The Erbaluce di Caluso Grape Festival is an event that combines the fun-loving spirit of the town's districts and hamlets with the excellence of the local wine production, with the aim of promoting direct contact with the Canavese winemakers.
The Grape Festival was established in 1933 to promote Erbaluce wine with music and entertainment: the ‘queen’ is Ninfa Albaluce, while the five districts and four hamlets compete for the Palio. It is one of the most beautiful and valuable traditions in Caluso, attracting thousands of visitors every year in search of good wine and entertainment.
The tourist route that can be visited during the festival starts from the Chiostro dei Frati Francescani Minori, an ancient religious and agricultural centre dating back to the 17th century, now a cultural centre with historical frescoes and a charming internal garden.
From here, you climb up Via Bettoja, a historic shopping street, to Piazza Ubertini, the beating heart of the town. Here you will find the former Town Hall, dating back to 1751 and now home to the Historical Archives, and a mural dedicated to the town. A few steps lead to the historic wash house fed by the Caluso Canal, an ingenious 16th-century hydraulic work.
Crossing the square again, the itinerary continues towards Parco Spurgazzi, an English garden with monumental trees, fountains and the remains of medieval walls. Inside stands Palazzo Valperga di Masino, formerly a noble residence and now home to the Town Hall and the Regional Wine Cellar.
Leaving the park, the route continues towards the charming Porta Crealis, the only surviving gate of the ancient entrance to the village, and then climbs back up to Piazza Valperga, overlooked by the Parish Church of Madonna delle Grazie.
The last stop leads to the ruins of Castellazzo, an ancient medieval fortress now transformed into a panoramic viewpoint. From here, next to the remains of the Church of San Calocero, the view opens up over the Turin plain, the Morainic Amphitheatre of Ivrea and the Erbaluce vineyards, the symbol of Caluso's identity.