The Monferrato is one of the best-known Italian regions due to its age-old history, and its important place in the history of Italy itself is testified to by its artistic beauties, mediaeval castles, romanesque, gothic and Renaissance churches, baroque monuments, and the works left by artists and poets who were born in this land.

Like the Langhe, the Monferrato has no well-defined natural boundaries; it is a hilly plain which branches off the Ligurian Appennines across the Casale area to the Po valley in a variety of geographical contours and landscapes.
The Basso Monferrato features mainly gently-sloping hillsides running alongside the hills of Torino and the flow of the river Po.

The hills of the Alto Monferrato, which includes the Belbo, Bormida, Erro and Orba valleys, are steeper, with a series of parallel ridges sloping down to the plains of Alessandria.
This area’s history goes back to feudal days, and to constant conflicts between two centres of power: the Emperor and the Pope, when it was divided seemingly haphazardly in disorderly fragments under the rule of dukes and marquises, or of bishops and princes of the church.

This troubled history has, however, left monuments and castles which blend perfectly today into an attractive,
inviting natural setting.

The Monferrato is also an important d.o.c. wine-making region with its well-known wines Grignolino, Freisa, Barbera, Dolcetto, Cortese, Moscato, Malvasia and Brachetto. The gastronomy, as in the Langhe, is packed with flavours and is one of the best in Italy.