Walking the Monferrato – Alfiano Natta stage

A walk in the heart of the Monferrato

Walking the Monferrato is one of the longest-running and most beloved gentle hiking series in Piedmont. Promoted by the Sacri Monti Management Authority through the Special Reserve of the Sacro Monte di Crea, in collaboration with the Monferrato municipalities, the Pietra da Cantoni Ecomuseum, and the Casale Monferrato section of the CAI, the event accompanies thousands of walkers every year along a network of over forty themed itineraries, where – as the event's motto says – « the road itself is the destination ».

The Alfiano Natta stage

The village of Alfiano Natta, a small hillside municipality in the Province of Alessandria, hosts one of the most evocative stages of the series. The meeting point is set in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, the square of the famous « Fontana del Gatto » (Cat Fountain), from which a scenic loop of about 7 kilometers begins. The route winds through the village, with a view of the church and the castle, before heading into the woods and cultivated fields, passing by ancient, now re-naturalized stone quarries, a testament to a landscape shaped over the centuries by human labor.

Nature, landscape, and geology

Walking in Alfiano Natta means crossing one of the most characteristic stretches of the Casale Monferrato area: gentle ridges, clearings, gullies, and the unique formations of pietra da cantoni, the sedimentary stone that has shaped the farmhouses, churches, and underground cellars of this territory. A qualified guide accompanies participants, illustrating the naturalistic and historical peculiarities of the places visited during stops along the way.

An experience for everyone

• Loop route of about 7 km, tourist difficulty
• Guided walk open to everyone, also suitable for families
• Free participation
• Footwear and clothing suitable for walking
• Final refreshments offered by the Pro Loco Alfianese

The context: the Monferrato and the Sacri Monti

The Alfiano Natta stage is part of a regional calendar that enhances the hilly landscape of the Monferrato, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site together with the Langhe and Roero. Walking the Monferrato is an invitation to slowly discover this territory of the Piedmont Region, among villages, vineyards, and woods, in the company of local communities and the Pro Loco associations that bring each stage to life.