Let’s talk about: Things to Do and See in Cuneo
The city of Alba is the best-known in the province of Cuneo. A city of many architectural styles, it features buildings in the Romanesque, Medieval, Lombard Gothic, and Baroque styles, including the Artesiana Tower, Torre Mozza, and Casa Torre, as well as the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and the churches of San Domenico and Santa Maria Maddalena.
Every October, the National White Truffle Fair takes place in the area, attracting visitors and industry professionals from all over the world. It is also known as the “City of a Hundred Towers” because of this historical feature. The main shops are located on Via Maestra, and the churches of San Domenico and Santa Caterina, as well as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Moretta, are particularly beautiful.
Leaving the city, you can travel along the roads that wind through the UNESCO World Heritage area of the Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato, crossing the region with its vineyard-covered landscapes. The city of Cuneo, the provincial capital, features the centrally located Piazza Galimberti, from which numerous arcaded walkways branch out, stretching for a total of about eight kilometers throughout the city.
Monuments such as the Cathedral, the Civic Tower, the San Francesco Monumental Complex, and Villa Oldofredi Tadini (now a museum) are of considerable architectural interest. Another important town is Saluzzo, a medieval town dominated by an imposing castle, the Castiglia, now used as the Civic Museum. The crafts fair held in May is of great national importance.
Learn More About Cuneo’s Food and Wine
Pollenzo (a hamlet of Bra), the ancient Roman city of Pollentia, is home to the University of Gastronomic Sciences, the first university of its kind in the world, reflecting the importance of food and wine to this region.
The town of Bra is a prime example of Baroque architecture, thanks to the architect Bernardo Antonio Vittone, who designed Palazzo Traversa, home to the Civic Museum, which houses a rich collection of archaeological artifacts. Bra is also one of the leading centers for the aging and sale of cheeses, including Bra DOP.
There are many Savoy residences in the province of Cuneo: the 13th-century Royal Castle of Racconigi, with its beautiful Hall of Hercules, the Hall of Diana, the Chinese Apartment, and the marvelous park; the medieval Pollenzo Castle, renovated by architect Pelagio Palagi in the Neo-Gothic style. Today, the castle is home to the University of Gastronomic Sciences (Slow Food).
Then there is Govone Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its marble staircase, Chinese rooms, grand hall, and library—which was redesigned by the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The castle served as the summer residence of the King of Sardinia, Carlo Felice of Savoy. Finally, there is the Royal Palace of Valcasotto in Garessio, originally a Carthusian monastery dedicated to St. Bruno and later the summer residence of Carlo Alberto in the 19th century.
Religious monuments are a must-see, including the Abbey of Staffarda in the municipality of Revello, formerly a Cistercian monastery dating back to 1100; the Sanctuary of Vicoforte, which boasts the world’s largest elliptical dome; the Sanctuary, commissioned by Carlo Emanuele and designed by Ascanio Vitozzi, with over 6,000 square meters of frescoes and a distinctive Renaissance cloister; and the Certosa di Pesio, dating back to the 13th century.
For spa enthusiasts, the province of Cuneo offers first-rate spa resorts such as Lurisia, Vinadio, and Valdieri.
