The village is perched on the ridge that separates the Uzzone and Bormida di Millesimo rivers. The strategic position and height offer marvellous views from the Ligurian Apennines to the Cottian Alps.
The view also stretches north towards the Langa and its myriad hills topped with houses, churches and castles, offering a sweeping vista of this splendid region and its seasonally changing colours.
The village has existed since at least the time of Roman rule, and its name seems to derive from the Latin name Prunetum, after the plum trees (prunus) that used to be commonly found growing wild in this part of the Upper Langa.
The healthy air, the excellent Langa cuisine and the hospitality of the locals make Prunetto a magical place where ancient traditions still live on. It seems to be the only village left where the quasi-ritual game of tella, of feudal origin, is still played.
The castle, in a raised position, dominates the whole village, and is developed around a trapezium-shaped floor plan.
Today the whole castle can be visited.
Owned by the Del Carretto marquesses in medieval times, the structure, built from local stone in the 13th century, has a rectangular shape, with quadrangular towers at the sides and a circular keep. Access is through two arched structures, one more narrow for pedestrians, and the other wider.
Some changes were made in the 15th century to adapt the castle into a civilian residence. The castle’s main room is a double-height hall in the west wing, with clear 19th-century modifications.
