Cioccaro: Church Art, Sculptures and Trails

Cioccaro brings together several themes that can be meaningfully considered side by side when planning an individual trip: sacred art, historic spaces, sculptures among the vineyards and a stage of the “Cammini delle Alte Colline Ombrose e delle Colline Chiare”. The Parrocchiale, San Vittore, the Relais Sant’Uffizio and the TerrEmerse project each add their own distinctive touches.

Art and historic spaces in Cioccaro

The Parrocchiale di Cioccaro contains two paintings from 1602: “Madonna col Bambino e i santi Vittore e Francesco” and “Madonna del Rosario”. Both works are therefore specific art-historical points of reference in the area.

The church of San Vittore in Cioccaro probably dates back to the 12th century. The present-day church was built in just over two years on the foundations of an ancient Romanesque church. The route of Stage 6A also refers to San Vittore: it reaches the church and runs alongside it.

The Relais Sant’Uffizio includes a private, deconsecrated chapel with a capacity of up to 13 people. It once served as a rural church where the monastery’s monks and local farmers attended services and prayed. The Relais Sant’Uffizio was created from a restored 16th-century monastery and converted into an elegant relais.

Vineyards and TerrEmerse sculptures

Tenuta Fiammenga is located in Monferrato among vineyards and is dedicated to organic farming. Its TerrEmerse circular route project includes iron sculptures placed between the rows of vines, including “Fossile 3” by Giorgia Sanlorenzo. The whale sculpture was installed in Cioccaro di Penango and is associated with “Az. La Fiammenga Cioccaro di Penango” as a TerrEmerse motif. The installation sites of the TerrEmerse project are integrated into tourist-oriented routes for trekking, cycling, horseback riding and quad biking.

Stage 6A for trip planning

If you are choosing a hike based on its length and trail characteristics, Stage 6A provides clear guidance: it is approximately 7 kilometres long and is expected to take about 2 hours. The route follows an unpaved path through cultivated areas and then continues along the edge of a forest to Via Cantoglio. This connects different landscape elements with the link to San Vittore, without losing sight of its approximate length and duration.

Destinations in the surrounding area

The area around Cioccaro includes the Castle of Cereseto, Palazzo Callori Enoteca, Castello Visconti Ozzano Monferrato and the Arazzeria Scassa museum. Also nearby are Parco Rio Crosio, Parco Monte Rainero and Parco Biberach Ander Riss. The Giardini della Stazione garden is also located in the wider regional area.

Further places for trip planning

Agliano, Montafia, Castel Boglione, Montegrosso D'asti, San Paolo Solbrito, Casalotto, Soglio and Cortiglione

To the overarching travel overview: Asti.