Nizza Monferrato: History, Art and Gastronomy

Nizza Monferrato brings together historic architecture, art and regional cuisine as distinct highlights for a stay. The historic town center is recognized as a UNESCO site as part of the “Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont.” Recurring events, a cycling and walking route through the town, and a history that can be traced through buildings and documents round out the experience.

Historic Town Center and Architecture

The Palazzo Civico dates back to 1353. It took its present form during restoration work in 1883–1884, when the battlements were restored and the tower was raised to its current height of 28 meters. The Campanòn stands right beside the Palazzo. The bell tower is considered a symbol of municipal independence and adds a distinct historical dimension to the Palazzo.

The council chamber houses the Liber Catenae, a book of municipal statutes dating from the 13th to the 18th century. It relates to Nicea Palearum, also known as “Nizza della Paglia.” The Palazzo Civico thus brings together architectural history and a document spanning several centuries of municipal history.

The churches also have their own distinctive character. The neoclassical Chiesa di San Giovanni in Lanerio contains the Chapel of San Carlo Borromeo. According to local tradition, the nobleman Antonio Pelletta commissioned the original construction of the baroque Chiesa di San Siro in 1311. He is said to have done so on the condition that the archpriests appointed to the church came exclusively from Nizza Monferrato.

Art and Local History

The Claudia Formica Plaster Cast Gallery houses several works by sculptor Claudia Formica. The Art’900 Gallery exhibits 100 works by contemporary artists, including paintings, drawings and sculptures. The two collections offer different approaches to art: one features the work of a single sculptor, while the other presents a selection of contemporary works in a variety of forms.

The multimedia Palazzo del Gusto explores the history of local gastronomy. It complements the history of art and architecture with a look at the town’s culinary traditions. For travelers interested in both culture and food, this offers several different themes to consider when planning a stay.

Events and Regional Cuisine

The Corsa delle Botti is a barrel-rolling race held on the second weekend of June; the tradition dates back to the 19th century. NIZZA è Barbera is scheduled for the second weekend of May, and Nizza è Bagna Cauda for the third weekend of November. Two regularly held public trade fairs round out the events calendar: the Fiera del Santo Cristo on the fourth Sunday in April and the Fiera di San Carlo on the first Sunday in November. Check the specific event dates before traveling.

Monferrato in Tavola is a food event held in Piazza Garibaldi. There, Pro Loco associations present traditional dishes from Monferrato cuisine. The Enoteca Regionale di Nizza Monferrato offers tastings of Nizza DOCG and Barbera d’Asti DOCG in historic underground Crotin cellars. Check the current tasting arrangements before your trip.

Getting Around Nizza Monferrato

The municipal cycling and walking route “Città di Nizza Monferrato” connects Piazza Garibaldi with Via Don Celi. A cycle path branching off from this route connects Nizza Monferrato, Calamandrana and Canelli. The two descriptions provide different points of reference: the local route names its endpoints within Nizza Monferrato, while the adjoining cycle path connects three towns.

Nizza Monferrato railway station is operated by RFI, is 0.22 km from the town center, and offers bus and shuttle connections for onward travel. If you plan to visit Palazzo Crova di Vaglio, note that access is restricted. Contact the municipality for opening hours and costs. This lets you plan sightseeing separately from event and tasting dates and check the conditions that matter for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Cessole, Castel Rocchero, Castelnuovo Calcea, Robella, Casalotto, Loazzolo, Moasca, Dusino San Michele

For the overview of the wider area: Asti.