Festa di San Martino a Castiglione d'Asti
The patronal feast of Castiglione, a hilltop frazione of Asti: Mass in the parish church of San Martino, the Pro Loco's 'Trippa alla Castiglionese' from midday, a magic show and old-fashioned games for children, and roast chestnuts in the late afternoon.
Why it's special
A village feast with its own dish: the Pro Loco 'La Castiglionese' cooks a tripe stew to its own recipe and serves it all afternoon, to eat there or take home. The afternoon is built around children, with a magician and the 'giochi di una volta', the games their grandparents played, and it ends with the chestnuts roasting in big pans over a wood fire.
Programme · 2026
- Take-away tripe can be booked in advance from the Pro Loco (347 0492581); in 2026 the deadline was the Friday before.
- Castiglione is about 5 km from the centre of Asti: from the A21 take the Asti Est exit towards Asti, turn right for Castiglione after about 800 m and carry on for 4 km.
- The Commemoration of the fallen of all wars is held in the village the Sunday before.
Castiglione is a frazione of Asti on the hills about five kilometres north-east of the city, and San Martino is its patron saint. On the Sunday of the feast the village gathers for Mass in the parish church of San Martino, then the volunteers of the Pro Loco 'La Castiglionese' start serving their Trippa alla Castiglionese, a tripe stew that stays on the stoves until the end of the day.
The afternoon is for children: a magic show, and old-fashioned games on the sports field that adults are welcome to join. From half past four there's a merenda sinoira, the Piedmontese late-afternoon snack, with chestnuts roasted in big pans over a wood fire.
It's a small, local feast rather than a big sagra, and an easy outing from Asti. The same Pro Loco runs Solo Polenta the following weekend and the Fagiolata di San Defendente on 2 January.