From the Belbo Stream to the UNESCO Hillscapes

The itinerary begins at the sports facility of Castelnuovo Belbo – just beyond the Romanesque church of San Biagio – and follows the road along the left bank of the Belbo stream, closed to vehicular traffic, partly paved and partly unpaved and gravelled, surrounded by cultivated fields and riparian vegetation. At the end, turn right onto the provincial road and continue towards Bruno, crossing the provincial road Nizza Monferrato – Alessandria. Arriving in Bruno – Borgo Aie, and continuing on the right on the flat road, follow Rio Street to the end, where you will find the indication “Geosite.” This is a site of geopaleontological interest located in the area of S. del Bosco delle Sorti – la Communa, approximately 150 meters away. At the end of Rio Street, you ascend to Bruno Alto, either via a narrow and steep pedestrian-only path or via a safer variant for cyclists. Once in Bruno and passing through the historical village, it is recommended to ascend to the viewpoint of the Church of the Annunciation, from which you can enjoy a wide view of the castle of the Marchesi Faa di Bruno and the surrounding landscape. You then continue to the provincial road heading towards Mombaruzzo. After the cemetery, you encounter a fork with a rest area. Here you can enter the area of S. del Bosco delle Sorti – la Communa, first encountering the Church of Mercy, with a large green area, and subsequently a rest area with horse posts and an equipped little house. Returning to the fork, continue towards Mombaruzzo. Upon arrival there, turning right, you ascend to Piazza Pietro Romano, where the 17th-century Palazzo della Marchesa Pallavicini is located. Here the path splits. To the right, continue to Mombaruzzo Station by traversing a short stretch of provincial ridge road towards Nizza Monferrato, then turning left onto San Pietro Street, partly paved and partly gravelled. Among vineyards, cultivated fields, and hilly landscapes, you reach the provincial road at the bottom of the valley towards Nizza Monferrato and turn right towards Mombaruzzo Station, where you arrive at the square of the RFI Station and the Cantina Sociale Tre Secoli. The presence of the RFI Station, on the Acqui Terme-Nizza Monferrato-Asti line, which is very well served, offers the possibility of a train-bike exchange and from here you can start and/or finish the route. The itinerary offers an interesting alternative. From Mombaruzzo, at the fork in Piazza Pietro Romano, to the left you descend towards the main square along Via Roma, flanked by historic buildings and the monumental Church of St. Anthony. From the main square – it is recommended to first visit Borgo Castello – you continue towards the Church of the Presepio, along the provincial road to Maranzana and Acqui Terme, until the left fork that leads to the Church, located in the heart of the area of S. del Bosco delle Sorti – la Communa. After a short stretch, you will find an equipped rest area with disabled toilets and a related access path, and shortly after, you arrive at the Church of the Presepio, a pleasant place rich in traditions. The church, dating from the 18th century on a Romanesque pre-existence, is surrounded by a green area with a rest area. Just recently, the church has been enriched with wooden statues of the nativity scene characters, at human height, placed inside, and occasionally also outside. The Church of the Presepio is included in a CAI circular path, which develops in the wooded area with a ridge stretch and a valley bottom stretch that winds among the Pliocene sands. From the Church of the Presepio, return to the fork with the provincial road and retrace the route to the concentrico, ascend to the fork in Piazza Pietro Romano, and then resume the return journey towards Bruno or towards Mombaruzzo Station.