Acqui Terme

The Bollente pushes sulphurous water out of a marble kiosk at the end of Via Saracco at around 75°C — hot enough that everyone warns you not to touch it. It's the heart of Acqui Terme, ringed by bars and cafés that fill up in the evening, and a short walk from the Tuesday market.

The bubbles here are metodo classico — a second fermentation in the bottle, years on the lees — made in a big brick winery on the edge of Acqui since 2011. A guided tour walks you through how the sparkling is built, then you sit down to taste: three glasses for €20, five for €25, about two hours all told. Reservation's obligatory and groups run up to twenty, so email visit@cuvage.com before you turn up.

The surviving arches of this roughly 2,000-year-old aqueduct — once about 12 km long, carrying water down from the hills into town — are among the best-preserved Roman remains in northern Italy. They stand in a riverside park with benches, a playground and cycle paths, free to reach but a fair walk out from the centre. Sunset is the moment for photographs.

Brachetto d'Acqui is the sweet, faintly strawberry red that put this town on the wine map, and the regional enoteca — down in the vaulted cellars of the 16th-century Palazzo Robellini — is where to learn it. A sommelier pours you through a themed flight: a Brachetto masterclass, an 'A Taste of Acqui' storytelling tasting, or a wider Piemonte line-up, usually with local salami and cheese alongside. Most run €20–25 for a couple of hours; book a slot on termeevino.understory.io, and there's an English tasting some Saturdays if your Italian's shaky.

Acqui's main square, arcaded on one side, with a fountain that's at its best lit up after dark — the spot for an evening stroll or a drink. The grand old Hotel delle Terme that anchors it has stood closed for years now, so the square can feel quiet out of season.

La Bollente never stops — sulphurous spring water surges out at about 74.5°C from an octagonal marble fountain built in 1879, and it's where Acqui meets up. A guide walks you round the town's thermal heart from there, and themed routes also follow Roman Aquae Statiellae to the amphitheatre and the calidarium of the old baths. It's free to see, and you arrange the walk through the IAT tourist office.

A hillside estate begun in the 1920s by Count Arturo Ottolenghi and his wife, the artist Herta von Wedekind, who brought in the architect Marcello Piacentini and, later, the landscape designer Pietro Porcinai — whose gardens won a European Garden Award in 2011. Sculpture by Arturo Martini and a frescoed mausoleum, Herta's Temple, sit among the vineyards; the estate opens for guided visits.

Here you bathe in the thermal spring water itself, not a treated pool — that's what sets the Lago delle Sorgenti apart, over in the Bagni district across the Bormida. An outdoor thermal lake and pools sit alongside a wellness centre, enough for a full spa day. Opening times and prices shift, so check with the venue or the IAT office before you go.

The square wrapped around the Bollente kiosk, where the hot sulphurous water steams up out of the marble and a few bars set out tables for an aperitivo. People still stop to breathe in the vapours; the morning market sets up close by, every day but Sunday.

You plan the menu with the house chef, then roll it yourself — tajarin, gnocchi, agnolotti, plus vitello tonnato and a hazelnut cake — and sit down to the three courses you just made. It's a private, hands-on class at a boutique guest house on a vineyard estate up in the Moirano hamlet above Acqui Terme. From €250 for one or two of you, with a supplement per extra person.

Housed in the Castello dei Paleologi, this compact museum runs from prehistory to the Middle Ages through Roman lamps, everyday objects and local finds, with a friendly caretaker and a barcode audio guide for a couple of euros. It's a twenty-minute stop, though opening hours can be unreliable — time your visit, and don't count on much English on the labels.

Fangoterapia — thermal mud therapy — is the treatment Acqui is known for, and this is the town's official establishment, drawing on two natural hot-spring sources. The mud's prized for easing pain and loosening muscles; alongside it you'll find inhalation treatments, vascular hydro-gymnastics and a monumental 1932 thermal pool. Cures book through the Terme, so confirm what's running before you turn up.

The brick fortress on its low hill takes its name from the Palaiologos dynasty that ruled Monferrato for centuries; inside it holds the civic archaeological museum and a small botanical garden dotted with sculpture. The grounds and their panoramic view over Acqui are free to walk, and the museum itself runs only a few euros.

An indoor play park for kids from about three up: inflatables, slides, climbing frames and obstacle courses, with a gentler corner set aside for the littlest ones. Families use it for rainy afternoons and birthday parties, and there's a snack bar and free parking nearby — though it gets busy and loud on weekends.

When it opened in 1932 this was billed as the largest open-air pool in Europe — two vast thermal basins, a deep diving pool with boards, and loungers where whole families spent summer days. It's been shut since 2019 and left to decay, so what stands here now is the shell of it rather than a swim.

Uncovered during 1980s roadworks on Corso Roma, this Roman public fountain sits in a pit some three metres below today's street, opposite the church of San Francesco. You look down on it rather than reach it — stone slabs and a basin, part of a larger dig that turned up a Roman house — so it's a quick, quiet glance rather than a set-piece.

A landscaped spa-and-pool park out toward the edge of town, the kind of place people came for a quiet afternoon or to throw a child's birthday party. Its recent history is patchy — visitors have turned up to find it shut and passing between managements — so it's worth checking it's open before you drive out.

The clock tower is really a medieval gate, raised in 1763 to carry the town bell; oddly, it has no foundations and leans on the houses either side. It stands between Piazza della Bollente and Corso Italia — walk through and you're a couple of minutes from the cathedral, and from the top the whole town opens up below you.

A hilltop out of town where the waiter announces "I'm the wine list" and finds the right local bottle. The seasonal Piemontese menu runs long — the ravioli are superb, the slow-cooked pork gorgeous, the hazelnut tart worth the room. Few places cook this well for the price. It gets loud, and it's usually full.

Up on the hill above Acqui, the focaccia al formaggio and thin-crust pizza pull in a crowd of locals — always a good sign. Wild mushroom pasta, fried fish, a wide valley view and fair prices round it out, with plenty of seating in the open air.

Tucked in the woods just outside Acqui, with Daniele as host — knowledgeable about his wines and glad to walk guests through the dishes. Local ingredients cooked simply and well, freshly baked focaccia, weekend specials and a huge wine list. Families and big groups are well looked after.

Down an alleyway where each table sits on its own little platform, this is comforting, traditional cooking that feels like eating in someone's home. The pasta stands out, wines by the glass are fairly priced, and the seasonal menu is worth asking for. English menus too.

Many locals call it the best pizza in Acqui — a proper crust, good ingredients and homemade desserts to follow. Gluten-free and vegan versions are done well, and there's takeaway for eating at home. It fills up, so booking ahead helps.

A tiny, shabby-chic room in the centre with a long list of local wines — the staff will happily pick one, sometimes a rare Ruchè. The beef ravioli and slow-cooked rabbit are favourites, and there are vegan options, a rarity here. A Café Divino makes a good finish.

Osteria and vineria in one, with a good wine collection and staff who go out of their way — quick, warm and easy with small children. Local produce cooked with care; the steak draws praise and the tiramisu is reckoned the best in Acqui.

Thin, crisp, light pizza at a fair price in a modern, buzzing hall — big, bright and noisy in the best Italian way. The staff are friendly; the house red, though, arrives too cold.

A small steakhouse where the owner sources his meat with real passion — black Angus, and even a kangaroo special, land on the plate. The desserts are a highlight and the room is tiny, so booking ahead is wise. Friendly service, fair prices.

An unassuming spot off the street that quietly wows — Angela's cooking and the hospitality of Filippo and Lucie keep people coming back year after year. The sliced steak is a favourite, the wine list is gentle on the wallet, and the service is impeccable.

The farinata — a chickpea flatbread that's a meal in itself — is the reason to come, and it ranks among the best in town. Good pizza too, a vast wine list, historic photos on the walls and kind service. Vegetarians and vegans do well here.

The small road up the hill leads to what feels like a family's home — that's rather the point. The owner is warm to a fault, the views are wide, and the ravioli and porcini pasta reward the climb. Access is a little tricky; worth it.

An elegant room with neat, professional service and a kitchen that quietly gets everything right — the bread, the wine, the dolci. The tonno di coniglio, gnocchi and cannelloni are the dishes to seek out, with a glass of Barbera di Monferrato alongside.

Piemontese cooking with separate fish and meat menus, run by Giorgio and Daniela — he often comes out to greet each table. The room is stylish, the tables well-spaced, and the ingredients good enough that one visit never covers both menus.

A family-run trattoria with a proud "NO PIZZA" sign on the door — this is farinata and traditional Piedmontese cooking, plin with Fassona sauce among the plates. The welcome is immediate and the prices reasonable, a fine place to meet farinata for the first time.

Up the mountain beside the church, with a terrace that looks out to Monviso at sunset. Sara and family cook authentic Piemontese dishes and walk guests through the menu; the value is excellent and the setting hard to beat.

Good, easy-to-digest pizza a few steps from the centre, with kamut and whole-wheat doughs alongside the classics. The host is friendly, the prices fair and the desserts worth room. A quiet, homely spot.

A terrace overlooking the thermal baths, with a sommelier's wine list and a kitchen that turns out carefully prepared dishes. The attached enoteca rewards a browse — good ground for pairing a glass with a plate of tapas.

An old-school family trattoria run by Massimo, where a fixed menu with wine and coffee costs next to nothing and the cooking is genuinely home-made. Regulars turn up just before noon on market day to eat among the locals; the fish dishes are the ones to order.

Authentic Sardinian cooking alongside Piemontese, with chef Gianfranco explaining each dish and often serving it himself. Seafood is the draw — fregola with prawns, spaghetti with sea urchin — and the kitchen will cook for vegans when asked ahead. A warm, unexpected find in Acqui.

A small, family-run trattoria in the centre with a wide selection from appetizers to mains — good seafood alongside Piemontese classics. The atmosphere is homely and the prices moderate; regulars are treated like family.

A reliable aperitivo stop in the old centre — the Negroni is made properly and the pastries reward a lingering pause. Service is warm and the prices fair, easy any time of day.

Focaccia and espresso in a pretty, welcoming interior, with pizza and focaccia by the slice and a wide spread of pastries — croissants filled to order, vegan and whole-grain among them. Prices stay low; a good stop from breakfast on.

Home of the bollentina — a croissant leavened with the town's thermal water instead of butter, so light that regulars talk about biting into a cloud. Fillings run sweet to savoury, from pistachio and salted caramel to salmon, and it's a favourite morning stop with the couple who invented it behind the counter.

The town's gelateria of choice, with forty-odd flavours that taste true — order pear and you get ripe pear, and even the fior di latte is judged just right. Beyond the simple waffle cone there are extravagant sundaes worth doing once, and a sheltered corner to sit out on the square.

A modern tea room by the Bollente spring with a deep list of teas and herbal infusions, plus coffee and a good range of plant milks. Mini desserts and cakes suit a slow, quiet stop, and the service is unhurried and friendly.

A small cocktail bar with a big reputation — carefully made drinks at honest prices, and a bearded barman who'll walk you through each one. The aperitivo's good, there's a fair beer and wine list, and space is tight but worth the squeeze.

More bistrot than café at lunch, with well-priced pizzas, pasta and tuna tapas that draw a steady local crowd. Portions run generous, the espresso's good, and there's usually a free parking spot nearby.

A spacious, newly fitted breakfast bar with a wide sweet-and-savoury spread — pastries, croissants and good focaccia, with table service at no extra charge. The owners run it warmly, and it's a handy stop when you're passing through Acqui.

A tiny bar with tables built from old sewing-machine frames and a summer terrace out front. Wine tastings and aperitivo are the draw, there's often live music, and the owners take time over explaining what you're drinking.

A modern, roomy café run by brothers Maurizio and Alberto, long a fixture for breakfast and a mid-morning stop. The counter carries warm croissants, pastries and savoury bites, there's a bar-style lunch poured with local wines, and the welcome is quick and familiar.

A pasticceria and champagneria in one — pastries, cookies and espresso by day, and a glass of the local Brachetto or a well-regarded aperitivo later on. The breads come out fresh, and the staff will help along visitors whose Italian is shaky.

A tucked-away café for breakfast and aperitivo, with Illy coffee, good croissants and a shaded summer terrace down the lane. The owner's friendly, lunch is homely and fairly priced, and the setting's put together with some care.

A bright, modern café big on breakfast: croissants from vegan to indulgent, plenty of plant-milk options and cappuccino with latte art. The pistachio-filled croissants get singled out, there's a salad-and-cocktail side to it, and a roomy terrace in warm weather.

A local spot for breakfast and aperitivo, with good croissants, a choice of teas and regional products on the shelves to take home. Prices are fair and the staff friendly; it leans local rather than touristy.

An all-hours bar at the edge of town, good for early coffee, fresh focaccia and a weekday lunch menu that pulls in workers and students. Friday brings a seafood cuoppo — fried fish in a paper cone — and the welcome is easy and family-friendly.

An elegant, old-fashioned café with an intimate feel and a wide spread of Italian cakes and pastries. Coffee, a quiet lunch and wine all feature; the mood is soft and low-lit, more parlour than bar.

A modern, understated bar for breakfast, aperitivo and evening cocktails, with live music on summer weekends. The coffee draws steady praise, there's parking despite the busy street, and it's recently changed hands.

A friendly, family-run bar that stays open later than most, good for an aperitivo, a toasted sandwich or a gelato. Lunch runs to ravioli and lasagna, and visitors keep mentioning a coffee topped with cream and hazelnut; there's wifi if you're lingering.

A rustic, central bar and beer garden with a long craft-beer list — over a hundred labels — alongside coffee and cookies. It's a long-standing, welcoming place for a warm evening with friends, though prices sit a touch above what the setting suggests.

A small, lively enoteca packed at weekends for its live music and DJ sets, with wine by the glass and a well-put-together aperitivo. Space inside is tight, so head straight to the bar or take a table outside when it fills.

A wine bar where the windows are stacked with bottles and the owner talks you through the sparkling wines and the surrounding hills. Downstairs opens into a striking cellar; the aperitivo platters come generous, and there's a serious spirits list if you'd rather a gin and tonic.

An elegant café where the owners learn your usual order and the upstairs room is done out like a manor library. Cappuccino and pastries pull in the regulars, there are gluten-free cakes, and the aperitivo gets high marks.