Cassinasco: Churches, History and Routes into the Surrounding Area

Cassinasco combines sacred architectural history, traces of medieval settlements, and routes into the surrounding area. This connection is particularly tangible at the Santuario dei Caffi: it is located about 2 kilometres from the town of Cassinasco on the road to Loazzolo.

Churches and Settlement History

The present-day Santuario dei Caffi was completed and opened for worship on 21 September 1902. Since 1967, the sanctuary has served as a meeting place for the annual gathering of the Alpini of ANA Asti. It takes place on the last Sunday in May each year.

About 3 kilometres from Cassinasco, on the road to San Vito di Calamandrana, lies San Massimo, a parish church isolated on a hilltop. Originally, San Massimo was the chapel of Soriano, an ancient village with a castle that the emperor transferred to the Bishop of Acqui in 1116.

The village of Soriano disappeared around the middle of the 14th century, possibly as a result of the plague of 1348. The rear section of its original church has been preserved. The history of San Massimo thus leads directly to a vanished settlement and its surviving ecclesiastical testimony.

Architecture, History and a Local Speciality

La Torre Civica is the surviving part of the castle of Cassinasco, which was destroyed in 1615. The Torre Civica is believed to have been built during the Byzantine-Lombard period.

A culinary name from Cassinasco is “Torrone Faccio di Cassinasco”: Antonio Faccio invented the original recipe in 1856.

Castles, Museums and Regional Landscapes

Castello di Bubbio is a castle in the vicinity of Cassinasco. The surrounding area of Cassinasco is also home to Casa Natale di Cesare Pavese, a museum, Castello dei Paleologi, a castle, and the Aecheological Civic Museum, also a museum. These places complement the history of the churches and the town with additional historical and cultural themes.

In the wider regional surroundings of Cassinasco are the Terme di Acqui Terme and Parco del Castello, both parks. Le Ciazze, a peak, and Bric Cupazzolo, a hill, are also located there. The range of regional destinations thus extends from parks to prominent terrain features.

Hiking Trails through Cassinasco

An official hiking trail reaches Cassinasco from Loazzolo via route 512 and then continues via route 501 to the town centre. From the upper square of Cassinasco, another route follows trail 511 and the 511A turn-off along the so-called “Sentiero del Moscato”.

Choose Your Accommodation Based on Your Interests

If you are looking for a hotel or other accommodation in Cassinasco, you can plan your trip around specific themes: churches and local history, museums and castles, parks and landscape features, or the two trail routes. The different distance and surrounding-area details will help you set the focus of your trip according to your interests.

More Destinations for Your Trip Planning

Motta Di Costigliole, Casalotto, Bubbio, Migliandolo Di Portacomaro, Cerro Tanaro, Montafia, Olmo Gentile, Castelnuovo Belbo

For the higher-level travel overview: Asti.