Fontanile: Hotels among vineyards and local history

Fontanile offers several ways to shape a stay: religious buildings and a preserved fortification tower tell of different historical periods, while viewpoints and vineyards define the hilly landscape. When looking for a hotel, you can start by asking whether local history or the landscape will be the focus of your trip. The sights offer concrete points of interest for both.

Churches, tower and traces of history

The parish church of San Giovanni Battista combines eclectic architecture with Neo-Gothic elements. Eclectic describes a design that draws on elements from different styles; the Neo-Gothic elements are part of this church’s appearance. It was built in the early 20th century on the site of an older church, which was demolished in 1897. The same site thus brings together a building from the early 20th century and the history of its predecessor. Anyone interested in church architecture can consider both its stylistic features and this sequence of buildings.

The Santuario Nostra Signora di Neirano is a rural church dating from the 14th century in the hamlet of Frazione Croci. The first documented record of the sanctuary’s hermitage dates to 1473. The church’s date and the year of the first record refer to different historical milestones. Another trace of local history is the Torre degli Ansaldi: it is the only surviving one of the four towers that belonged to Fontanile’s first defensive walls. The church, sanctuary and tower thus represent different aspects of the town’s history—religious buildings as well as its early fortifications.

Viewpoints, vineyards and a circular trail

Bricco San Martino is a meditation area and a viewpoint. The site also has a history of earlier uses: it was an ancient place of worship and was used as a lazaretto during a later plague period. The viewpoint and its former functions come together here.

Chris Bangle’s Panchina Gigante Fontanile offers a different experience: it stands at a viewpoint beneath three oak trees, surrounded by vineyards. The setting named here gives the Panchina Gigante its distinctive character; Bricco San Martino connects its viewpoint with meditation and historical uses as well. The two places therefore differ in their respective landscape and historical associations.

If you’d like to include a route in your trip rather than visit a single viewpoint, Fontanile has the signposted circular trail Percorsi tra le colline – Sentiero C-C1. It passes through clay-rich hills and vineyards and offers panoramic views. The circular trail is therefore another way to experience the landscape, distinct from the viewpoints mentioned above.

Getting there by train and bus

The nearest train station is in Mombaruzzo, a few minutes’ drive from Fontanile; actual journey times may vary. Fontanile is also served by bus route 81 from Acqui Terme and bus route 95 from Alessandria. Check current bus timetables before travelling if you plan to take the bus.

Discover more destinations: Penango, Montegrosso D'asti, Montabone, Cioccaro, Incisa Scapaccino, Cessole, Villa San Secondo, Calamandrana

For the wider travel overview: Asti.