Dronero, a village originating in the Middle Ages, still preserves an extraordinary architectural heritage rich in monuments, churches and noble houses. Its origins, as well as the etymology of its name, date back to around the 12th century, according to the documents of a fortified settlement called Dragonerium. Most of the ancient walls were demolished around the second half of the 18th century, but some traces of its medieval existence have survived, including Gothic capitals, battlements and the arcades of the main street. The most extraordinary testimony of the time is certainly provided by the old embattled bridge of Dronero, composed of three unequal arches. Built in 1428 over the Maira River, it was, and still is, commonly known as “il ponte del diavolo”, or the Devil's Bridge and has been the subject of many curious legends.

Dronero hosts the headquarters of the Espaci Occitan cultural association. For those who want to know more about the countries of Occitania, a territory that can only be identified using socio-linguistic and cultural criteria, a visit to the Museo Sòn de Lenga is a must. The Museo Civico Luigi Mallé, in the centre of town, is also worth a visit. It houses interesting Flemish paintings, eighteenth-century pastels, ceramics, vases and period photographs.

In June, Dronero stages the unusual Fiera degli Acciugai or Anchovy Sellers’ Fair, which evokes memories of an ancient craft popular in the valley. In the past, in fact, the people of Val Maira emigrated during the winter, heading to the plain to sell preserved anchovies and fish they had purchased previously in Liguria. Precisely when this phenomenon originated is uncertain, but it is assumed that anchovies were initially used to hide smuggled salt, and it was only later that they became the real object of a less risky trade. The fair takes visitors on a walk down memory lane and offers appetising gastronomic itineraries for rediscovering the traditions related to the consumption of anchovies.

For outdoor lovers, a variety of itineraries depart from Dronero, following tracks beaten in the olden days by travellers, merchants, pilgrims and partisans, and today tackled in every season of the year, by bicycle or on foot. Those with a sweet tooth can head off in search of the renowned pane dei Tetti, a type of bread always cooked in a wood oven, Droneresi a local speciality in the form of chocolate pralines filled with cream and rum liqueur, or the flours still ground with natural stone at the Mulino della Riviera.