Savigliano: Culture, Historic Old Town and the Sentiero sul Maira

Savigliano combines a historic old town with unusual museums, prestigious palazzi, Piedmontese traditions and nature experiences along the Maira. If you are planning a holiday apartment in Savigliano, you can organise your days according to your interests, balancing culture, walks, cycling routes, festivals and regional specialities.

Technosensory Experiences and Special Museums

MÚSES – Accademia Europea delle Essenze is a technosensory museum. Starting with the rediscovery of Piedmont’s aromatic herbs, it explores the knowledge of the art of perfumery as well as the aromas and essences of various areas. MÚSES includes site-specific works by contemporary international artists, multisensory installations and multifunctional scientific laboratories. The visitor programme includes experience-oriented guided tours from Thursday to Saturday at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m., as well as on Sundays at 11:30 a.m., 2:00, 3:30 and 5:00 p.m. The Atelier del Profumiere takes place from Thursday to Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

The Museo Civico di Savigliano bears the name Antonino Olmo and has been housed since 1970 in the complex comprising the monastery and the church of San Francesco. It was built from 1661 onwards by the Friars Minor of the Observance according to the Rule of Saint Francis. The former church of San Francesco is also home to the nationally significant Gipsoteca Davide Calandra. It comprises more than one hundred works by the Turin sculptor Davide Calandra (1856–1915), including casts, sketches and models made of plaster, clay and terracotta. The church of San Pietro is part of a significant Benedictine monastery complex of very ancient origin, built on a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Diana.

Historic Old Town, Squares and Palazzi

Piazza Vecchia is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Piedmont. Its origins date back to the beginning of the 13th century, when Savigliano became a free commune and noble families living there built fortified houses with a frontage facing the piazza. Palazzo Taffini d’Acceglio has two interior façades facing the courtyard, with an arcade and two open galleries. They are supported by paired Doric columns made of golden sandstone. The palazzo is considered to have been built around 1620 on land acquired by the Taffini family from 1603 onwards; following the death of Colonel Camillo Taffini in 1629, it passed to his firstborn son, Giusto Aurelio.

Palazzo Muratori Cravetta likewise showcases Savigliano’s historic character with a courtyard of honour, a façade decorated with frescoes and stucco from the early 17th century, an Italian-style garden and a monumental hall inside. From 4 April onwards, the palazzo can be visited on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., as well as on the corresponding public holidays; reservations are required.

Traditions Surrounding the Sanctuary and Festival Calendar

The Santuario della Madonna della Sanità houses a museum of votive offerings with several hundred objects, including painted panels and votive offerings on fabric. The Museo degli Ex Voto was established in 2001 by restoring several rooms in the 18th-century wing of the sanctuary complex. Admission to the Museo degli Ex Voto is free. During the patronal celebrations in August, the museum can be visited; at other times, visits are available by prior arrangement. The Festa della Madonna della Sanità always takes place on the first Sunday after the Feast of the Assumption; the following Tuesday, the patronal festival of Savigliano’s residents is celebrated.

On Foot, by Bicycle and along the Maira

The Sentiero sul Maira in the section near Savigliano can be explored on foot, on horseback and by mountain bike, and is equipped with information about the route and the natural surroundings it crosses. The full trail runs from Racconigi to Villar San Costanzo and passes, among other places, through Cavallerleone, Cavallermaggiore, Savigliano, Vottignasco, Villafalletto and Busca. The section near Savigliano includes linear riparian woodlands dominated by white willows, as well as white poplars, black poplars and black locusts. The natural vegetation also includes bramble thickets, elderberry, red dogwood, hawthorn and hazel, as well as isolated high-stem stands of pedunculate oak and ash.

The recommended routes through Savigliano can be explored on foot or by bicycle. They run through a limited area of the historic old town that is largely pedestrianised or sees little car traffic. Savigliano railway station is served by the Turin–Savona and Turin–Cuneo railway lines; trains run there every half hour. These different daily itineraries can provide helpful guidance when choosing accommodation: culture, walks through the old town, nature and regional events can be combined according to your personal interests.

Paulin and the Festa del Pane

Paulin is the traditional aperitif of Savigliano’s residents; the historic Pasticceria Scaraffia preserves a secret recipe for it. The Festa del Pane in Savigliano celebrates this tradition and takes place every two years on the last weekend of September. Alongside museums and trails, local flavours and recurring festivals are therefore also part of the town’s character.

For more travel ideas, you can also explore Peveragno, Roburent, Bagnolo Piemonte, Camerana, Govone, Garbelletto, Monteu Roero and Ceva.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cuneo.