Gambasca amid chestnut forests and sacred art

Nature observation, paths through scattered hamlets, and sacred art are just as close at hand as castles, museums, and regional peaks in the wider surrounding area.

Nature between the mountainside and the Po

The mountainside of Gambasca is covered by extensive chestnut and beech forests. These forests are home to foxes, squirrels, roe deer, dormice, badgers, and wild boar. The flatter part of Gambasca lies in the Parco del Po – Tratto Cuneese along the Po River. On the unpaved paths through the fields near the river, you can spot wild boar, badgers, foxes, roe deer, and grey herons while out walking.

The landscape offers various points of interest for walks, without Gambasca being concentrated around a single historic town center. The settlement developed with numerous scattered grange farmsteads and hamlets. A path leads through a chestnut grove to the hamlet of Brich del Noru, allowing visitors to experience this small-scale settlement pattern as part of the local surroundings.

The wider landscape can also be included in your plans: Cima Bracco, a summit, is located near Gambasca. The wider regional area also includes Briccas, Cima delle Lobbie, and Punta Trento, each of which can be classified as a summit.

Sacred art in hamlets and churches

At the hamlets, houses, and churches of Gambasca, you can discover at least twenty sacred murals. Around ten of these murals were painted by Gauteri; almost all are dated 1866. In the hamlet of Carpenetti, there is a large, well-preserved mural by Gauteri from 1873 depicting the crucifixion of Jesus.

Other visible artworks include a 1739 baptismal font in the Piedmontese Baroque style, which you can admire in Gambasca. Together with the murals, it forms a cultural focus that is not limited to a single building but is spread across houses, churches, and hamlets.

Museums, castles, and festivals

The area around Gambasca is home to the Museo dell'Arpa Victor Salvi and the Pinacoteca Matteo Olivero, both museums, as well as Castello della Manta and La Castiglia, both castles. These destinations complement the local sacred art with additional themes from music, painting, and castle culture.

The Festa di San Giacomo takes place every year on the last Sunday in July. At the Festa di San Rocco on August 2, 2026, the program included a guided walk through the hamlets and the distribution of traditional polenta.

Which accommodation suits your plans?

When choosing a hotel or other accommodation for Gambasca, you can first decide which focus you would like to give more attention to. The mountainside appeals to the area's nature and forest themes, while the paths through the fields along the Po offer different walking experiences. Those interested in culture will find sacred murals and a historic baptismal font in Gambasca itself.

Other destinations you can include in your travel plans are Murazzo, Morozzo, Roddi, Mombasiglio, Demonte, Cuneo, Pianfei, and Barge.

To the higher-level travel overview: Cuneo.