However, the most famous child of Alessandria is not a soldier, a businessman or an aristocrat. It's a hat. The most famous hat in the whole world: Borsalino. The very first Borsalino was created by Giuseppe Borsalino in 1865. Since then, it was the favorite accessory of Napoleon and also Humphrey Bogart. If you are curious to discover more about this beautiful hat, visit Museo del Capello, the Hat Museum, in Alessandria, or pick up a copy of my new book, Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita. Or simply go to Milan and buy your very own, wonderful Borsalino in the little Borsalino store in Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle.
When all the history and hats make you tired, you can have lunch at La Fermata. It offers the best food and wine of Piedmont, and it's a very stylish and very Italian restaurant.
Horse Wine Charms
Talking about food and wine, if you should taste just one kind of wine in the region, it should be Gavi. Produced in the city of the same name, Gavi is a famous, light, straw-colored white wine. Make sure to visit Gavi during grape harvest to experience the most beautiful wine festival in Italy.
And now it's time to go shopping - for gold and jewellery. Walking through the streets of Valenza Po, you may go blind from all the shine and glitter that surrounds you. It is one of the most famous cities of goldsmiths in the world. More than 1300 workshops in Valenza Po create stunning jewellery and export it all around the world. The goldsmith tradition of Valenza Po began at the end of 19th century, when Vincenzo Melchiorre started to create amazing jewellery from eighteen-carat gold and precious stones.
At the end of a long day, you deserve to relax. And there is no better place to do so than a Roman spa. Acqui Terme is an ancient spa city with thermal healing springs rich in bromine salts. One of them, Bollente, has its source in the very heart of the city. Other hot springs, and also the only cold sulphur spring, can be found on the other bank of the Bormida near the remains of the old Roman baths.
ASTI - DELICATE AND FUN
The best time to visit Asti is definitely September. The weather is nice and warm, but not hot - ideal to admire Palio, a historical horse race full of colors and local traditions. Also, it's the month when the city celebrates its wine by enjoying the wine festival of Douja d'Or.
Asti was founded by Romans who gave the city the name of Colonia Hasti (High Rock), and it's full of palaces, squares and typical towers. The most famous child of Asti is a poet of the Enlightenment, Vittorio Alfieri, born in 1749. Asti loves him, and a museum, theater and street have been named after him.
Asti is one of the bastions of winemaking, and license plates of local cars often say: Asti - Provincia di Vino (Asti, the Province of Wine).
Asti really is the city of towers. In the past, the city had one hundred defensive towers built by aristocrats in 13th century. Only a few of them have been preserved until today. Most of them are situated in a nice historical neighborhood that used to be called Recinto dei Nobili (the Quarter of Aristocrats). Make sure to explore Torre dei Guttuari on Piazza Statuto, Torre dei Comentini in Corso Alfieri, Torre dei Roero in Via Sella, and Torre Montafia in Via Natta. Torre Rossa in Corso Alfieri is the oldest building in town. It's lower part goes back to Roman times, and the upper part is medieval.
Asti is a city where you can not only explore history and regional traditions, but also delicious local cuisine. Osteria Barolo in Via Cesare Battisti is situated in a historical cellar, and its cuisine is far-famed. Try their special dessert - nutmeg sorbet.
If you find yourself in Asti in winter months, have lunch at Gener Neuv and order a delicious local specialty, zuppa di baccalà, cod soup. Gener Neuv is one of the best restaurants in the region.
THE SURROUNDINGS OF ASTI - LITTLE GEMS HIDDEN IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
Do you like sparkling wine? Visit Canelli, an important center of agriculture and the capital of Spumante. The first Spumante was produced in 1850 by Gancio whose historical wine cellars and museum are open to visitors.
Do you long for a bit of romance? Don't miss the sunset over Cocconato. Climb to the very top of this village, and watch the valley of Montferrato, the surrounding towers, and the blush of sunset over the horizon, and you will understand why Cocconato is called the Balcony of Piedmont. It's name comes from the Latin phrase cum conato - with effort. The place is very remote and secluded, and it was very hard for its inhabitants to do business and maintain contact with the rest of the word. But thanks to its remoteness, the village has preserved its original face and atmosphere.
Cortazzone is a village of wine. Almost all of its seven hundred inhabitants work in the wine industry, growing Freisa, a local vine variety, that produces excellent wine. If owning a vineyard has always been your dream, this is your opportunity to experience the hard, yet very rewarding, reality of winemaking.
Costigliole d'Asti is the living proof of the power of female charm. Countess Di Castiglione e Costiglione was married to an influential aristocrat, and she was also a lover of Napoleon III. In 1854 she moved with her husband to the castle of Costiglione and had it reconstructed, remodeled, and changed so thoroughly, that her generous husband went bankrupt just in a couple of years. In 1859 he had to sell the castle to the Prince of Poniatow.
Moncalvo is a little mountain village, but its fame is huge thanks to its first-class truffles. It's worth visiting if you're a gourmet, but there are more things to explore. Especially its francia, one of the oldest pedestrian areas in Italy, with the best stores in the whole city.
Did you know that a dish could get so popular that it had its own brotherhood? Well, everything's possible in Italy. Nizza Montferrato, a little city at the confluence of the Nizza and the Belvo, is the official seat of Confraternità della Bagna Cauda (Brotherhood of Bagna Cauda), a society devoted the this local dish of Piedmont. Bagna Cauda is similar to fondue. It's a hot dip made with garlic, anchovies, olive oil, butter, and sometimes truffles. The dish is eaten by dipping raw, boiled or roasted vegetables, especially onions, artichokes, celery, cauliflower, fennel, carrot, peppers and cardoon. The dip is served in typical terracotta bowls.