The village of Bubbio, “bivium” on via Emilia, has Roman origins. When the Langa area was still an uninhabited forest, the Ligurian people came to these valleys, establishing small fortified settlements, which were then taken over and colonised by the Roman invaders. Bubbio probably dates back to that period, as a number of interesting finds unearthed near the San Luigi chapel would suggest. But the first certain historic records date back to 1142.

Bubbio conserves many of the original features of its layout, with the oldest houses along the fourteenth century street Via Maestra, which runs from the castle to the parish church, and a series of ‘contradas’, alleyways and stone steps which form picturesque little corners of history. This is a time-honoured wine-growing area, so much so that some believe its name may derive from the adjective “Bibilus”.

The heart, and symbol, of Bubbio is Via Maestra, which has been the backbone of the village since the fourteenth century. The village should be explored on foot, to discover some unexpected Renaissance loggias and what remains of popular Medieval architecture. The street runs from the castle to the Assunta parish church, which is one of the Baroque gems of the Langa area. In the square is the neo-Classical town hall.

EVENTS

Every year the Bottega del Vino della Langa Astigiana organises the event known as “Sui sentieri di Bacco” - literally “On the paths of Bacchus”, which is a ramble among the vineyards, with various stops to sample the finest offerings of the area. Then there is the ‘Polentone’ on the first Sunday after Easter, the main event in Bubbio. It is a spectacular historic procession which recalls the Marquis of Carretto who gave out food to save the local coppersmiths from famine.