Casale Monferrato
Casale was the capital when the Monferrato was a marquisate and then a duchy, and it still carries itself that way: Baroque and Renaissance palazzi running down toward the Po, the Romanesque cathedral of Sant'Evasio anchoring the old centre, and behind a plain door on Vicolo Salomone Olper the gilded 1595 synagogue with its Jewish museum, kept from the days of the ghetto. Buy a box of Krumiri before you go — the S-shaped butter biscuits Domenico Rossi cut to the king's moustache in 1878 — and drive out to the hill villages for the Infernot, the hand-carved stone wine cellars of the Monferrato Casalese that UNESCO now protects.
monferrato-casalese·history·wine·infernot·po-river·jewish-heritage·food
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Experiences
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Wineries
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Restaurants
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Cafés
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Attractions
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Guides
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Things to do
Casale's cathedral goes back to the 12th century and honours Sant'Evasio, the town's beheaded patron. Inside, striped pillars and a great crucifix over the main altar draw the eye, with side altars to various saints; a set of steel art installations greets you at the entrance. It rewards a slow look for anyone who loves old church architecture.
Down Vicolo Salomone Olper in the old ghetto, Casale's 1595 synagogue opens into a gilded Baroque interior counted among Italy's finest. The guided visit also takes in the Jewish Art and History Museum and, underground, the Museum of Lights — contemporary menorahs set in the old matzot-baking room. Groups need to book ahead, and the site shuts in January, August and on Jewish holidays.
The brick castle by the Po anchors Casale's centre — free to wander top to bottom, with a bistro, a bookshop and a wine bar tucked into the vaults below. Fixed castle history is thin on the ground, but it earns its keep with rotating exhibitions and events, and a market fills the piazza out front on Tuesdays and Fridays.
€75 · About 4 hours
Monfernòt is a cycling club out of Casale Monferrato that runs guided e-bike outings over the dirt tracks and vineyard lanes of the Monferrato Casalese. It keeps an easy pace — gentle enough for a beginner, still a good day if you ride a lot. The stop everyone remembers is an 'infernot', the UNESCO-listed stone wine cellars hand-carved underground, with a tasting along the way.
Set in the old Augustinian convent of Santa Croce, this civic museum fills two dozen rooms: a picture gallery of Piedmontese art from the 15th century on, and the standout gipsoteca of plaster casts by local sculptor Leonardo Bistolfi. Carlo Vidua's souvenirs from a life of travel round it off, and the staff know the collection well — give it an hour and a half.
€17 · 3–7 hours (7–24 km)
Silvia Broseghini, an environmental hiking guide out of Casale Monferrato, runs Hiking Taste — themed walks through the Basso Monferrato hills that tie together the landscape, local stories, food and wine. Scheduled day outings head for villages like Cella Monte, Grazzano Badoglio and Montemagno, anywhere from 7 to 24 km with tastings on the way. She also does private half-days and multi-day trekking weekends.
Casale's green lung sits right by the train station — an old-style park of mature trees, botanical labels and plenty of benches, well-lit after dark. It's where the town walks its dogs and takes a slow stroll. Bring repellent in summer, when the mosquitoes turn up in force.
Domenico Rossi shaped the first Krumiro — curved like a moustache — at Via Lanza 17 in 1878, and the family still bakes them by hand on the same spot. Walk in and it smells of baking; you buy the originals, the taste Casale is known for. Contact them directly to arrange any tasting.
A wide, tidy park laid out on the site of the old Eternit works, now given over to lawns and quiet. Locals come to jog, and there's room for children to run around — a calm, open green space rather than a busy one.
Founded in 1764 and billed as Italy's oldest grocery still trading, the Antica Drogheria Corino on Via Roma now works as a tasting salon. You try Krumiri in some 25 versions — sweet, savoury, vegan, gluten-free — with coffee, zabaione or the house Ractagino hazelnut cream. It's Casale's signature biscuit, tasted where the town has always bought it.
Less a city park than a river reserve, this stretch of the Po just below Casale's centre is an ecological corridor of woods, water and wildlife. Walkers, runners and mountain bikers use the trails toward the Pastrona forest, and it's good for birdwatching. The main way in is a steep ramp, so mind your footing.
The 60-metre brick tower beside the church of Santo Stefano is Casale's emblem, its base from the 11th century and its upper reaches reworked in the early 1500s. When it's open — usually only on special days — 178 steps climb past the still-ringing bells to a view over the whole town. Entry's free; leave a coin if you like.
A grassy stretch of the Po bank just below the centre, good for a picnic in the shade with the river breeze coming off the water. A path leads on into the woods, and the town holds the odd event here through the year. It feels a little forgotten, which is half the quiet.
A Baroque palace in the centre whose main floor is still a private home — an opera singer's, as it happens. If the owner's about you might be waved in to see 18th-century frescoes, canvases and sumptuous tapestries; otherwise it's admired from the courtyard.
Once home to Marquise Anna d'Alençon, this 15th- and 16th-century palace hides a fine Renaissance courtyard — round brick columns with cube capitals, a portico of pointed arches and a coffered ceiling. Worth a look if you're passing through the old centre.
A 1595 synagogue in Casale Monferrato's former ghetto, its plain exterior giving way to a gilded Piedmontese Baroque interior. The complex houses the Museo dei Lumi (contemporary Hanukkah lamps) and a silver museum in the old matroneo; a national monument open for guided visits.
Behind a plain door on Vicolo Salomone Olper, in what was Casale's Jewish ghetto, hides one of Europe's most lavish synagogues — inaugurated in 1595 and dressed over the next two centuries in gilded Piedmontese Baroque, all carved wood, stucco and Hebrew inscriptions around the Holy Ark. Downstairs the Museo dei Lumi gathers Hanukkah lamps, and the former women's gallery holds the community's silver. Only a couple of Jewish families remain, so the doors open for guided visits and the major holidays.
Wine producers
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Set inside a medieval palazzo with painted ceilings and sweeping stairways, this is a tasting-menu kitchen where the room is half the occasion. The degustazione and a deep champagne list bring people back, and the staff will happily talk you through both. Look for the big gate on the street — the entrance isn't obvious from the address.
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Home-style Piedmontese cooking that rivals a nonna's Sunday table, with a host who greets you like family. The raw beef and anchovy antipasti, the bagna cauda, and breadsticks worth a trip on their own are the draw, and white truffle turns up in season. The antique market is a five-minute walk away.
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A cosy trattoria with a deep wine list — fitting for a wine town — and set tasting menus that pair courses with wine and coffee at good value. Vitello tonnato, agnolotti, and hazelnut cake are safe bets, and the service looks after you if you're short on time. Vegetarian options too.
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A small kitchen giving Italian roots a creative, careful turn — the menu is short by design and better for it. The staff speak good English and walk you through each course, the pasta and caponata get praise, and the value is strong. Book ahead, tables go fast.
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A spacious, modern pizzeria five minutes from the motorway, handy for a stop on the way south. The pizzas are good and the prices modest, the tartare gets a mention, and service moves quickly enough for a family lunch.
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A handsome dining room where the vitello tonnato stands out and the pasta is made fresh. Staff will point you to a good local wine, though service takes its time and prices sit on the higher side. Worth it for a proper sit-down meal.
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A rare all-vegan kitchen in meat-loving Piedmont, and a busy one — think falafel, a reworked hummus, black-kale risotto, and a vegan tiramisù. Dishes come out to share and lean more fusion than traditional. Book ahead on weekends.
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A big, old-school pizzeria where the owner works the room and the thin, crisp-crusted pizzas come at prices well below the norm. The fried calamari and seafood plates get ordered again and again, and the service stays warm even when it's full.
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An agriturismo out in the quiet fields near Casale, cooking Piedmontese farmhouse plates from local meat. It's a spot for long family lunches and wedding parties, with wine worth carrying a bottle home and plenty of room to park. Dogs are welcome too.
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Homestyle Piedmontese cooking near the motorway exit, run by an owner with real character. The gnocchi and grilled meats are the standouts, at prices that undersell the quality. It books up, so call ahead.
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Gourmet pizza in several styles — the whole-wheat 'cloud' dough is thicker but light, alongside crispier options and quality toppings. There are local beers to go with them, and the staff know the menu well. Plenty of parking and room for kids.
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A family-run trattoria where the pasta and bread are made in-house and the ingredients — down to the wine, sold by the bottle or in bulk — are local. Tagliolini with porcini and black truffle, fried mushrooms, and grilled sirloin come in generous portions at fair prices. The service is warm, if unhurried.
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A no-fuss lunchtime trattoria built for a quick, good meal — a fixed all-inclusive menu, generous plates, and fast, friendly service. Some Piedmontese dishes turn up on the set menu, and there's outdoor seating. Handy if you're passing through for work.
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Out among the Monferrato hills, an owner-run kitchen where the welcome feels like arriving at a family home. Seasonal Piedmontese cooking is the point — the apple risotto is the house specialty, alongside mini ravioli, veal tartare, and a proper fritto misto — with regional wines poured to match. There's a garden and easy parking.
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A family-run kitchen just outside the centre, turning out homemade Piedmontese classics — agnolotti, Barolo risotto, braised beef, and a bonet that gets singled out. Portions are honest and the prices fair, worth the short trip from the middle of town.
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An elegant restaurant on the square facing the medieval castle, with a colourful umbrella-shaded terrace in summer. The kitchen revisits Piedmontese flavours with a modern touch — shrimp tartare on parmesan risotto, Fassona battuta, an amaretto panna cotta with krumiri. Good wine list and attentive, unobtrusive service.
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Tucked in a courtyard off the centre, away from the crowds, with a reworked take on local cooking and good beer. Fried mushrooms, veal battuta, and meat ravioli come in big portions, and there are mezze-style plates like hummus and eggplant too. Relaxed room, solid wine list.
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Oscar runs the room like a raconteur while the kitchen sends out raw Fassona, ravioli with porcini, and well-charred steak. It's an elegant little place with a wine list chosen by people who care, at fair prices. Check the hours before making the drive.
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A contemporary osteria in the heart of Casale, mixing rustic and modern in an elegant room. The tasting menu is the reason to come — a few courses of bold, ingredient-led cooking at fair value — served by staff who look after the table well.
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Croissants are the headline — flaky in the French way but filled with Italian creams, the pistachio one especially — and more than one visitor calls them the best they had in Italy. The brioches and pastries are beautifully shaped, and the staff will help you choose in English. The coffee roast runs bitter.
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The place to try Krumiri, Casale's curved cornmeal biscuit, over a cappuccino near the piazza — the owner is happy to explain their history while you eat. A tin makes a standard gift to carry home. Prices run a little high, and Sundays can be slow.
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A craft brewery with the best beer list in town — local and Italian on tap — and burgers to go with it. It's a cosy, friendly place for dinner with friends, though some find the food prices steep for the portions.
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In the centre, this is a cocktail-and-aperitivo stop — a spritz with a plateful of nibbles, or a Hugo with St-Germain — with a terrace and salads big enough to share. Service can drag when it's busy.
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A busy bakery on Casale's main street where the focaccia is the reason to queue — light, well-leavened, crisp at the edges — alongside pizza, farinata and stuffed versions. Everything's fresh, and the onion focaccia's scent tends to follow you out. Service can scatter when it's crowded.
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Breakfast is what people rave about here — a spread of croissants and pastries several call the best they've had, with fresh orange juice and good coffee. Service stays courteous even when the room is packed, and there's space enough for a birthday party.
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This tiny, historic latteria is all about one thing: its artisanal cream, thick and intensely flavoured, ladled over coffee or hot chocolate. The space seats only a handful, the owners are warm, and a cappuccino with cream is the order to make.
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A small, unpretentious bar with a serious wine selection and an aperitivo people rate above the rest — plates of pizza, cotoletta alla Milanese and focaccia with stracchino keep arriving. The owner's welcoming and the value is hard to beat; just don't come for the hot chocolate.
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On a quiet, central lane, this cosy spot does a proper Italian aperitivo — a spritz and a plate for around 14 euros, with snacks that come alongside the drinks. The rich, dark chocolate gelato has its own following.
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Handy by the hospital, it's known for delicious cakes, focaccias and brioches, and a varied choice of sandwiches. Service is quick and genuinely warm — visitors single out the real smiles behind the counter — and the prices stay reasonable.
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A pasticceria at heart — cakes, pastries and coffee — that also does a light lunch of pasta with salads, easy for vegetarians. The aperitivo gets a nod too, and the gianduia cake and chocolate dessert are among the things visitors come back for.
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Tucked by the cathedral, this is a place for a big aperitivo — plates generous enough to stand in for dinner — and unhurried lunches that handle groups and vegetarians happily. Maria runs it, and the quiet corner by the duomo is part of the appeal.
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Regulars call it the best aperitivo in the centre of Casale: a generous spread of appetizers, canapés and cured meats alongside a solid choice of white and red. The cappuccino earns praise even by Italian standards, the prices are fair, and the staff make it feel like a family affair.
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At the top of the main street, the women who run it turn out a wide breakfast — pastries, cakes, good cappuccino and marocchino — plus lunch dishes and a homemade aperitivo down to the pizza. Coffee served in a cheerful, friendly room.
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A small bar-restaurant where Pino's been mixing drinks for forty years — the Negroni is one of the few done properly in town. The owners are warm and hands-on, the plates come generous, and there's often something homemade like a walnut-and-pear cake.
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On Casale's Corso, the aperitivo is the signature — drinks that come with enough to make a meal — and there's a set menu of traditional cooking with generous portions and small complimentary tastings. Good value, and mostly quick, friendly service.
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Run by two sisters, this calm, central café pulls a good coffee and lays on a varied lunch buffet with local specialties. It's the kind of place regulars treat like home — welcoming, clean, and easy to reach with parking nearby.
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Set in the courtyard of the Castello dei Paleologi, under a brick barrel vault with a terrace among the old columns, this regional enoteca pours a wide range of local wines — Grignolino included — with platters of cheese and cured meats. Staff are helpful and glad to speak English.
Last updated · 2026-07-19