Canelli stands where the Belbo valley opens out, in southern Asti province: more than two thirds is hill country, gentle northwards and steep to the south. It appears as a civitas as early as 961; in 1235 the consortium lords submitted to the Republic of Asti, and the town then followed the fortunes of the Astesana, a fief of the Asinari and later the Scarampi.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was an outpost against Montferrat, and the episode remembered is the siege of 1613. Real prosperity came at the end of the eighteenth century, with Moscato d'Asti and Asti Spumante. On 22 June 2014 Canelli and Asti Spumante entered the UNESCO world heritage, within the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato.
chiesa di San Leonardo · chiesa di San Tommaso · chiesa del Sacro Cuore and 2 more
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Next up: Saint Thomas the Apostle, patron of the town with the «underground cathedrals» of sparkling wine, Monday 21 December
Nearest airport: Genova, 56 km away
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📅 Every year, on 21 December
Canelli celebrates Saint Thomas the Apostle on 21 December; the town, known for the «underground cathedrals» where sparkling wine ages, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, together with Asti Spumante and the Piedmont vineyard landscape.
chiesa di San Leonardo Piedmontese baroque on the hill of Villanuova, with a wooden choir of 1656. 
chiesa di San Tommaso Canelli's civic church, the Dog on its bell tower and the 1785 Assumption altarpiece. 
chiesa del Sacro Cuore The Josephites' church, consecrated in 1935 and known in town as Santa Chiara. 
Museo della "Distilleria Bocchino" Canelli's historic distillery: two hours among the barrels, by reservation only. Museo Gancia The underground cathedrals of Casa Gancia: kilometres of galleries cut into tufa. Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Canelli, but an easy day trip away.
