Pareto is a small village of just over 500 inhabitants, located in the province of Alessandria but bordering Savona, with which it shares some dialect features and a long intertwined history.

The village lies about 30 km from the sea, and its position at the boundary between Ligurian, Piedmontese, and Po Valley lands gave it strategic importance during the medieval and later Renaissance periods. It is part of the Suol d’Aleremo municipal union.

The linguistic origin of the name remains uncertain, but it is commonly believed to derive from an Indo-European root meaning “village on a hill.”

Documented history begins in 991, and over the following centuries the village passed through the hands of the Aleramo marquises and a long succession of noble families.

Each lordship brought its own battles and intrigues, with Genoa frequently attempting to seize the village—a goal it eventually achieved. The castle of Pareto served as an almost impregnable defensive stronghold, famously resisting a two-month siege in 1394 by the Duke of Orléans against the Genoese, who considered it one of the sixteen most important fortresses of the Republic.

Centuries later, the castle shared the fate of other fortresses in Monferrato, ultimately being destroyed by the Spanish in 1638. The castle, which dominates the village and was probably originally built around the year 1000, has undergone many modifications and now resembles a grand noble residence. Today it is privately owned, surrounded by a large park, and includes additional properties within its grounds. The interior has 36 rooms, two kitchens, 12 bedrooms, five bathrooms, several lounges with fireplaces, large attics, and extensive vaulted stone cellars, all offering panoramic views.

Also perched above the medieval core is the parish church of San Pietro, dating from 1634, though its façade reflects a Baroque restoration carried out exactly 100 years later. The church is notably imposing, maintaining a commanding presence over the village.