Highlights
- Vercelli rice paddies
- Basilica of Sant'Andrea
- Vercelli Cathedral
- Flooded paddy reflections (spring)
Stage conditions
| Section | Po Valley (Italy) |
|---|---|
| Water on route | Moderate |
| Shade | Minimal |
Practical notes
Getting there and away
Santhià and Vercelli are both on the Turin–Milan line, so you can arrive or leave by regional train from Turin or Milan, and Trenitalia's ATAP partner buses serve the villages. Vercelli's station on Piazza Roma, at the north-west edge of the city, is a bigger junction: regional trains to Turin, Novara and Milan, lines to Mortara and Pavia (your onward route) and Valenza, and Frecciabianca and overnight Intercity services. Milan is under an hour and a half away, which makes Vercelli a natural place to start or end a section.
What the season does
Best months are April to June and September to October; the stage data drops July and August. This is the rice country, very flat and exposed with no shade, and the stage warns that mosquitoes can be a problem near the paddies. In April and May the flooded fields mirror the sky, which is the reason to walk it then; by late summer the paddies are drained and the heat is fierce. The source stage page's advice is a hat and plenty of water in hot periods. Autumn is the harvest, dusty and golden.
Safety on this stage
Heat, sun and roads. There is no shade for 26 km, so sunstroke and dehydration are the risks; start early and cover up. The source stage page flags road crossings needing care at the SS143 near km 1.7, the SS11 at km 10 and again at km 15, and the southern ring road entering Vercelli at km 24.6; traffic is fast and the verges narrow. Rice paddy tracks are firm but featureless, so keep to the waymarks. Mosquito repellent is worth carrying.
Water and food
Water is marked moderate, and the source stage page is precise: fountains are few, only at San Germano Vercellese and Montonero. That means one refill in the first half and one in the second, with long shadeless stretches between. Leave Santhià with two litres, fill again at San Germano, and again at Montonero before the last run into Vercelli. San Germano has a bar. Vercelli has shops and cafés around the Duomo and Piazza Cavour.
Where pilgrims sleep
Our directory has no listing yet at Vercelli. The city's pilgrim hostel is the Hospitale Sancti Eusebi in Vicolo degli Alciati, run by the Amici della Via Francigena di Vercelli: credential required, reception 14:00 to 19:00, doors closed at 22:00, one night only, a kitchen for a shared dinner, and a laundry; it runs on donations from 1 March to 31 October and opens on request in winter. Pilgrims who have walked at least 100 km can ask for the Testimonium of Sant'Eusebio. The source stage page also lists the Convento di Biliemme.
Sources: Wikipedia — Santhià railway station · Wikipedia — Vercelli railway station · Camminando sulla Via Francigena — IT09 Santhià – Vercelli · Camminando sulla Via Francigena — IT10 Vercelli – Robbio · Amici della Via Francigena di Vercelli — Hospitale Sancti Eusebi, sintesi del regolamento (PDF) · Amici della Via Francigena di Vercelli
Common questions
How long is the Santhia to Vercelli stage?
It is 26.0 km (16.2 mi) and takes about 6.5 hours of walking, from Santhia to Vercelli.
How hard is Santhia to Vercelli?
It is rated easy with 30 m of ascent and 30 m of descent over mixed terrain.
Is there water on the Santhia to Vercelli stage?
There is a moderate amount of water along this stage — carry enough between resupply points.
How do I get to Santhia and away from Vercelli?
Santhià and Vercelli are both on the Turin–Milan line, so you can arrive or leave by regional train from Turin or Milan, and Trenitalia's ATAP partner buses serve the villages. Vercelli's station on Piazza Roma, at the north-west edge of the city, is a bigger junction: regional trains to Turin, Novara and Milan, lines to Mortara and Pavia (your onward route) and Valenza, and Frecciabianca and overnight Intercity services. Milan is under an hour and a half away, which makes Vercelli a natural place to start or end a section.
Where do pilgrims sleep in Vercelli?
Our directory has no listing yet at Vercelli. The city's pilgrim hostel is the Hospitale Sancti Eusebi in Vicolo degli Alciati, run by the Amici della Via Francigena di Vercelli: credential required, reception 14:00 to 19:00, doors closed at 22:00, one night only, a kitchen for a shared dinner, and a laundry; it runs on donations from 1 March to 31 October and opens on request in winter. Pilgrims who have walked at least 100 km can ask for the Testimonium of Sant'Eusebio.
Walk this stage
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