Il Cantico Experience

The Cave of Bossea (20 minutes’ drive) was the first underground cave in Italy to open to the public, in the 1870s. The visitors’ route snakes past rock formations and subterranean lakes, while the Bear Hall houses the reconstructed skeleton of a bear who might have died while hibernating here 80,000 years ago. In the town of Vicoforte, the Sanctuary of the Nativity of Mary (25 minutes) is a monumental Baroque complex famed for its elliptical dome, said to be the largest in the world. Between April and October it’s possible to climb up to the dome to admire the delicate frescoes that decorate it. On the hill overlooking Mondovì (half an hour), the Museum of Ceramics displays locally produced items, illustrates decorating techniques and explains the history of this industry. Also on the hill are a museum dedicated to the printing press and the Torre del Belvedere, with far-reaching views of the Alps.