To promote cycling tourism and culture, FIAB Monferrato Bike has started a project, 'Art on your bike', that passes places of touristic and cultural interest with connections to Monferrato's great artists. Guglielmo Caccia, known as the Moncalvo and the Raphael of Monferrato, was a prominent painter of the Counter-Reformation in Piedmont. He was born in Montabone, near Asti, on 9 May 1568.
The route begins in the village of Moncalvo, where the artist died in 1625. Set off from the large car park in Piazza Carlo Alberto. Go along Via Monsignore Bolla, where you'll find the church of San Francesco. Caccia's daughter Orsola, herself a noted painter, is buried here, in the chapel of San Luca. After stopping in the church, head off in the direction of Grazzano Badoglio. The chapel of the Rosario in the parish church contains the tomb of Aleramo, the founder of Monferrato, with a fresco attributed to the Moncalvo. Leave the church and head off along Via Mameli, to the church of San Sebastiano, and turn left onto Strada Fittaria, which becomes a farmer's track and takes you to Casorzo. Admire the paintings by Caccia in the parish church of San Vincenzo Martire. Carry on along Via Scoffone Costa, where you'll find a leafy, 200-year-old horse chestnut. Go down to Cantina Sociale di Casorzo, famous for its sweet Malvasia wine. Go straight on for about 1 km along a countryside road until you reach a junction. Turn left along a track that goes slightly downhill, passing close by Tenuta Montemagno Relais & Wines. Carrying on downhill, you'll arrive below Montemagno, with its 11th-century castle. At the church of the Santi in the village, there are a pair of paintings by Caccia's daughter, Orsola. Carry on along a scenic road until Grana, where you can admire some of the Moncalvo's work in the baroque parish church of Santa Maria Assunta. Carry on towards Calliano, the village famous for its Palio Ragliante, the donkey race that takes place on the third Sunday in October. There's another piece by Caccia in the parish church of the Santissimo Nome di Maria. The final stretch passes through the little village of Penango, where the car park in front of the town hall in Via Garibaldi has a panoramic view of Asti. Return to Moncalvo and visit the historic centre, ending at the tower of the Castello dei Marchesi del Monferrato with its unique panoramic view.