Casalotto: History, Trails and Berta

If you’re looking for a hotel in Casalotto, you can choose your destination based on your interests: local history, trails and landscape, or topics related to the Berta distillery. The historical background, different routes and visitor information provide practical guidance.

Churches and local history

The Church of San Bernardino was built on the site of an earlier chapel, which was also dedicated to the saint. His feast day falls on 20 May. In Roman times, Casalotto was known as “Casal de' Dagna”. The history of its rulers is also linked to a title: the Marquises Pallavicini, feudal lords of Mombaruzzo, held the title of Counts of Casalotto.

Another ecclesiastical landmark is in the municipality of Mombaruzzo: the Church of Sant'Antonio Abate dates from the 14th to 15th centuries and is a national monument.

Trails through the landscape and vineyards

The first section of the CAI trail runs through the Boschi delle Sorti – La Comuna protected area. A variant leads to a nearby geopalaeontological site with sandstone nodules, fossils and teredinids. This distinction is useful when planning: the protected area is along the first section, while the geological features are at the site reached via the variant.

La Strada del Brachetto is a cycling route through vineyards. It passes through the hamlet of Casalotto in the direction of Nizza Monferrato. This gives it a different focus from the CAI trail and its variant: here, the emphasis is on a cycling tour through vineyards, while the other route focuses on the protected area and geological features. Check the route conditions before setting out, as its maintenance status may change.

Distilleria Berta: Tour, Museum and BertaLab

The Berta Traditional Tour & Tasting takes visitors through the still museum and four ageing cellars, offering insight into distillation. The Berta Museum focuses on distillation machinery and methods, with grappa as the unifying theme. The tour offers the opportunity to taste three spirits or liqueurs, possibly accompanied by an amaretto. Tour details may change, so check the current itinerary before travelling.

Admission to the Berta Museum is free and does not require a reservation. Check this visitor information before you arrive. BertaLab is a separate offering: there, you can choose a bottle from the Primaneve product range and personalise its label using the materials provided. Booking is required for BertaLab, with a maximum of four people per appointment. Booking conditions may also change, so confirm them before making plans.

The Distilleria Berta site in Casalotto includes a Parco Naturalistico with an educational trail. This adds a nature element to the topics of distillation and tasting. This describes a feature of the site, not its current opening hours.

A culinary connection to Mombaruzzo

In Mombaruzzo, the meeting of local and Sicilian traditions gave rise to a slightly bitter biscuit made with armellina—the kernel of an apricot stone. Its origin and the ingredient described offer a distinctive glimpse into Mombaruzzo’s baking tradition.

Discover more destinations: Rocca D'arazzo, Bubbio, Tigliole, Pasquana, Stazione Cocconato, San Matteo, Castelnuovo Belbo, Calosso

For the broader travel overview: Asti.