Cuneo between Alpine scenery, culture and Piedmontese cuisine

Cuneo between urban history and Alpine scenery

Cuneo combines museums, historic sites, river landscapes and Alpine nature with a distinctive cuisine. The Museo Civico di Cuneo is located in the monumental San Francesco complex and presents the history of the area from prehistoric times to the modern era. In the oldest part of the city, the Museo Diocesano San Sebastiano, opened in 2012, portrays Cuneo’s development from the perspectives of devotion, art and urban development. The Museo Casa Galimberti complements this with a focus on the former private home and professional studio of Tancredi Galimberti, as well as the history of the Galimberti family in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Outside the city, too, cultural history leads in different directions. The Castello della Manta was the residence of the Counts of Saluzzo della Manta for four centuries. Its Sala Baronale preserves an outstanding cycle of late Gothic secular paintings. For visits, the Castello della Manta offers a wide selection of guided tours for individual visitors and groups. In the park of Racconigi, walks and picnics in the shade of old trees are possible—a peaceful contrast to more extensive museum and castle visits.

Museums, theatre and Occitan culture

The Filatoio di Caraglio provides another cultural highlight: the Museo del Setificio Piemontese is its permanent exhibition. The Espaci Occitan serves as a showcase for Occitan culture and as an interpretation centre for the area. If you would like to combine your stay with an evening programme, the Teatro Toselli offers a theatre season as well as additional performances outside subscription programmes.

For planned excursions, guided tours and nature-related activities in the Parco Fluviale Gesso e Stura, the Infopoint in Cuneo, Piazzale Walther Cavallera 13, is the contact and booking point. Paid activities can be booked online or there until 4 p.m. on the preceding working day; some activities have different deadlines. This specific rule is particularly important if you would like to include a guided activity in your travel plans.

Karst, protected areas and wide-open views

The Marguareis limestone massif in the Ligurian Alps is home to one of Europe’s most important karst systems. Since its establishment in 1978, the Parco Naturale del Marguareis has protected 7,900 hectares of Alpine landscape in the upper valleys of the Pesio and Tanaro, as well as in the municipalities of Chiusa Pesio, Briga Alta and Ormea. From the summit of Marguareis, at an altitude of 2,652 metres, the view extends from Corsica to Monte Rosa.

A different natural landscape characterises the Parco Naturale delle Alpi Marittime. The ibex was reintroduced there from Gran Paradiso. The park also preserves roads, paths and residences dating from the former royal hunting grounds of the Italian kings. In the southern section of the lower Val Maira, 400 earth formations shaped like columns topped with boulders rise from the landscape. These landforms give the surroundings a geological character that clearly differs from the wooded and Alpine protected areas.

Hiking, cycling and excursions

For activities near the river, the Parco Fluviale Gesso e Stura has a green network of cycling and walking paths, as well as designated routes for hikes and bike tours. A 52-kilometre route begins in Cuneo and can be travelled on foot or by bicycle. This makes it possible to combine a longer tour directly with a stay in the city without leaving the city’s history and museums out of the itinerary.

In the Parco del Marguareis area, a recently restored 15-kilometre former military road leads through the landscape between Certosa di Pesio and Colle della Boaria to the Alta Via del Sale. It can be used on foot, by mountain bike, e-bike or on horseback. Near Forte di Vinadio, a path runs across three levels and is approximately ten kilometres long in total. A reservation is required to visit the Grotta di Bossea.

Piedmontese cuisine as part of your stay

The cuisine of the Cuneo area uses local ingredients, including Alpine cheeses such as Raschera and Castelmagno DOP. Traditional artisanal preparations include filled pasta, cakes and biscuits made from wheat or Ottofile corn flour. The Fiera Nazionale del Marrone di Cuneo is one of the historic gastronomic events celebrating typical products and traditional dishes.

When choosing a hotel in Cuneo, different travel interests can therefore be combined: urban history and museums, theatre and regional culture, cycling and walking paths, or excursions into karst and mountain landscapes. Cuneo Airport is connected to Turin and Fossano by an Aerobus; the timetable is coordinated with flight arrivals and departures. Cuneo is also the starting point of a 52-kilometre route, while other destinations such as the Castello della Manta, Forte di Vinadio or the Parco Naturale del Marguareis offer different focuses for day trips and activities.

Other places in the surrounding area: Alba, Barolo, Castino, Ceresole Alba, Cerretto Langhe, Cherasco, Clavesana, Crissolo, Farigliano, La Morra, Mompiano De Trezzo Tinella, Monforte De Alba, Montà, Narzole, Saluzzo, San Donato Di Mango, Serravalle Langhe, Trezzo Tinella, Cossano Belbo, Bossolasco, Mango, Revello, Frabosa Sottana, Castiglione Tinella, Savigliano, Villa San Pietro, Racconigi, Neive, Montelupo Albese, Limone Piemonte, Fossano, Dronero, Dogliani, Cuneo, Castagnito, Bra, Borgomale, Bene Vagienna, Barge, Roe, Villar San Costanzo, Musso, Mondovì, Spinetta, Ruà, Roburent, Mombasiglio, Celle Di Macra, Bastia Mondovì, Santa Margherita, Fornace, Fabbrica, Roddi, Murazzano, Prunetto, Sorano, Serralunga D’alba, Gaiola, Bonvicino, Santa Vittoria D’alba, Sinio, Villanova Mondovì, Castellinaldo, Vicoforte, Novello, Marsaglia, Montezemolo, Canove, Stroppo, Caramagna Piemonte, Monticello D'alba, Magliano Alfieri, Canale, Villafalletto, Carrù, Treiso, Neviglie, Cortemilia, Acceglio, Vernante, Benevello, Sommariva Del Bosco, Albaretto Della Torre, Mombarcaro, Prine, Camo, Barbaresco, Guarene, Roà Marenca, Borgo San Dalmazzo, Verduno, Entracque, Vinadio, San Damiano Macra, Casalgrasso, Polonghera, Piozzo, Castiglione Falletto, Monteu Roero, Monchiero, Roccasparvera, Scarnafigi, Perno, Sanfrè, Moretta, Castelletto Stura, Sale San Giovanni, Torre Bormida, Diano D'alba, Castelmagno, Manta, Santo Stefano Belbo, Beinette, Roddino, Roccaforte Mondovì, Canosio, Vergne, Lequio Tanaro, Belvedere Langhe Cn, Busca, Bagni Di Vinadio, Venasca, Annunziata, Igliano, Cigliè, Trinità, Grinzane Cavour, Govone, Pianfei, Sanfront, Pradleves, Argentera, Frabosa Soprana, Artesina, Garessio, Lurisia, Bagnolo Piemonte, Sampeyre, Torresina, Boves, Frassino, Gambasca, Centallo, Sambuco, San Giacomo, Valdieri, Casa Fornace, Peveragno, Isasca, Neive - Borgonovo, Valle Talloria, Valdivilla, Uccellaccio, Vezza D'alba, Madonna Della Neve, Piobesi D'alba, Manzotti, Moccagatta, Brondello, Ricca, Tre Stelle, Tre Rivi, Ricca-San Rocco Cherasca, Valpone, Costigliole Saluzzo, Corneliano D'alba, Riassolo, Garbelletto, Cissone, Ormea, Villa, Ceva, Roccabruna, Piasco, Bosia, Roata, San Chiaffredo, Casteldelfino, San Lorenzo, Demonte, Arietti, Cavallermaggiore, Bagnasco, San Michele di Mondovì, Chianale, Marene, Foresto, Giardina, Morozzo, Paroldo, Mondovì, San Bernardo, Terme di Valdieri, Caraglio, Salmour, Pietraporzio, Miroglio, Pontechianale, Castellino Tanaro, Camerana, San Matteo, Baldissero D'alba, Gallo, Feisoglio, Lagnasco, Rodello, Bernezzo, Murazzo, Robilante, Pamparato, Melle, Levice, Monesiglio, Priocca, Lesegno, Elva, Fort, Scaletta Uzzone, Prazzo Superiore, Castellar, Genola, Saliceto, Cartignano, Piazza, Viola, San Bernardino, Pocapaglia, Macra, Breolungi, Gorzegno, Cavaliggi, Roaschia.

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