Holiday Apartment in Refrancore – Ricetto, Churches and Finocchini

Refrancore combines fortification history, churches, regional baking traditions, and walking and cycling trails. The Ricetto complex, historic religious buildings, the distinctive Finocchini, and Percorso n. 3 give Refrancore a diverse profile with clearly defined themes of its own. Medieval architectural evidence, regional cuisine, and an additional trail stand side by side.

Refrancore between Fortifications and Church History

The fortified Ricetto complex dates from the early 15th century. Its structures, which are still largely visible, form a fortified site measuring approximately 65 × 40 metres. The dimensions should be understood as an approximate indication. The size and state of preservation make the site a tangible place of local history and give a stay in Refrancore a clear historical focus.

The churches, too, span several centuries. The Church of Santa Maria Maddalena was restored in 2000, allowing the fine lines of its apse to be fully admired. The parish church of San Martino visible today dates from 1660 and was built over an earlier church from the 16th century. The free-standing San Sebastiano bell tower is an 18th-century structure, the only surviving remnant of the demolished rural Church of San Sebastiano, and rises more than 20 metres high. The churches thus represent, respectively, restoration of an apse, an earlier building beneath San Martino, and the surviving structure at San Sebastiano. The architectural history of these churches extends from the 16th to the 18th century.

The historical horizon reaches even further back: the first reliably documented mention of the fortified settlement of Rivo franchoris in Refrancore dates from December 1197. An illustration in the Codex Astensis depicts the medieval castle of Refrancore as a small quadrangular fortification with high battlemented walls and two towers. Together, these buildings and records create a rich picture of the development of the town.

Finocchini and Regional Festival Culture

The Finocchini are part of the local identity: rectangular biscuits flavoured with fennel seeds and made throughout the year. Their production area includes the Astigiano and the Turin area; the most famous examples come from Refrancore in the Province of Asti. Year-round production makes them a speciality without a single seasonal association. In addition, the Sagra del Faseu Bon del Francù di Refrancore was awarded the UNPLI quality seal Sagra di Qualità. Refrancore is explicitly included in the name of the festival.

Walking and Cycling Trails with Their Own Character

Percorso n. 3 is named “Il giro delle creste delle colline” and is one of the walking and cycling trails mapped in Refrancore. The Italian title already refers to the hill ridges in the name of Percorso n. 3. GPS files are available as attachments for each of these trails. Together with the historic buildings and the Finocchini, the trail forms another thematic element for travel planning and broadens the view of Refrancore beyond local history.

Passerano, Viarigi, Belveglio, Vaglio Serra, Cornalea, Cossombrato, Cortazzone and Scurzolengo.

For the overall travel overview: Asti.