From vineyards to historic villages, from white truffles to wineries, the Monferrato region is increasingly attracting both Italian and foreign visitors. The Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Alessandria, led by Paolo Arrobbio, is working on enhancing local excellence.

Paolo Arrobbio, an Italian executive and institutional leader based in Piedmont

Monferrato, in Piedmont, Italy, is becoming more popular among international travelers. With its hills shaped by vineyards, historic villages, castles overlooking beautiful landscapes, and a gastronomic tradition of absolute excellence, this corner of Piedmont is consolidating its tourist vocation. 

This growth is part of the broader success of Piedmontese destinations and opens important prospects for the local economy, employment, and the enhancement of the territory. 

The numbers reflect a significant trend. 

In 2025, the tourist area of Langhe, Monferrato, and Roero, home to landscape that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014, recorded over 761,000 arrivals, an increase of 9.6 percent compared to the previous year, and more than 1.7 million overnight stays, up 11.9 percent. 

This trend demonstrates the growing attractiveness of these lands, even in international markets. In Piedmont, foreign tourists now account for 53 percent of total presences.

European visitors can be offered a destination that is easily accessible and ideal for short stays or gastronomic itineraries. For travelers from more distant markets, such as the US or the Far East, Monferrato can provide an authentic Italian experience, away from the more crowded circuits and based on direct interaction with the territory. 

The added value lies in the ability to transform a tasting or a visit to a winery into a broader narrative, capable of leaving a lasting memory and generating the desire to return.

What makes the difference is the authenticity of the experience. Monferrato offers not just places to visit, but a landscape to experience, a culture to know, and flavors that tell centuries of traditions. 

Here, tourism follows the rhythm of the seasons, the grape harvests, walks among the vines, and stops at small wineries, where the direct relationship with producers becomes an integral part of the journey.

The vineyards of Alice Bel Colle Photos: Courtesy of MF/Milano Finanza

Wine is naturally one of the main protagonists. 

Barbera, a generous and identity-rich expression of these hills, is accompanied by Grignolino, a refined interpreter of Monferrato tradition, while Dolcetto and Freisa complete a wine heritage capable of attracting enthusiasts and connoisseurs. 

Alongside the great reds, another star of the local gastronomy is the prized white truffle, a precious fruit of a natural environment that maintains a delicate balance and extraordinary biodiversity. However, the offering goes well beyond wine and truffles. 

The specialties of Piedmontese cuisine, products from local farms, family recipes, and the hospitality of restaurateurs contribute to creating an experience that can captivate even the most discerning traveler.

Equally decisive is the charm of the landscape. The vine-covered hills, partly included in the UNESCO heritage of Piedmontese wine landscapes, alternate with woods, cultivated fields, ancient farmhouses, and small historic centers. 

It is an ideal setting for slow tourism, hiking, and cycling, as well as stays in country relais and agriturismos, increasingly appreciated by those seeking tranquility. In this context, the commitment of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Alessandria, chaired by Paolo Arrobbio, is particularly significant, as it considers territorial promotion a strategic lever for the economic and social development of the province.

"Our territory possesses an extraordinary heritage that deserves to be known and recognized well beyond national borders," Arrobbio said. "Red wine and prized white truffle are two privileged ambassadors of Monferrato because they embody values that the international public increasingly seeks today: authenticity, quality, tradition, sustainability, and a direct relationship with the places of production."

The Foundation is focusing on a territorial marketing project capable of connecting tourism, culture, landscape, businesses, and local communities, strengthening the recognition of Monferrato and other provincial excellences. "We do not simply want to promote products, but to tell the story of a territory in its entirety, enhancing the people, skills, and stories that make it unique," observes the president.

This strategy pays close attention to European markets, from Switzerland to Germany, from France to the Benelux countries, without neglecting opportunities offered by the US, the UK, and Scandinavian countries. 

For the Foundation, investing in tourism attractiveness also means supporting small businesses, fostering new employment, and offering young people opportunities to build their future in the territory. 

Montebore, a rare, ancient artisanal cheese from the Val Curone in the province of Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy, from Ca Bella Estate, an organic farm stay, dairy, and country retreat located in the Piedmont region

This perspective involves Monferrato, the lands of Gavi, Tortonese, and other realities in the province of Alessandria. "Our ambition is to transform productive excellence into territorial attractiveness, creating development opportunities for businesses, producers, hospitality structures, and new generations," highlights Arrobbio. 

"The territory will no longer be just the recipient of interventions, but the place where institutions, businesses, universities, schools, and third-sector entities collaborate to build shared projects. The goal is to improve the quality of life: to offer young people reasons to stay, support families, strengthen health and educational services, reduce inequalities, and make cities and towns more livable, inclusive, and connected."

The challenge in the coming years will be to transform the growth of tourist flows into widespread well-being while preserving the identity of places and the quality of hospitality. Because the true strength of Monferrato is that it offers visitors something that goes beyond a vacation. 

This is an encounter with a territory where the landscape, good wine, cuisine, and human relationships restore the pleasure of slowing down. 

As President Arrobbio summarizes, "The true luxury today is being able to experience a territory in its authenticity, meeting its people, discovering its flavors, and finding a different rhythm."