Lerma between Castle, Gold History and Nature

If you are looking for a place for your trip to Italy with medieval architecture, regional history, and connections to nature, Lerma offers several clearly distinct points of interest. The castle, museums, churches, an astronomical observatory, and the Capanne di Marcarolo protected area give the town a diverse profile.

Castle and Medieval Town Centre

The main structures of Lerma Castle date from the late 15th century and were built by Luca Spinola. Its location is particularly striking: the castle rises on a tuff rock above the Piota River. Within the ring wall, the ancient Ricetto has been preserved; it is considered the town's first settlement core. In Lerma's historic townscape, the castle, ring wall, and Ricetto stand alongside one another as concrete architectural points of reference.

Gold History and Astronomical Education

The Museo Storico Italiano dell'Oro is dedicated to the history of Italy's gold deposits. Its holdings include historical documents, topographical maps, photographs, tools, and samples of gold-bearing minerals. The different types of objects range from historical documents and topographical maps to photographs, tools, and samples of gold-bearing minerals. It is open by appointment. Group tours on other days can be arranged by telephone at 339/2656342.

The astronomical observatory of Lerma offers another perspective on knowledge. It serves as a research centre and, above all, as an educational centre for schools and visitors. In addition to research, the observatory is primarily aimed at schools and visitors.

Landscape, Protected Area and Trail Connections

Lerma is one of the municipalities included in the Capanne di Marcarolo protected area, designated as SAC/SPA IT1180026. Capanne di Marcarolo is the protected landscape area in which Lerma is included. The Sentiero Cirimilla–Cascina I Foi is also suitable for mountain bikes. It connects the towns of Ovadese—Tagliolo, Lerma, and Casaleggio Boiro—with the remote hamlet of Capanne di Marcarolo. For mountain-bike tours, the connection through several towns of the Ovadese to the remote hamlet of Capanne di Marcarolo is the specific planning reference.

Churches and Regional Tradition

The Santuario della Rocchetta is now known as Nostra Signora delle Grazie and was built before 1291. The sanctuary can be reached via a road lined with Stations of the Cross dating from the 19th century. Along the road to the sanctuary, the 19th-century Stations of the Cross accompany the approach as independent historical elements. Lerma is also home to the Romanesque church of San Giovanni Battista al Piano. It is probably the surviving remnant of an older settlement of Lerma called Rondinaria. The parish church of San Giovanni Battista also houses a painting of the Virgin and Child by Barnaba da Modena.

The Festa del Fungo, an event held in Lerma in September, is also part of the town's local character. Together with its gold history and historic buildings, it offers another way of engaging with the town: through a regional tradition that has its own place in the annual calendar. For travel planning, September remains the specific time reference for the event.

You can discover other places in the same area via San Cristoforo, Volpedo, Silvano D'orba, Borgoratto Alessandrino, Pasturana, Monticelli, Ponzone and Bandita.

For the overarching travel overview: Alessandria.