The route is 14 km long. The difference in level is almost 40 m. Estimated travel time: 3 hours and 15 minutes.
Moncalvo is known in the Monferrato area for being the smallest city of Italy. In the historic centre, which is the access to the medieval suburb, there are narrow streets, stairways, steep slopes, imposing buildings, and craft shops. Several events are organized throughout the year, such as the food festival “Sagre delle Cucine Monferrine” in June, the musical event “Blu notti Blues” in July, the festival “Guglielmo Caccia” and the open air film show “Cinema Sotto le Stelle” in August, active participation in the Palio of Asti in September, the White Truffle Fair in October, and the Festival du bœuf gras in December.
The point of departure of this stop is located in the historic centre of the city. From piazza Romita, go up towards the church of San Francesco, where you can find many paintings by the 16th century painter Guglielmo Caccia, also called “Il Moncalvo”. Go down via Monsignore Bolla for about 600 m, then turn left.
Take Strada Mulattieri and go straight ahead until it intersects with Strada Pozzetta to enter the valley at the foot of Moncalvo and Grazzano Badoglio. This area, considered the heart of Monferrato, is closely linked to land cultivation. In fact, you will find several farmhouses. Here people mostly work in the vineyards, which are very important for the local economy.
Once in the vicinity of Villa Maia, go up the slope that leads to the inhabited area of Grazzano Badoglio on a path of 6 km and a half. The village, in the heart of Monferrato, is situated between the provinces of Asti and Alessandria. A village rich in history, it developed thanks to the famous abbey founded in the 10th century by the Marquis Aleramo, a man with many fascinating legends. Take Via Roma, which is the main street of the village, pass through the centre and Cotti square, where the ball game “tamburello”, typical sport of Monferrato, is played. Then take Via Garibaldi, get out of the inhabited area and take Strada Provinciale 30. Go down this road for about 800 m, then pass through the fields until you reach Strada Cascina Napoli.
Keep going for about 1 km, pass through the fields again until you come to an intersection. Turn left into Strada Roncarino and go straight ahead for 2 km and a half into the fields. You get to the valley of Grana river, a small waterway that is tributary of Po river on the right side and almost entirely flows across the Province of Alessandria in the northern Monferrato. This river rises in the province of Asti, in Grana, from which it takes its name, as a result of a union of the two small rivers of Calliano and Grazzano Badoglio.
The route continues along Strada Provinciale 38, then Strada Provinciale 29, until reaching the historic centre of Grana.