Province AL
Acqui Terme, AL
A spa town of the Alessandria province built on hot sulphurous springs that the Romans exploited as Aquae Statiellae. Water still surfaces in the centre at around 75 degrees, and the town sits in the Brachetto d'Acqui zone, so the thermal and winemaking sides run in parallel.
Sights
- La Bollente, the 1870 pavilion over the hot spring in the town centre
- The surviving arches of the Roman aqueduct near the Bormida
- Cattedrale di Acqui, a Romanesque cathedral consecrated in 1067, with a sculpted portal and a late 15th-century triptych by Bartolome Bermejo
- Castello dei Paleologi, rebuilt in the 15th century and now the archaeological museum
- The synagogue of 1881 and the Jewish cemetery
Things to do
- Drink and bathe, the thermal water is the point of the place and La Bollente is a public fixture rather than a spa-only experience
- Drink Brachetto d'Acqui, the sweet sparkling red made around the town
- Go to the antiques and bric-a-brac market on Corso Bagni, held the fourth Sunday of each month
Annual events
July
Acqui in Palcoscenico
International dance festival with open-air performances, running for four decades.
Autumn
Premio Acqui Storia
A long-running national history book prize with an award ceremony and associated talks.
When to visit
June to early July for the dance festival, September and October for the wine harvest and the history prize.
