Discover Cassinasco: Culture, Hiking Trails and Holiday Apartment

Cassinasco combines striking religious buildings, traces of medieval history and direct routes into the surrounding landscape. This character is particularly evident at the Santuario dei Caffi and La Torre Civica.

Holiday Apartment in Cassinasco: History in the Townscape

The present-day Santuario dei Caffi is located about 2 kilometres from the town of Cassinasco on the road to Loazzolo. It was completed and opened for worship on 21 September 1902. Another historic site is San Massimo, an isolated parish church situated on a hilltop about 3 kilometres from Cassinasco, on the road to San Vito di Calamandrana.

San Massimo was originally the chapel of Soriano, an ancient village with a castle that the emperor transferred to the Bishop of Acqui in 1116. The village of Soriano disappeared around the middle of the 14th century, possibly as a result of the plague of 1348. The rear part of its original church has survived. For visitors who appreciate historical connections, several periods of history are found close together here, without the individual sites losing their own stories.

La Torre Civica is the surviving part of Cassinasco Castle, which was destroyed in 1615. The tower is believed to have been built during the Byzantine-Lombard period. In this way, a surviving structure in the town complements the religious sites outside the town centre and makes Cassinasco’s past visible at several specific locations.

Traditions and Regional Destinations

A culinary detail is also part of Cassinasco’s history: in 1856, Antonio Faccio invented the original recipe for “Torrone Faccio di Cassinasco”. The Santuario dei Caffi also reflects a connection with a regional community that continues to the present day. Since 1967, the Santuario has served as the meeting place for the annual gathering of the Alpini of ANA Asti, held on the last Sunday of May each year.

In the immediate vicinity of Cassinasco is Castello di Bubbio, a castle. The surrounding area also contains Casa Natale di Cesare Pavese, a museum, Castello dei Paleologi, also a castle, and the Aecheological Civic Museum, another museum.

In the wider regional area around Cassinasco are Terme di Acqui Terme and Parco del Castello, both parks. Also located there are Le Ciazze, a peak, and Bric Cupazzolo, a hill.

Hiking Trails from Cassinasco

Two specific routes are documented for hikers. An official hiking trail reaches Cassinasco from Loazzolo via Trail 512 and then continues via Trail 501 to the town centre. From the upper square of Cassinasco, the route follows Trail 511 and the 511A junction along the so-called “Sentiero del Moscato”.

More Places to Discover

Castelnuovo Belbo, Roccaverano, Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Belveglio, Stazione Cocconato, Refrancore, Mombaruzzo and Casalotto.

For the broader travel overview: Asti.