Posted on May 10, 2012 by sguese

 

In Asti, you will discover an affinity for sparkling wine. Even if you thought you hated any sort of sparkling wine, Asti’s specialty will change your mind. Long the independent stronghold and a fierce competitor with Alba, Asti is mostly known today for the grapes it grows on its plains. Producer of Asti Spumante, there are a number of places around town where you can sample all 9,120 hectares of surrounding vineyards in a glass. And while Asti could just throw back glass after glass of its specialty, there is a lot more sparkling in this town.

 

Put on Your Walking Shoes and Explore the Center

 

One of Asti’s main appeals, aside for sparkling wine, is its largely pedestrianized center. Travelers should make sure to have their walking shoes ready for a stroll through Asti’s center is additive. The walk through provides a look at the former Roman colony from 89 B.C. By the 13^th and 14^th centuries, Asti became its own independent city-state. You will quickly notice all of the towers in Asti. A total of twelve remain today, showing just how wealthy Asti was back in the 13^th century.

 

Come for the Palio d’Asti and More of Asti’s Festivals

 

If you are in town in September, you won’t want to miss the Palio d’Asti. The horse race is held each September to commemorate the battle against Alba during the Middle Ages. The event begins with a medieval pageant through town and ends with a wild bareback ride around Campo del Palio.

 

Palio d’Asti isn’t the only main event through the town’s calendar year. Throughout the month of September, you can experience a number of wine festivals in the area. Douja d’Or is one of those events, lasting 10 days and named after the terracotta wine jug unique to Asti. There is also a food festival held every September, Delle Sagre. Stick around by November and you could catch the truffle fair. The Asti countryside is home to both black and white truffles.

 

Hit the Historic Core, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta

 

Once the festivals and parties have subsided in Asti, travelers shouldn’t forget to look for the historic heart of the city, found in Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta. Rising straight from the heart of historic Asti, the cathedral features and enormous belfry from the 13th century. Its interior also isn’t too shabby, grandly painted all around.

 

Stand on Asti’s Tiptoes at Torre Troyana o Dell’Orologio

 

One of the twelve towers that still remains today in Asti is the Torre Troyana o Dell’ Orologio. The 38 meter tall tower is not just something pretty to look at. Travelers can climb to its top and stand on the tiptoes of Asti.