By Vicky · Published Dec. 16th, 2024
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This walking tour of Asti leads you through the town centre, past the many museums and palaces to the cathedral and more.
Page Contents:
Location
This walk starts from the Piazza Vittorio Alfieri, a large car park near the centre of Asti. Alternatively, you can take the train to Asti Train Station. There’s a direct train taking only 35 minutes from Turin, and the station is close to the centre, so the train is quite convenient.
Asti Walking Tour Map
Tips for Asti Walking Tour
- When in the region, a great experience is to go truffle hunting* for the famous truffles of Langhe.
- Asti is also famous for its wine, in particular Asti Spumante, a sparking white wine. Try stopping at one of the wine shops or enotecas (wine bars) to taste some local varieties.
- The Asti Smarticket gives you entrance to several sights & museums in town: Palazzo Mazetti, Cripta di Sant’Anastasio, Palazzo Alfieri, Domus Romana, Torre Troyana and the Complesso di San Pietro (slightly further away from the centre). You can find out more about the Museums of Asti here.
- Check out other walks on our Italy Hiking Page.
Popular Nearby Tours
Top Sights in Asti
On this self-guided walking tour, you’ll see the central sights of Asti. You only need a couple of hours to explore the town, unless you visit several of the many museums, in which case you could spend two days.
- Piazza San Secondo
- Piazza Roma
- Palazzo Mazzetti
- Cripta di Sant’Anastasio
- Palazzo Alfieri
- Church of Saint Catherine
- Domus Romana
- Asti Cathedral
- Piazza Catena
- Torre Troyana
- Parco della Resistenza
- Piazza del Palio: Big Market
This is a self-guided walking tour of Asti, but there’s also a good guided walking tour* if you prefer.
Alba Walking Tour Route
From the Piazza Vittorio Alfieri, head towards the corner with the tourist information (open daily 9am-1pm and 2-6pm, Sundays 1:30-5:30pm in the afternoon). Pop in to get a map of the town or region, then continue to the right along the cobbled street. You’ll soon reach a nice little square.
1. Piazza San Secondo
The Piazza San Secondo is the main square in Asti and is surrounded by historic buildings and cafes. One notable edifice is that of the Collegiate Church of San Secondo. It’s dedicated to San Secondo, the patron saint of the city, and apparently built on the location where San Secondo was martyred and buried.
After walking around this square, head left to another little square before turning right to reach Corso Vittorio Alfieri, the main street through town.
Directions: After walking around this square, head left to another little square before turning right to reach Corso Vittorio Alfieri, the main street through town. Turn left.
2. Piazza Roma
Piazza Roma is another small square, this time bordering Corso Vittorio Alfieri. Here you can see the lovely brick Torre Comentina, constructed in the 13th century. On the other side of the road is the Giardino Mauro Alganon, a small park with benches.
Directions: Continue along the street and the next stop is on the right.
3. Palazzo Mazzetti
Key Information: Open Tue-Sun, 10am-7pm. Entry with the Asti Smarticket.
Palazzo Mazzetti is a stately palace from the 18th century and today it houses the Civic Museum and Art Gallery. In the grand, Baroque rooms you can see artefacts, sculptures and ancient fabric as well as artworks.
4. Cripta di Sant’Anastasio
Key Information: Open Mon-Sun, 10am-7pm. Entry with the Asti Smarticket.
Next to the palace, you’ll find the Cripta di Sant’Anastasio, or the Crypt and Museum of Saint Anastasio. In this atmospheric museum, you can discover the ancient history of Asti, including the remains of a church and Roman forum.
Directions: Take a detour to the Church of Saint Martin before returning to the main street.
5. Palazzo Alfieri
Key Information: Open Mon-Sun, 10am-7pm. Entry with the Asti Smarticket.
A little further along the street is Palazzo Alfieri, another stately palace. This is the birthplace of the poet Vittorio Alfieri and the rooms tell the story of his interesting life.
Directions: Keep walking along the main street, past the Paleontological Museum on your right.
6. Church of Saint Catherine
Just before the Church of Saint Catherine, you’ll see the Torre Rosa, or the Red Tower of San Secondo. Supposedly San Secondo, the patron saint of Asti, was imprisoned in this Romanesque tower before his death. The Roman Emporer Hadrian had him beheaded around 120AD for refusing to renounce Christianity. The church itself, behind the tower, is quite small, but opposite the entrance, you can see some remains of the old Medieval city walls.
Directions: Retrace your steps to the tower and turn left along the cobbled street. The next stop is a discreet building on the left, just before the junction
7. Domus Romana
Key Information: Open Mon-Sun, 10am-7pm. Entry with the Asti Smarticket.
A Roman Settlement, Hasta, sprung to life here in the secondary century BC. The Domus Romana shows excavations from this Roman period, including a fine mosaic and an ancient underfloor heating system.
Directions: Head left, then immediately right. At the junction turn left to the cathedral square.
8. Asti Cathedral
Key Information: Open daily 8:30 am-12 pm and 3-7pm.
Asti Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, is the largest cathedral in Piemonte and has both Romanesque and Gothic architecture. The Romanesque bell tower dates back to 1266 and an old floor mosaic in the presbytery also dates back to this time. Take some time to admire its detailed facade and impressive interior. The Museo Diocesano San Giovanni is on the other side of the building.
Directions: Leave the square from the back of the cathedral and walk along the street to the next square.
9. Piazza Catena
Piazza Catena hosts a small farmers market every morning apart from Sundays. You can find local, seasonal food and it’s a great place to buy vegetables for dinner.
Directions: Continue onwards and you’ll reach the obvious tower.
10. Torre Troyana (Troyan Tower)
Key Information: Open Mon-Sun, 10am-7pm. Entry with the Asti Smarticket.
The Torre Troyana is a highlight of any walking tour of Asti. It’s an old tower dating back to the Middle Ages and you can climb the 199 steps to the top. From there, you’ll find panoramic views of Asti and it’s a great spot to take photos of the town and its surroundings.
Directions: Head right just after the tower to return to the main street. From here, wind your way back to the car park. If you have some more time, you can visit the nearby park and market (Wednesday and Sunday only).
11. Parco della Resistenza
The Parco della Resistenza is a small park on the other side of the car park. There are plenty of benches, cafes, a turtle pond and a children’s playground. It’s a good place to sit after grabbing something for lunch.
12. Piazza del Palio: Big Market
Piazza Campo del Palio is a car park five days a week, but on Wednesdays and Saturdays, it becomes a large market. Most of the stalls sell fairly cheap clothes and these are open all day, while some of the stalls sell food (mornings only).
Best Places to Stay in Asti
Self-Catering: La Fabbrica dell’Oro* is a well-run establishment with quirky rooms, some with a kitchen/kitchenette.
Hotel: Hotel Lis* is a popular, family-run hotel in the centre of Asti with modern rooms and a delicious breakfast.
FAQS: Asti Walking Tour
Asti is famous for Asti Spumante, a fizzy white wine, and its many museums and medieval towers.
Asti is one of the larger towns in the region, and it’s worth visiting either Asti or Alba, another local town. Asti has more museums, while Alba has a more lively, walkable centre.
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