Valenza is the capital of gold and jewellery in Piedmont, the town with the finest and most deeply rooted goldsmithing tradition in Italy. Thousands of craftsmen, designers and professionals make Valenza in Monferrato one of the most important international locations in goldsmithing. This is in part due to global brands in the sector like Bulgari, Damiani, Re Carlo and many others.
Valenza borders Lombardy, divided from it only by the river Po, but is the gateway to Monferrato and the beauty of its hills. Local cyclists call this the 'Cherry Route' in Italian, since it passes through areas where cherries are grown widely.
Start from Piazza A. Gramsci in Valenza, then head left on Corso G. Matteotti and left again on Via Trieste heading for Bassignana. After getting to the hamlet of Pelizzari, an up-and-down stretch on the left leads to the hamlet of Mugarone. Continue alongside the river to the area of Bassignana by the river Po park, by the confluence of the river Tanaro and river Po. Here you can visit the little village centre and cemetery church of San Giovanni Battista with the invaluable medieval frescoes of its apse. Then carry on to Rivarone, which is known for its cherries. The typical produce of this village is the precocious cherry, famed for ripening at the start of spring. The Festival of the Cherries takes place on the second-to-last Sunday of May.
The first climb on this route starts from this village. It’s long, but gentle, nearly 3 km with an average slope of 2.5%. There’s a fantastic view of the hills in the Tortona area at the top of it.
After this it’s downhill to Montecastello, where you leave the main road to climb the village’s hairpin bends to the top of the hill where the 13th-century castle stands. Head downhill briefly for Pietramarazzi. Head towards Alessandria, arriving at Valle San Bartolomeo (where well-known footballer Gianni Rivera was born). Leave the main road from its square and head up Via Dazio. Continue on Valle delle Redini to arrive below Pecetto, which has the toughest climb on the route.
When you get to the village square, you can see the monument to Giuseppe Borsalino, founder of the hat factory in Alessandria that took his surname and is known the world over. The Planet Walk in the astronomy park in Rocca is worth a visit.
Set off again in the direction of Alessandria, but take care to turn right about halfway for Val Milana, where there’s a holiday centre with a camping area, pools and indoor sports.
At the stop sign, head left for Alessandria. At the next stop sign, head right, coming shortly to a roundabout on the SP 494. Head straight on Via della Cerca. Just after the underpass, turn right then left straight afterwards for Valle Quarta, leading to San Salvatore Monferrato. When you get to the top of the town, turn right and after 7 km return to Valenza.