Few people know that Monferrato was one of the oldest states in northern Italy. Knowing the history of a place is the first step to respecting it and helping others love it.
I have always believed in the beauty of Monferrato. Since 2015, when this adventure began, I have worked to help people discover an authentic land, rich in history, culture and extraordinary landscapes.
Today, seeing that the Langhe Monferrato Roero area has grown from 1.37 to more than 1.54 million overnight stays in just two years, and that the Alessandria side of Monferrato keeps growing significantly, is wonderful.
When I talk with my guests, I try to convey what makes Monferrato special: a quiet beauty still waiting to be discovered, different from the Langhe, made of authenticity, slow rhythms and stories rooted in centuries past.
A state before Italy
Few people know that Monferrato was one of the oldest states in northern Italy, with its own political identity and a history that, for more than seven centuries, left traces still visible in its castles, its villages and its landscape.
Seven centuries! Can you imagine?!
Between the 12th and 16th centuries Monferrato was one of the leading powers of north-western Italy. Its position was so important that Europe's great dynasties fought over it. After the Aleramici, the marquisate passed to the Palaiologos family, descendants of the emperors of Byzantium.
In 1574 the territory was raised to the Duchy of Monferrato, further increasing its political prestige.
Its capital was Casale Monferrato, a city considered one of the most important fortresses in Europe in the 16th century, which still preserves traces of that past.
What makes Monferrato special is that, long before the unification of Italy in 1861, it already had many of the features of a state: a government, a ruling dynasty, an army, diplomacy and a clearly defined territory. This is why some historians and writers call it one of the first "Italian states" of northern Italy.
Knowing the history of a place is the first step to respecting it and helping others love it.
