TOWN OF NIEVE IN THE CUNEO PROVINCE

Neive is a splendid medieval village located in the Western Langhe between Barbaresco and Castiglione delle Lanze. Neive is divided in two parts: the ancient one, rich of artistic monuments, and the most recent one, where the commercial activities are gathered. Neive produces some of the best wines in the Langhe.

Neive is called the land of four wines: Barbaresco (made with the Nebbiolo grapes), Barbera (with the Barbera grapes), then Dolcetto d’Alba (with the Dolcetto grapes) and finally sweet dessert white wine Moscato d’Asti (with the Muscat variety).

The history of this small town dates back to Roman times, where there was a significant settlement on traffic route between Alba Pompeia (Alba) and Aquae Statiellae (Acqui Terme). At that time (about 1000 b.c) it was owned by the rich aristocratic family Gens Naevia and apparently the town name derives from their name. The most ancient monuments remained on the top of the borgo, called Pian Castello.

Unfortunately the castle (castello) has shared the same fate of many spectacular buildings in this part of Piedmont and it was destroyed (in 1276) during the battles between the towns of Asti and Alba. But we can still exploire the old borgo city plan, characteristic for Northern Italy, called ricetto (buildings were situated pentagonal on the top of the hill, fenced with a towered wall, sometimes with a fosse. Such constructed villages was supposed to defend goods (rural tools, harvest, cattle) from the enemy attacks).

• Chiesa Di San Pietro is one of the most important churches in Neive. The church is dedicated to Saint Peter and has a beautiful architecture. The church was built in the Baroque style of architecture and the interior of the church is equally beautiful too. Inside the church are several beautiful art works that were done over the centuries by artists of the region and other ornamental decorations.

• Chiesa Della Confraternita di San Michele is another interesting church in Neive. The church is built in the baroque style of architecture like Chiesa Di San Pietro but is quite different than the other church. Although it isn’t very large, the church has been beautifully preserved and the interior is quite well decorated too with paintings, art works and frescoes that were done by the local artists of the area.

• La Torre Comunale has been an important landmark in Neive. The large tower dominated the skyline of the small town and stands taller than the buildings in the area. The tower has been renovated and restored a few times in the last few centuries but much of the façade of the tower that visitors would see today is still original. The tower is one of the oldest existing monuments in Neive. 

• Palazzo Cocite is a large palace in Neive and the architecture and design of the palace are quite beautiful. Built for residential purpose by a native family of Neive, the palace has beautiful arches, carvings and careful attention to detail.

• Piazza Italia is the main piazza in Neive. The charming piazza is the center point of the town and is surrounded by several important buildings and monuments. The piazza is a favorite meeting place for the locals and people can be seen strolling around the piazza at all times of the day, locals as well as tourist.

Neive is a small town and it does not attract many tourists except for those who are interested in wine. For this reason, there are only a few accommodation options in the town. Most visitors visit Neive as a day excursion and stay in the neighboring cities like Turin or Cuneo since there are several accommodation options available in those cities. There are a few small hotels and bed & breakfasts in town where visitors can get comfortable rooms at low prices. Some of the best hotels in Neive are Hotel Villa Lauri, Langhe Country House, Borgo Vecchio, Agriturismo Cascina Longoria, Al Palazzo Rosso, Castello di Coazzolo.

Neive has a handful of good restaurants where visitors can eat. Most of the restaurants in town are small and casuals and visitors would mostly see the locals hanging out at these places. The food served in most places is simple Italian dishes and made with fresh ingredients and local cheese. Some of the best restaurants in Neive are Ristorante La Conea Di Neive, ristorante la Luna Del Pozzo, Cantina Del Rondo, pizzeria Del Borgo and pizzeria di Torasco Giovanna. There are also a few good bars and cafes located in Neive.

BY CAR

From Alba: Take the SP 3 for Asti towards Pertinace / Tre Stelle / Barbaresco / Mango and then reach your destination.

From Cuneo: State Road 231, towards Asti until the Castagnito crossroads, then continue on Provincial Road 3 until you reach your destination.

ON THE TRAIN

Neive railway station

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