The Communes involved in this route include Agliano Terme, Castelnuovo Calcea, Incisa Scapaccino, Nizza Monferrato, Vaglio Serra and Vinchio.
The main access points to the itinerary are from the east, from Alessandria to Bazzana di Mombaruzzo travelling towards Nizza Monferrato; from the north in Valtiglione from Montegrosso d'Asti and from Mombercelli; from the south arriving from Canelli and travelling towards Agliano Terme and Castelnuovo Calcea; to the west from Costigliole d'Asti travelling towards the outlying wards of Agliano Terme.
The name Nizza refers to a sub-denomination of the Barbera d'Asti DOC wine which is produced in this area.
All of these Communes taken together represent a certain synthesis of style of the many Barbera d'Asti crus. Between Nizza and Incisa cultivation of the 'cardo gobbo' (hunchback thistle) is particularly significant with "saracen" asparagus cultivated in Vinchio. The territory abounds in white truffles.
There is just one public vintage wines cellar, specialising of course in Barbera d'Asti, the "Lady in Red" (Signora in rosso) of Nizza Monferrato. The area has numerous top quality restaurants. Agliano is an important spa centre and also the home of a hotel and catering school. Local culture is very much on display in the large Bersano peasant culture museum in Nizza Monferrato and in a number of smaller museums. One of the latter is dedicated to the writer Davide Lajolo in Vinchio, the village that is now also opening a museum dedicated to the Val Sarmassa nature reserve and its treasures (which include truffles). Agliano Terme has two museums, one dedicated to Barbera wine and the other to traditional gastronomy. In Castelnuovo Calcea near La Court farm preparations are underway for a wine-growing park with sculptures.
Some annual events are particularly worth a visit: the barrels race in Nizza Monferrato (third Sunday in May), or the Barbera d'Asti festivities at the end of April in Agliano Terme.