Category: Blog Posts

A day discovering the Sacra di San Michele, one hour and twenty minutes from the Langhe and twenty minutes from Turin! I devote the summer months to broadening my horizons, and I am convinced that you do not need to travel far from home to do so. People always say that “locals” know their area best, but I would like to challenge that idea: is it really true? A local resident will certainly be able to recommend a good restaurant and perhaps offer useful advice on avoiding traffic, but can we be sure they have visited and explored all the unmissable places in their own area? I do not think so! Now that I am forty-something, I finally decided to visit the absolute wonder that is the Sacra di San Michele, in the province of Turin, at the entrance to the Susa Valley. I can never thank my work enough, because it encourages—perhaps even forces—me to explore places before suggesting new destinations. Otherwise, I would have postponed far too many extraordinary visits. About local guides My work has also taught me that everything is better with a guide: it truly becomes a completely different experience. So I asked Valentina, a knowledgeable and friendly guide who lives at the foot of the Sacra, to show me around. The day was spectacular, but the Sacra di San Michele is just as fascinating when it is shrouded in mist or covered in snow. I already want to return in winter, perhaps for Christmas Mass in the abbey. I can only imagine the incredible atmosphere up there. There are many ways to reach the Sacra di San Michele, including on foot by following in the pilgrims’ footsteps. We chose to walk only the final stretch, yet even that gives a sense of the immense