Asti, Italy Hotels, Vacations, Tourism

The wine connection continues in Asti , 30km north of Alba, and the capital of Italy's sparkling wine industry, being the most famous producer of spumante . For most of the year Asti itself is fairly sedate, a small town, not unattractive, but it becomes the focus of attention in September every year, as it gears up for its Palio. Though it's taken nothing like as seriously as Siena's more famous event, and has to some extent been revived for tourists, you'd be mad to miss it if you're near here at the right time. The surrounding area hides a fine Romanesque abbey near Albugnano , the more profane … more »