Castles and towers

Tour description

Province: Cuneo
Suggested bicycle: mountain bike
Difficulty: easy/ medium
Depart: Busca
End: Fossano
Total distance: 58 Km
Soil type: asphalt
Suggested period: all the year round

Highlights and tour details

An interesting itinerary that will make you discover the many castles included in the circuit Castelli Aperti (Open Castles) in the Province of Cuneo.

The itinerary starts in Busca, whose name comes from the ancient Buscaje (woods) and appeared for the first time in a document of 1123; then you have to continue towards the castle of Roccolo. This castle was built by the brother of Massimo d'Azeglio in 1831 and is made of 3 majestic towers and has the neo-Gothic style. It is situated in a park of 500,000 square metres and, because of a special microclimate, here the olive trees grow. Then you have to take a steep climb to San Martino, then to Ceretto up to Costigliole Saluzzo, where you can visit: the Palace Sarriod de La Tour, the Palace of the Conti Giriodi, the Red Castle and the Crypt of the Christ of Mercy; then you'll arrive to Piasco, with its unique museum of harps, until you reach the ancient village of Villanovetta. Now take Via Griselda, turn left into Via San Bernardo and you'll get to Verzuolo.
At the traffic light, take the bicycle lane, then turn left into Via Garibaldi and immediately right into Via Valerano. In Manta the castle is certainly worth a visit, with remarkable frescoes inspired by the Chevalier Errant with the cycle of the Nine Heroes and Nine Heroines; now you have to turn left at the roundabout in Via Roma and then right to Santa Maria del Monastero. Proceed on the left into Via Saluzzo, then Via San Bernardino, getting to the town of Saluzzo, where you can admire the Castiglia, the fountain of the Grancia, Piazza Risorgimento, the Cathedral and Via Martiri. From the following traffic light turn right onto the bicycle path. From the main road turn left into Via Villafalletto. Ride towards Lagnasco, where you can visit the castle Tapparelli d'Azeglio, Benne, Pennacina, San Salvatore and the small village of Vottignasco.
After about one kilometre you have to leave this road to ride left, towards Suniglia, Tetto Vigna up to Genola and to the "stop" signal on road n° 28. Proceed on the right and after 200 metres turn left in Via San Sebastiano towards San Lorenzo and then Cussanio, where you can reach the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Providence. If you continue left you will reach the centre of Fossano, where you can visit the 14th century Castle of the Princes of Acaja.

Where to sleep

B&B Lavande&Rose
Fraz. San Vitale, 33 cap 12022 – Busca (Cuneo)
Tel. 348 1054364
Email: giulio.mellano@aliceposta.it
Web: http://www.lavandeerose.it

Hotel Ceretto
Fraz. S. Martino, 17 cap 12022 – Busca (Cuneo)
Tel. 0171 945437
Email: info@hotelceretto.it
Web: www.hotelceretto.it

B&B La Prima Casa di Bruna e Angelo Giusiano
Via Valcrosa, 44 cap 12030 – Manta (Cuneo)
Tel. 0175 87193
Email: angelo.giusiano@inwind.it
Web: www.bblaprimacasa.it

Hotel Antico Podere Propano
Via Torino, 75 cap 12037 – Saluzzo (Cuneo)
Tel. 0175 479047
Email: info@anticopoderepropano.com
Web: www.anticopoderepropano.com

Hotel Ristorante "Perpoin"
Via Spielberg, 19 cap 12037 – Saluzzo (Cuneo)
Tel. 0175 42552
Email: info@hotelsaluzzo.com
Web: www.hotelsaluzzo.com

Dama Hotel
Via Circonvallazione, 10 cap 12045 – Fossano (Cuneo)
Tel. 0172 691860
Email: info@damahotelfossano.com
Web: www.damahotelfossano.com

Albergo Giardino dei Tigli
Fraz. Cussanio, 16/B 12045 – Fossano (Cuneo)
Tel. 0172 691575
Email: info@giardinodeitigli.it
Web: www.giardinodeitigli.com