In the valley of the Belbo stream, a tributary of the Tanaro, at an altitude of 160 meters amid hills draped in vineyards, lies the small village of Carentino, home to just 330 inhabitants. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the entire Monferrato region.
During the construction of the Alessandria–Acqui railway, stone artifacts dating back to the Neolithic period—between 5,000 and 3,500 years ago—were discovered.

The first written records mentioning the village date to around 1150, followed by a series of documents that trace its long and eventful history.

The historical records do not only recount political events but also bear witness to two tragic episodes that struck the village, particularly the plague, which devastated the area in the late 14th century and again in the 16th century. Throughout the 17th century, the fiefdom passed through numerous hands, often governed by particularly harsh rulers. From the 1700s onward, Carentino followed the broader fortunes of Monferrato, Piedmont, and eventually the Kingdom of Italy.

In this tiny village, the main landmark is the yellow Church of the Beata Vergine Assunta. Originally built between the 12th and 13th centuries, it gradually fell into disuse and was in very poor condition by the mid-1500s. The present church was constructed in 1774 and inaugurated in 1780. Its façade is simple, adorned with four pilasters—semi-columns leaning against the wall for decorative effect. The entrance is topped by an undecorated rose window, and the interior, with a single nave, is modestly decorated with a few frescoes.