The paths of the Alba network

From Alba, continue towards Treiso. At the level crossing, turn left. After the steps, turn left, passing behind the Reinè Agritourism farm until you reach Altavilla. Follow the road downhill and, entering the vineyards, descend to the intersection with the Barbaresco trail network. You can stop at the scenic area along the Tanaro River. Turn right and continue to Ressia, take the municipal road, and in Pertinace, go down the steps and continue along the stream until you reach the hamlet of San Rocco Seno d'Elvio.

From Alba, continue towards Treviso, Boffa, turn onto Salita Gino Rocca road until you reach the church of the Madonna degli Angeli. From here, continue towards the Argentino village and then descend into the valley to S. Rocco Seno d'Elvio, passing through Avolieri.

From Alba, continue towards Madonna di Como. 50m from the intersection, turn left and go up the Bricco Capre hill until you reach the asphalt road. Continue along the scenic hillside, then descend to the left through vineyards and hazelnut groves, passing the Portinale farmhouse, until you reach S. Rocco d'Elvio.

The trail takes its name from the nearby Cascina del Comandante (Commander's Farmhouse) in Santa Rosalia and partially overlaps with the Fenogliano Trail in San Cassiano. The Fenogliano Trails are literary itineraries dedicated to Beppe Fenoglio and offer a way to explore and relive the places and atmospheres described by the writer in his works. The easy-to-follow trail features a flat section near San Cassiano and Strada Cauda, ​​and a hilly section that, immersed in a natural setting of hazelnut groves and vineyards, skirts the Cascina del Comandante (Commander's Farmhouse) and reaches the hamlet of Santa Rosalia. You can also descend to the village of San Cassiano in Ballerini, or continue up the Bernardina Hill, through vineyards and groves—famous for hunting the prized Alba white truffle—and return to the starting point at Cantina di Roddi. The hilly stretch offers suggestive views of the city of Alba and the Langhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Alpine chain stretching from Monviso to Monte Rosa as a backdrop.

The trail takes its name from the hilltop hamlet of Santa Rosalia or Rosaria (a name derived from the Holy Rosary). This locality refers to the fiefdom associated with the Santa Rosalia farmhouse, ceded to the city of Alba by Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy on June 28, 1742. With this fiefdom, Alba was able to boast the title of "Countess of Santa Rosalia," adding the county crown to its coat of arms. The trail, easy to navigate, initially flattens between the areas of San Cassiano, Strada Cauda, ​​Corso Enotria, and Rivoli, and then climbs up a hilly section that, immersed in nature among numerous vineyards, reaches the hamlet of Santa Rosalia. The route continues towards Alba on the Baresane municipal road or, via an alternative route immersed in nature, descends from Santa Rosalia to the hamlet of Rabagli. At the bottom of the hill, the trail joins the network of paths leading to Grinzane Cavour Castle on the left, while to the right it climbs toward Bernardina Hill, a site of historical and architectural interest, characterized today by contrasts between traditional architecture, represented by the manor house, and modern buildings such as the "Acino di vetro" (Glass Grape). The hiking itinerary concludes by returning from the Roddi winery toward the village of San Cassiano. The hilly section offers striking panoramic views of the city of Alba and the surrounding hilly landscapes, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dotted with the numerous castles that have dominated the Langhe and Roero hills for centuries. In the background, on clear days, the majestic Alpine chain is visible, stretching from Monviso to Monte Rosa.

The trail branches off into numerous branches, creating a network of easily accessible paths between the Corso Europa area and the Tanaro River Park. The route follows the Tanaro riverbank, starting from the border with the town of Roddi and joining the network of trails leading to Pollenzo, the ancient Roman city of Pollentia, founded in the 1st century BC, and continuing to Vivaro, home to the Ferrero confectionery industry. The path continues toward the river, through hazelnut and poplar groves, before reaching the riverbank, where alternating wooded areas and open spaces offer picturesque views of the river and the surrounding countryside, making it easy to spot local wildlife and enjoy birdwatching. There is a spacious rest area where you can rest and refresh yourself. Also note that the dense network of agricultural roads allows for several internal connections, allowing you to customize the duration of your walk.

For Fenoglio, Alba was not only a privileged observatory on the world and the environment in which he developed as a man and a writer, but also the protagonist of many of his works and a point of reference from his beloved Langhe. Along the streets of the historic center, we find sixteen stops at as many literary locations, where we can relive, step by step, the writer's works, experiences, and moods, through quotations that reveal his unique perspective on the city.

In the fields surrounding the hamlet of San Cassiano, just outside the city, the battle against the forces sent by Mussolini to reconquer the city, which had proclaimed itself a Free Partisan Republic, took place on November 2, 1944. Beppe Fenoglio, who fought there firsthand, recounts his testimony of those dramatic moments in his debut short story "The Twenty-Three Days of the City of Alba" and his novel "The Partisan Johnny." The memory of this important historical episode is commemorated on a trail within the San Cassiano Green Area, near the imposing San Cassiano Farm, which was the operational center of the partisan defense system.

On the first hills between Alba and the hamlet of San Rocco Seno d'Elvio, stories of love, war, and death intertwine, centered around the partisan Milton's passion for Fulvia, the protagonists of the novel "A Private Matter." Twelve stages along the circular route, which uses paths and country roads through vineyards and farmhouses, relive the author's romantic experiences, the echoes of his musical passions, the marches and partisan ambushes on the last hilltop bastions, and the novel's dramatic final escape, reconstructed in a crescendo of tension.

Fenoglio's work reveals a strong personal connection with the river that runs through his hometown, the Tanaro, a refuge from the world's adversities, whose encounters always enchant the writer. The opening of the path connecting the city to the riverbanks beneath the sheer cliffs of the spectacular Rocche di Barbaresco allows us to discover, through these inspired pages, a fascinating natural world and learn about the traditions and humanity that once lay along its banks. The ten stops along the route that reaches the town of Barbaresco are connected to two reflections on the relationship between city and river in the urban park overlooking the Tanaro.