six bastions connected by fortified curtain walls equipped with gun embrasures. For 2026, the opening schedule provides for guided group visits; the tour route is mostly outdoors.

The town’s former fortifications can also still be identified in several places in the townscape. The Antica Cinta Muraria once protected Gavi and extended to the fortress. Remains of the town walls are visible on the ascent to the fortress and along the road from the Portino degli Orti to the bridge over the Lemme.

The Parrocchiale di San Giacomo is a Romanesque church whose existence was first documented on 15 August 1172. Its façade was built in the second half of the 12th century from local sandstone on the remains of a hospice for pilgrims travelling to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela. The interior contains late-medieval frescoes and frescoes dating from the 17th century, a marble sculpture of the Virgin by Carlo Cacciari from 1764, and a wooden processional depiction of the Assumption of Mary by Luigi Montecucco from 1854.

The Pieve di S. Maria sul Lemme was built before the year 1000 and was Gavi’s parish church. The Santuario di Nostra Signora della Guardia is a temple with a Greek-cross floor plan, built in 1861 on the Colle dei Turchini overlooking Gavi; its feast is celebrated on 29 August. The single-nave Oratorio della Madonna Assunta detto dei Turchini dates from 1575 and is the seat of the local brotherhood N.S. Assunta, known as the Turchini. Frescoes on the walls and vaults, tapestries, and a wooden statue of the Assunta by Bartolomeo Carrega shape the interior.

Nature, Climbing and Planned Routes

Around the Forte di Gavi lie the Torrente Neirone, with crystal-clear water and waterfalls, wooded slopes, and spring-water pools with significant amphibian fauna. The “dietro il Forte” path follows the Torrente Neirone for approximately 800 metres to the Falesia di Gavi, offering views of nature and remains of old stone structures. The Falesia has more than 50 climbing routes of varying difficulty that can be climbed in all seasons. However, the south-facing wall becomes very hot in summer.

The “Anello di Gavi e via dei palazzi” project envisages a circular route connecting the fortress with the historic centre via a panoramic path surrounded by nature. The planned route starts at the Giardini di piazza Dante, then follows the historic ascent to the Forte di Gavi and continues along another historic path descending to the municipal Enoteca.

Wine and Regional Products

La Chiara offers a tasting of five glasses of wine, accompanied by regional products such as cold cuts and focaccia. A visit to the wine cellar accompanies the tasting and conveys the history of the estate and its connection with the surrounding vineyards. Cantine del Gavi offers wine tastings in old underground cellars located within the massive walls of an 18th-century palace. Local cheeses and cold cuts are served with them.

Further Places for Orientation

If you would like to continue your discovery beyond Gavi, here are some further destinations: Corteranzo, Montecastello, Monticelli, Sala Monferrato, Castelnuovo Scrivia, Murisengo, Figino and Spigno Scrivia.

For the higher-level travel overview: Alessandria.