Terruggia: Church of San Martino, Infernot and Hiking Trail 736

Terruggia brings together architectural history in the town centre, distinctive cultural venues and a named scenic route. Highlights range from the Church of San Martino and the Infernot del Municipio to Teatro Le Muse and Hiking Trail 736. Depending on your interests, you can focus on church and local history, wine traditions, theatre, or a route through fields, meadows and vineyards.

The Church of San Martino in the town centre

The Church of San Martino stands in the town centre, opposite the town hall. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours and the Nativity of Mary. Construction began in 1574; the church was consecrated on 26 June 1601. These two dates provide a clear timeframe for its construction history: consecration followed the start of construction just over a quarter of a century later. Its location is also easy to pinpoint—directly opposite the town hall. The church thus combines a specific landmark in the town centre with its religious dedication and history.

Infernot: wine storage and farming tradition

The Infernot del Municipio offers a different focus. It has a circular floor plan and is carved into sandy sandstone with visible sedimentary bands. The shape and material complement each other: the circular layout defines the space, while the bands are a striking feature of the sandstone. The Infernot was created towards the end of the 19th century to store wine bottles. It is also an example of spontaneous art rooted in Terruggia’s farming tradition. Its history therefore combines a specific former purpose with a cultural context: wine storage and artistic expression come together at this site.

Theatre and park

At Teatro Le Muse, the auditorium has a vaulted ceiling and floral decorations. Panels depict the Muses and Greek deities; a restored old film projector is another of its described features. The theatre offers a cultural focus distinct from the religious and architectural history of the Church of San Martino. Teatro Le Muse holds a theatre season every year from October to April. If you are planning to attend a performance, check the current programme for specific dates.

Parco di Villa Poggio is a public park with centuries-old trees. The villa’s history also includes its donation to the Municipality of Terruggia in 1938. The age of the trees and the date of the donation offer two different perspectives on the site: the park is defined by its old trees, while the year places Villa Poggio in the municipality’s history.

Hiking Trail 736 and Torre Veglio

Hiking Trail 736, “I Campi e i Prati Intorno a Terruggia” (“The Fields and Meadows Around Terruggia”), begins near Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, by the town hall. It runs through fields and meadows as well as vineyards, and then reaches Torre Veglio. If you would rather focus on the landscape than on individual buildings, this is a clearly named route that starts near the town centre and passes through a variety of landscape types.

Torre Veglio is a round, 19th-century tower on the hill at the boundary between Terruggia and Rosignano. It is privately owned, not open to visitors and visible only from the outside. The hiking trail reaches the tower, but it is not possible to go inside. This lets you combine the route with a view of a historic building, without mistaking the exterior view for an interior visit.

Wine in a historical and seasonal context

Wine also offers distinct points of interest. The Infernot was created towards the end of the 19th century to store wine bottles. The 31st edition of “Vivere in Campagna” took place on 6 and 7 June 2026; the programme included wine tastings and wine masterclasses. This brings a historic use for storage together with a specific event programme featuring tastings and masterclasses.

Discover more destinations: Castellazzo Bormida, Odalengo Piccolo, Sanico, Ombra, San Salvatore Monferrato, Alfiano Natta, Poggio Maggiore, Quattordio.

For the wider travel overview: Alessandria.