Asti
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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The city of Asti is the capital city of the Province of Asti with a population of 76,164 inhabitants.
Standing at an elevation of 123 metres above sea level, it covers a total area of 151 km² and lies 50 kilometres south east of Turin, the regional capital of Piedmont. Asti is famous throughout the world for its production of the sparkling wine: Asti Spumante. The provinces of Asti and to its east, Alessandria, mark the important Monferrato wine region. |
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In 2014 the Monferrato region was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with other wine-growing regions of Piedmont, under the heading "Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato".
Aside from its vast heritage in viniculture, the city of Asti is notable for one of the most colourful events in the Italian calendar. Although it lacks the world-wide fame of the equivalent race in Siena, the Palio of Asti is the oldest event of its kind in Italy, taking place on the third Sunday of September every year. During this time, the triangular market square Piazza Alfieri is thronged with crowds who come to witness a bareback horse race around the square.
The main sights of Asti revolve around a series of beautiful churches and medieval towers. At one stage, there were over 100 towers in the city but nowadays just a handful remain. Among the most notable are the Torre Rossa and the Torre Troyana.
Without doubt the most important religious building in the city is Asti Cathedral which is the centrepiece of Piazza Cattedrale but it's worth exploring the surrounding streets to visit some of the smaller churches such as the Collegiata di San Secondo, the Chiesa di Santa Caterina and the Chiesa e Santuario di Nostra Signora Porta Paradisi (Porta Paradisi for short).
Knitting everything together, the most important street in Asti is Corso Alfieri which runs from east to west through its centre. Aside from a good selection of shops and places to eat, here you'll find some of the city's most important palazzi including Palazzo Mazzetti which these days houses the Pinacoteca Civica art gallery & museum.
Asti's train station is situated at the south east fringe of the city centre, a 15 minute walk (1.2 km) from Piazza Cattedrale. Trains from Asti run to the centre of Turin (Porta Nuova) with a journey time of 36 minutes. Heading south, you can reach the coastal city of Genoa in Liguria in an hour, stopping along the way in the neighbouring provincial capital of Alessandria (16 minutes).
The most convenient airport for Asti is Turin Airport which is a 56 minute drive away (85 km). Alternative options include Genoa Christopher Columbus Airport (1 hour 20 mins/114 km), Milan Malpensa Airport (1 hour 30 mins/154 km) and Milan Linate Airport (1 hour 31 minutes/139 km).
Accommodation options in Asti include 12 hotels, 51 private apartments and 28 bed & breakfasts while among the nearby places of interest are Nizza Monferrato, Canelli, Govone, Mombaldone, Neive and Alba.
Aside from its vast heritage in viniculture, the city of Asti is notable for one of the most colourful events in the Italian calendar. Although it lacks the world-wide fame of the equivalent race in Siena, the Palio of Asti is the oldest event of its kind in Italy, taking place on the third Sunday of September every year. During this time, the triangular market square Piazza Alfieri is thronged with crowds who come to witness a bareback horse race around the square.
The main sights of Asti revolve around a series of beautiful churches and medieval towers. At one stage, there were over 100 towers in the city but nowadays just a handful remain. Among the most notable are the Torre Rossa and the Torre Troyana.
Without doubt the most important religious building in the city is Asti Cathedral which is the centrepiece of Piazza Cattedrale but it's worth exploring the surrounding streets to visit some of the smaller churches such as the Collegiata di San Secondo, the Chiesa di Santa Caterina and the Chiesa e Santuario di Nostra Signora Porta Paradisi (Porta Paradisi for short).
Knitting everything together, the most important street in Asti is Corso Alfieri which runs from east to west through its centre. Aside from a good selection of shops and places to eat, here you'll find some of the city's most important palazzi including Palazzo Mazzetti which these days houses the Pinacoteca Civica art gallery & museum.
Asti's train station is situated at the south east fringe of the city centre, a 15 minute walk (1.2 km) from Piazza Cattedrale. Trains from Asti run to the centre of Turin (Porta Nuova) with a journey time of 36 minutes. Heading south, you can reach the coastal city of Genoa in Liguria in an hour, stopping along the way in the neighbouring provincial capital of Alessandria (16 minutes).
The most convenient airport for Asti is Turin Airport which is a 56 minute drive away (85 km). Alternative options include Genoa Christopher Columbus Airport (1 hour 20 mins/114 km), Milan Malpensa Airport (1 hour 30 mins/154 km) and Milan Linate Airport (1 hour 31 minutes/139 km).
Accommodation options in Asti include 12 hotels, 51 private apartments and 28 bed & breakfasts while among the nearby places of interest are Nizza Monferrato, Canelli, Govone, Mombaldone, Neive and Alba.
Comune di Asti
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Public transport: Central train station, local buses
By train: Alessandria - 16 minutes, Turin - 36 minutes |
By car: Alessandria - 32 mins (41 km), Turin - 51 mins (56 km)
By air: Turin Airport - 56 minutes by car (85 km) |
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