A Travel Guide for Canelli

  Your Tourist Guide for Canelli - Adrian Petersen

My Canelli…

"Canelli's coat of arms bears a rampant dog surrounded by reeds with a scroll bearing the Latin words “AD PRAECLARA” which means to excel, something which this town certainly has when it comes to producing wine.

Canelli's first settlements date back to pre-historic times with the Liguri Statiaelli, a tribe from nearby Liguria, becoming the first inhabitants. It was not until the Roman era that the first urban settlement was established, surrounded, as now, by small farms growing vines. Canelli began to flourish in 961 after it was designated a town. However, it was when the wine industry of Moscato d'Asti developed in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century that the town's prosperity truly began.

Today, Canelli's economy is based on the production of Moscato d'Asti and everything associated with wine production. The home of historic wineries such as Bosca, Contratto, Coppo and Gancia, to name but a few, it is undoubtedly one of the wine capitals of the world and continues to have an undeniable attraction for visitors".

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 Events in Canelli

Canelli's Attractions

Top Ten Things to See and Do

1. Visit the renovated Canelli Castle
2. Explore the Cattedrali Sotterranee, a unique series of underground wine cellars.
3. Spend time in San Tommaso church
4. Taste wines at the Canelli and Astesana Enotecas
5. Visit the San Leonardo church
6. Learn about Canelli in the multimedia Museum of Sud Astigiano
7. See the San Rocco church
8. Sample goods at the Cantine Contratto Wine Shop
9. From Piazza San Tommaso climb the old medieval road, the "Sternia" to Villanova
10. Visit nearby Caffi and walk along the ridge towards Loazzolo for panoramic views

June - The Siege of Canelli
The third weekend in June sees the Historical Commemoration of the Assedio di Canelli (Siege of Canelli) which took place in 1613. The Duke of Mantua led the army of Monferrato and lay siege to the town but the people of Canelli together with only a small garrison of soldiers of Savoy, and lots of wine, ensured that the Duke and his army were repulsed.

Today, the Siege is re-enacted annually with great enthusiasm by some two thousand locals dressed in period costumes. The town undergoes a period makeover whilst local restaurants offer seventeenth century recipes in makeshift inns and taverns spotted around the central area.

September - The Wine Festival
The fourth weekend in September is “Canelli Città del Vino” a gastronomical event dedicated to the best products of the region including wines and the traditional cuisine of Canelli. The festival takes place in the historical cellars of Canelli's leading wineries, known as the "Wine Cathedrals" as well as other picturesque locations around the historic centre accompanied by music, cultural events and art exhibitions.

 Local Food and Drink

Bagna Cauda: A special type of garlic and anchovy dip served with mixed raw vegetables.

Agnolotti 'Al Plin': A small handmade Piedmont ravioli cooked in butter and rosemary

Tajarin: A delicious wafer-thin pasta smothered in a rich meat ragù.

Local Wine: Italy's first Spumante was produced in Gancia's Canelli winery in 1865. It is brilliant yellow in colour, has a refreshing nose and a delicate scent of peaches and pears. It is an elegant, slightly sweet, sparkling wine which is excellent on its own at any time or with fruit, especially strawberries, or with typical local creamy puddings such as panna cotta and zabaglione.

Adrian's Spotlight -  'The Wine Cathedrals'

The 'Wine Cathedrals' are Canelli's hidden masterpieces of engineering and architecture. These underground cellars were dug out from the clay soil in the sixteenth century and extend for many kilometres beneath the town and surrounding hills. They were then considerably lengthened in the nineteenth century and offer perfect thermal insulation and a constant temperature of 12-14 degrees Celsius, ideal for refining the wine's characteristics.

The cellars are open to the public for tastings and tours on the third weekends of May and June, the third and fourth weekends in September, the third weekend in October and the second and third weekends in November.

Look out for Cantine Gancia, Cantine Coppo and Cantine Contratto.

How to Get There

Canelli is on the banks of the River Belbo in the Alto Monferrato area close to Asti, and is easily reached from Turin or Genoa.

By Air: The most convenient airports to Canelli are Turin and Genoa. The Aeroporto di Torino (Turin) is about 90 minutes from Canelli whereas Aeroporto di Genova (Genoa) is slightly closer. Both are well served by major airlines as well as budget ones including Easyjet and Ryanair.

By Car: Take the A21Torino - Piacenza and exit at Asti Est or
The A26 Genova Voltri - Gravellona Toce and exit at Alessandra Sud.

By Train: Canelli has a mainline train station as well as a rural train service with onward connections to Alba, Alessandria, Acqui Terme and Asti from where major cities can be reached.

By Bus: Buses run from Canelli to Asti every hour and the journey takes about 30 minutes.