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It doesn’t matter if you prefer to go by mountain bike or by city bike. The surroundings of Ovada offer many fascinating bike tours regarding history as well as nature. A few examples:

Castles and pedals

A 28 km long discovery of medieval towns and the most beautiful castles of this area

Difficulty level: medium
Type of road: asphalt

Let’s leave the central square Piazza Castello of Ovada and begin our journey in direction Acqui Terme.

The first 6 km are on a normal street in a living area. Follow this road until your arrival at Molare. Hereafter begins a steep climb with wide hairpin bends. After 5 km you will arrive at Cremolino here you can enjoy a fantastic view of the Apennine Mountains of Piemonte and Liguria, of the little town of Ovada and of the many villages and castles of the hills of the Alto Monferrato.

Follow the road for 3.4 km, where there’s very few traffic, along the wall in direction of Trisobbio to the top of the hill. The landscape here is very typical of Monferrato: little towns, vineyards and fruit trees. After 2.1 km the castle of Trisobbio will appear at the top of the town. Before reaching Trisobbio, turn right in direction of Montaldo Bormida.

After 1 km on a very calm road, turn right to Carpeneto where a steep climb of 5.2km will await you. You will arrive in a town dominated by the castle and there you take the fork road to Rocca Grimalda. Up until this point of the journey the roads are very calm, pass through vineyards and they offer many panoramic views.

At Rocca Grimalda you will see the Castle with the round tower (with a height of 22m) of the fourteenth century. You will also see the church of Santa Limbania, which dates from the 15th century and the museum of the Mask.

Once out of the village, the road goes downhill for 1.1km and will take you to the deep valley of San Carlo. There, the road will turn right to Ovada, where you will arrive after 3.8km.

The Ring

30 kilometres looking into the little villages
Level: difficult
Type of road: asphalt

Let’s start our trip in direction Novi Ligure, biking for 5, 2 km, on a flat road with traffic up to Silvano d'Orba, village well known for its Grappa, locally produced with a traditional system. We cross the centre, and then we go on in direction Castelletto d'Orba. Let’s stop to restore at one of the several water springs of the town and restart in direction Montaldeo for km. 3,6, on a climbing road; at the fork to San Cristoforo a deviation of mt 100 brings you to Pieve di Sant'Innocenzo; the road is now flat and with no traffic. Another climb is starting to then alternate with flat stretches to offer you a charming panorama on villages with their castles, vineyards and the Mount Tobbio that will dominate the whole bike trip.

In the centre of Montaldeo you’ll find the Castle Trotti.

We’ll go on direction Mornese riding for per km.3, 8 delighted by the magnificent landscape and the relaxing atmosphere of the hills.

In Mornese will turn to the right in direction Casaleggio Boiro for 2,2 kms, and then we ride to Lerma for other 2,2 kms. In Lerma it will be nice  a stop into the Spinola Castle court and to have a short walk in the medieval hamlet.

A descent with bends will lead to Piota torrent where it’s possible to swim. We’ll proceed for km. 5,8 in direction Tagliolo Monferrato: on a  climbing road in between vineyards  we arrive in the town centre where the Castle Pinelli Gentile await us for a visit at the ancient cellars and in the medieval suburb with the old houses and the old Court building.

There it starts a descent through Belforte to reach then Pizzo di Gallo  after km. 2,5.

Ask us for more details on these or other trips or visit the website  www.piemonteciclabile.it

Cycling in the surroundings of Ovada..