Monferrato is the third great wine area of Piedmont, along with the Langhe and Roero, with which it shares recognition as a wine landscape and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a succession of gentle hills dotted with villages, castles, farmhouses and cellars, where Barbera, Grignolino and the famous sparkling wines are born. Compared to the nearby Langhe it’s quieter and more authentic, perfect for those after wine tourism without the crowds. Here you’ll find where to stay best, with the small addresses we choose one by one, never by hearsay.
Sleeping in Monferrato almost always means choosing the countryside: charming relais, agriturismi and restored farmhouses, often with a pool and views over the rows, a few minutes from the cellars and the villages. It’s the best way to experience these hills at a slow pace, among tastings, good food and sunsets over the vines. Let’s look at where it’s best to stop.
Agliano Terme and the wine hills
In the heart of the Asti Monferrato, between Asti and Nizza, Agliano Terme is a village surrounded by Barbera vineyards, with a small thermal tradition tied to its waters. It’s an area of gentle hills and cellars, dotted with relais and agriturismi with a pool: the ideal base for a stay of wine and relaxation, in the silence of the countryside. The addresses we choose among the rows:
Villa Fontana Relais Suite & Spa
A four-star relais among the hills of Agliano Terme, with two outdoor pools, a wellness centre and suites set among the vineyards. The height of relaxation after a day of cellars and tastings, with views over the rows and the spa on hand. Ideal for a couple’s escape or a stay of pure wellness in Monferrato.
Hotel Locanda San Giacomo
An inn set in the green of Agliano Terme, among the Monferrato vineyards, with a garden, a hydromassage tub and bright rooms. The warmth of a small country address, with the quiet of the hills all around and the cellars a few minutes away. Perfect for a couple after relaxation and good wine.
Costigliole d’Asti, among the vineyards
Dominated by its great castle, Costigliole d’Asti is a village of wine and gastronomy in the heart of the Asti hills, a stone’s throw from the Langhe. It’s surrounded by farmhouses and relais set among the rows, ideal for those after elegance and quiet among the vines. The choice for a charming stay in the green:
Villa Pattono Relais
A charming relais in the Asti countryside, among the vineyards of Costigliole d’Asti, with a panoramic pool, a wellness centre and elegant rooms facing the hills. The refined atmosphere of a residence set among the rows, to enjoy Monferrato in all its splendour. Ideal for a romantic escape of wine and relaxation.
Canelli, the capital of sparkling wine
Canelli is the historic capital of Piedmontese sparkling wine: here, beneath the town, stretch the famous Underground Cathedrals, the monumental cellars where Asti sparkling wine is born and rests, recognised as a core zone of the UNESCO site. It’s a town of wine and tradition, surrounded by the Moscato hills, perfect as a base for visiting cellars and tasting the bubbles. The choice for sparkling-wine lovers:
Cascina Bo
A farmhouse with an outdoor pool and a garden in Canelli, among the hills on the border with the Langhe, with air-conditioned rooms and an apartment with a kitchen. The space and quiet of a country property, with a dip among the vineyards and the cellars a few minutes away. Ideal for families and couples after relaxation in the heart of the wine country.
Acqui Terme, the town of the waters
In the southern Monferrato, Acqui Terme is an elegant town of art with a long thermal tradition, whose symbol is the Bollente, the monumental fountain from which the hot sulphurous water gushes, steaming, in the heart of the old town. Among Roman arches, the castle and the town’s streets, it’s a pleasant base for exploring the southern Monferrato and its cellars. It’s worth checking in advance the opening of the thermal establishments, though, as their situation can change. The addresses we choose:
Hotel Monteverde
A four-star in the hamlet of Bistagno, with an in-house restaurant, panoramic terraces and bicycle hire to explore the hills. The convenience of a well-kept hotel with views over Monferrato, ideal as a base for cellars and southern villages. Perfect for a couple or for those who want the services of a hotel set in the green.
Relais Borgo del Gallo
A charming guest house in Acqui Terme, with a seasonal outdoor pool, a well-kept garden and free bicycles for guests. The quiet of a residence set in the green, a few minutes from the centre and the hills. Attentive hospitality and well-kept spaces. Ideal for a relaxed stay between town and countryside.
When to go
Spring and summer
The ideal seasons for the hills: mild weather for walking and cycling among the vineyards, relais with a pool at their best and cellars open for tastings. Spring brings the green of the rows and the first festivals, summer the long evenings and the village fêtes. A perfect time for wine tourism in the open air.
Autumn
The headline wine season: it’s the time of the harvest, of warm colours on the hills and of Monferrato’s great tables, between truffle, meat and its reds. It’s the most authentic moment to experience these lands, with the cellars in full swing: it’s worth booking a little ahead.
Winter
The quietest season, with the hills wrapped in mist and the countryside silent. Many relais stay open for a wellness escape, while some places take a seasonal break. An intimate, romantic period, with gentler prices and home cooking at its best by the fireside.
Getting here
Monferrato is explored above all by car: the hills are made of scattered villages and farmhouses, linked by scenic roads that public transport serves only in part. The gateways are Nizza Monferrato — home of Barbera — and Canelli, as well as Casale Monferrato to the north; by train the line from Asti reaches Acqui Terme, and you arrive from the exits of the A26 and A21 motorways.
For the full picture on trains, roads and getting around the region: how to get to Piedmont. Monferrato pairs beautifully with the nearby Langhe and with the town of art of Asti, the heart of Asti wine tourism.
This guide is part of our grand tour of the region: discover all the destinations and areas in Where to Stay in Piedmont.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we’re asked most often about where to stay in Monferrato.
Which is the best area to stay in Monferrato?
It depends on what you’re after. The hills of Agliano Terme, Costigliole d’Asti and Canelli are the heart of the vineyards, ideal for wine tourism among relais and farmhouses with a pool; Acqui Terme, further south, is an elegant town of art with a thermal tradition. In general, in Monferrato you sleep wonderfully in the countryside, set among the rows.
Is Monferrato suited to a food-and-wine stay?
Yes, it’s one of the best destinations: it’s part of the UNESCO wine landscapes and it’s the land of Barbera and Asti sparkling wine. Between Canelli and its Underground Cathedrals, Nizza Monferrato and the hill cellars, you taste and eat wonderfully, often with fewer crowds than the nearby Langhe.
Monferrato or the Langhe?
They’re two faces of the same great wine area, very close and easy to combine. The Langhe are more famous and lively, with Barolo and truffle; Monferrato is quieter, more authentic and often cheaper, ideal for those after wine tourism away from the crowds. Sleeping here you easily reach both.
Are the thermal baths of Acqui Terme open?
The situation of the thermal establishments of Acqui can vary, so it’s worth checking their opening in advance before you set off. The town remains a pleasant destination of art anyway, with its old town, the Roman arches and the Bollente, the monumental hot-water fountain that is the town’s symbol.
Do you need a car to visit Monferrato?
Yes, practically essential: the hills are made of scattered villages, farmhouses and cellars, linked by scenic roads that public transport serves only in part. With a car you move freely from one village to the next, and it’s the best way to enjoy the vines and the tastings.
