Italy Off The Beaten Path Tips by pollon

Do you like chocolate? There...

Do you like chocolate? There is a kind typical of the region, the <B>'gianduia'</B> with nuts of Piemonte and by sheer chance produced in this factory which takes the name from the town of Novi and the ad of which suggests its chocolate is so good as the Swiss one... and the gianduia to spread is really yummy!

And if you have a sweet tooth, you should try the <B>amaretti of Gavi</B>, handmade sweets of almond, sugar, white of eggs and covered with icing sugar.

But we from Piedmont are also 'pulente', a not very nice nick due to our typical dish <B>'polenta'</B> a yellow corn flour cooked for long in brothe or just in simple salted water and served with a sauce of tomatoes, sausage and mushrooms or with cheese.

But it's also the land of <B>truffles</B> and what about a dish of risotto al Cortese (a kind of wine) with truffle slivers?

Other stops could be the old...

Other stops could be the old archade in Liberty style of the end of 1800 and the beginning of 1900, a palace of the 17th century venue of the municipality, a wooden sculpture of the crucifixion of Flamish art and made of 24 painted statues in the oratory of Santa Maria Maddalena Church.

If already in Novi Ligure, but...

If already in Novi Ligure, but I wouldn't go on purpose... I'm not denying my origins, only I was born there and I know... anyway, if there, you can have a look at the <B>Colleggiata place</B> the church of which is one of the oldest building and appears presently in its baroque style.

On the left Negroni Costa palace with frescos and two sundials of the Napoleon period.

Novi Ligure Tower goes back to...

<B>Novi Ligure Tower</B> goes back to 1233 and is what remains of the old fortress which instead dated back to year 1000.

Around 1400 part of the system of secret galleries which ran under nearly the whole town were extended to become waterworks and part of this you can still visit today during the event open castles.

But in the province, every...

But in the province, every summer recurs the event 'castelli aperti' ('open castles') during which 21 historic castles are opened to the public:

1) Paleologi castle the oldest part of which goes back to the second half of 15th century

2) Razzano castle, today farming estate

3) Torre Ratti castle with halls of 18th and 19th century

4) Palazzo Zoppi in Cassine, a fortress with rooms which go back to 15th century

5) Castelnuovo Bormida castle with an original centre of 11th century but most of which was changen between 14th and 17th centuries

6) Villa Vidua of 18th century

7) Lignano castle of 13th century and with a tradition in winemaking

8) Fort of Gavi result of many changes with the oldest part of 15th century.

If you come here, just let me know, it's at 9 km from where I live!!!

9) Villa Marengo, museum of the Battle of Marengo - I'll bother you about this later on...

10) Melazzo castle of Medival origin

11) Montaldeo castle with remarkable furnishing and a collectin of arms

12) Montecastello castle of ancient origins and which appears today as it was remodelled in 18th century

13) Novi Ligure castle. On this I'll be back...

14) Orsara Bormida castle was built as watch tower around 1000 and became a castle in 14th century

15) Villa Schella in English style

16) Piovera castle home of the Visconti in the 14th century was then turned into a fortress

17) Prasco castle a feudal fortress-house

18) San Giorgio Monferrato castle, the oldest in Monferrato

19) the Gardens of Villa Genova in S. Salvatore, 10,000 sq.m of gardens

20) Tagliolo castle, the square tower of which goes back to 10th century and used to sight and avoid Saracen invasion

21) Callori castle of medival origin

... so it's the destination of...

... so it's the destination of Francavilla young people as open defiance of convention: to prove you are brave enough to enter a private property and of course I couldn't be inferior either... I'm not the good girl you thought... ;-)))

Don't be so thrilled... it...

Don't be so thrilled... it just goes back to 1900 and was build by the Lord of the village as his residence.

During the II world war Germans used it as quarters and prison.

It's said that was found a document signed by General Clark stating that the castle should have been preserved as national Monument.

Now it's private property but the owners live far away so...

That's it... Francavilla...

Then... check for the...

Then... check for the reenactments of this historic group, the <B>'59 demi brigade de ligne'</B> which devote themselves regularly in the most historically accurate reenactments of the different battles to which the Napoleonic brigade they represent took place!!!

And at Marengo, just before...

And at Marengo, just before the provincial capital, Alessandria, there is the <B>museum of Marengo</B>, site of the battle which Napoleon himself won against the Austrian in 1800.

Thanks to this battle Napoleon obtained the fame which gave him the office of emperor so there are a lot of myths like the mintage of the Marengo coin which became the currency of the empire, or that each horse Napoleon had was named Marengo...

The bicentenary of the battle occured in 2000 and this is the reenactment in a really rainy and 'muddy' day!!!

And then...