Holiday apartment in Santhià: Pilgrimage routes, rice fields and culture
Accommodation in Santhià
Santhià between pilgrimage routes and rice fields
Santhià is the 44th stage of the route from Rome to Canterbury travelled by Bishop Sigeric in 990, which later became the main branch of the Via Francigena. This historic route connection gives the town a clear association with pilgrimage. For travellers wishing to combine a holiday apartment in Santhià with a themed stay, it provides a specific thematic point of reference.
Paths through a distinctive landscape
The section of the Via Francigena from Santhià to Vercelli runs mostly along white or unpaved roads. The rice fields begin about three kilometres from Santhià’s centre. The Cammino di Oropa leads from the agricultural plain near Santhià to the Biellese Alps. The route, conceived in 2012, is divided into four daily stages of 16 to 18 kilometres each, with increasing difficulty.
Festivals with history and a large communal meal
The historic Santhià Carnival has been documented since the first half of the 14th century and includes three large processions with allegorical floats, masked groups and marching bands. Around 150 large copper cauldrons are used for the Colossale Fagiuolata, with more than 20,000 portions distributed to the local population. The two festivals have different focuses: the Carnival centres on processions and costumes, while the Fagiuolata centres on an exceptionally large communal food distribution.
Buildings and collections in Santhià
The Church of SS.ma Trinità dates from the 15th century and is considered one of Santhià’s most distinctive and highly valued buildings. The “I fer ‘d na vira” Museum contains around 800 historic tools from numerous professions and has a functioning mechanical clock from the 18th century. The “Eugenio Sacchetti Senior” Museo Musicale Musicologico contains more than 1,300 catalogued objects, including musical instruments, books, CDs and LPs.
Vettignè and technical heritage
The castle and village complex of Vettignè lies in a landscape shaped by rice fields, with the Alps in the background. The oldest parts of the castle date from the 15th century. Casa Turrita is also known as the “Torre di Teodolinda”, is located in a private courtyard and was created by converting a watchtower dating from the Lombard period. However, the features of the present-day building indicate that it was constructed after the 15th century.
Getting there and holiday apartments in Santhià
The experimental hydrometric station in Santhià was built to measure the flow rates of various canals. For your journey, Santhià can be reached by train via the Turin–Milan railway line, by Flixbus, or by car. If you would like to combine pilgrimage routes, rice fields, festivals and culture, you can consider a holiday apartment in Santhià as an accommodation option when planning your trip.
For further regional orientation, you can find Vercelli, Motta Dè Conti, Desana, Riva Valdobbia, Bianzè, Cellio, Trino and San Genuario here.
To the higher-level travel overview: Vercelli.
