The territory
Casa Merenda is located in Arignano, in the spectacular hilly area of ​​Chieri, rich in nature, greenery and flavors. It is easily accessible from Turin (25 minutes) and Milan (100 minutes). The Ligurian sea is less than two hours away and in a little over an hour you can reach the Olympic mountains and France.
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Within a 10 km radius are the A21 Torino - Piacenza motorway exit and the Chieri and Villanova d'Asti railway stations.
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Nearby you can visit Turin, the first capital of Italy, Chieri, an important town founded in Roman times, the Basso Monferrato, dotted with Romanesque churches whose spearhead is the Vezzolano Abbey, the Pianalto, an agricultural area with strong traditions. The nearby Castelnuovo Don Bosco, birthplace of San Giovanni Bosco, houses a famous pilgrimage sanctuary.
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Wine, truffles, and fine food
The area is renowned for its superb DOC wines, including Freisa di Chieri, Cari, Chardonnay, Malvasia di Castelnuovo, Albugnano, Barbera, Barbera Superiore, Bonarda, Grignolino.
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Don't miss the highly prized white truffle from Asti, protagonist of two regional fairs within 10 km from Casa Merenda.
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You can enjoy many food specialties. From here come some of the most famous and tasty specialties of the Piedmontese cuisine: rubatà breadsticks, bagna cauda, ​​Piedmontese meat, fresh cheese, salami, fresh pasta, agnolotti (local raviolis), fine and pastry, chocolate and pralines, aromatic honey. Here you'll find many varieties of typical fruit and vegetables: thistles, peppers, ribbed tomatoes, Andezeno onions, Arignano apples.
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It is possible to taste the local specialties in the numerous and renowned restaurants and trattorias, at still very competitive prices.
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Activities and well-being
In the surroundings it is possible to go trekking, go horseback riding and cycling, play tennis and five-a-side football in the numerous facilities available. The game of bowls is very popular and in Arignano there is an equipped bowling alley. In the summer season, numerous outdoor swimming pools are available.
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The nearby Castelnuovo Don Bosco offers a motocross track and a flight field for touring planes, two gems of local tourism.
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A luxury SPA is available in the historical Castello di Montaldo.
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Fairs and festivals organized by local associations are available all year round. On the Christmas' Eve, suggestive living nativity scenes are set up in villages and small towns. The tradition of Carnival is very lively, with float parades in almost all places.
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Tourist sites and information:
La Cabalesta Association https://www.lacabalesta.it/
Piedmont Festivals Portal https://sagrepiemonte.it
Turismo Chieri https://www.turismochieri.it
Municipality of Arignano http://www.comune.arignano.to.it/
Turin Tourism https://www.turismotorino.org/it
Monferrato portal https://www.monferrato.org/