Santhià: Via Francigena, Culture and Trails

Santhià brings together historic route connections, local culture and a landscape shaped by rice fields. The Via Francigena points to the history of the pilgrimage route and the section towards Vercelli; the Cammino di Oropa stretches from the agricultural plain to the Biellese Alps. Museums, churches and historic buildings complement these different themes.

Historic Routes and Landscape

Santhià is the 44th stage of the route from Rome to Canterbury, travelled by Bishop Sigeric in 990 and later made the main branch of the Via Francigena. This historic connection is as important to understanding the town as the route through the surrounding area. The Via Francigena section from Santhià to Vercelli runs mostly along white or unpaved roads. The rice fields begin about three kilometres from the centre of Santhià.

The Cammino di Oropa offers a different timeframe and landscape. Conceived in 2012, the route leads from the agricultural plain near Santhià to the Biellese Alps. It is divided into four daily stages of 16 to 18 kilometres each, with increasing levels of difficulty. When comparing the two routes, the Via Francigena foregrounds the historic connection, while the Cammino di Oropa is defined by its multi-day stage structure.

Santhià can be reached by train on the Turin–Milan line, by FlixBus, or by car. Check connections before setting out. This keeps travel planning focused on the town without conflating the listed modes of transport with the course of either route.

Carnival and Community Tradition

Santhià’s historic Carnival has been documented since the first half of the 14th century. It includes three large parades featuring allegorical floats, masked groups and marching bands. The combination of floats, masks and music shapes the parades and gives the tradition its own cultural dimension.

The Colossale Fagiuolata uses about 150 large copper cauldrons, and more than 20,000 portions are distributed to the local population. Its scale makes the event noteworthy as a local tradition in its own right, separate from the parades: what matters here are the cauldrons and the communal sharing of food.

Museums, Churches and Architectural History

The “I fer ‘d na vira” Museum houses around 800 historic work tools from numerous professions. The collection showcases a wide variety of tools and occupations. The museum also has a restored, working mechanical clock from the 18th century. The tools and the clock offer two different ways of engaging with the collection: through professions and tools on the one hand, and through the mechanics of a historic object on the other.

The Eugenio Sacchetti Senior Musicological Museum contains more than 1,300 catalogued objects, including musical instruments, books, CDs and LPs. The collection brings together instruments and different forms of musical recording and reading. The Church of the SS.ma Trinità dates from the 15th century and is among Santhià’s most distinctive and highly regarded buildings.

The castle and village of Vettignè lie in a landscape shaped by rice fields, with the Alps in the background. The castle is in a precarious condition, and its oldest parts date from the 15th century. The landscape and architectural history belong together here, but the condition of the castle should not be overlooked when considering the site.

Casa Turrita, also known as the “Torre di Teodolinda,” is located in a private courtyard. It was created by converting a watchtower dating from the Lombard period; however, the features of the present building indicate that it was constructed after the 15th century. This clearly distinguishes the tower’s earlier origins from the later construction of the building as it stands today.

The experimental hydrometric station is another of Santhià’s technical structures. It was built to measure the flow rates of various canals; the complex is viewed from the outside. It complements the churches, collections and historic buildings with a practical look at how water flows are measured.

Discover more destinations: Rima, San Genuario, Ferrera, Bianzè, Crescentino, Borgosesia, Piode, Pila.

For the broader travel overview: Vercelli.