Sacra di San Michele

History

Perched on Mount Pirchiriano at the mouth of the Susa Valley, the Sacra was born between 983 and 987 and became a powerful Benedictine abbey on the sacred line of St Michael that links Mont-Saint-Michel to the Gargano. The Stairway of the Dead, the Zodiac Door and the tower of the Bell'Alda make it a masterpiece of "impossible" architecture; its atmosphere inspired Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. Abandoned in 1622, it has been in the care of the Rosminian fathers since 1836 by the will of King Charles Albert; since 1994 it has been the symbolic monument of the Piedmont Region.

Visiting

What to see

Symbolic monument of Piedmont. Staircase of the Dead with flying buttresses. Portal of the Zodiac (XII century). Panoramic views of the Susa Valley. Inspired Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose."

Surroundings

Susa Valley, gateway to the Alps. Avigliana and its lakes. Turin 40 km away. Hiking trails.

Visitor information

Self-guided visit: €10 full, €8 reduced. Guided tour (Saturdays and Sundays at 11am and 3pm, daily at 11am in August): €15 and €13. Prices from the official site, checked September 2026.

Contacts

+39 011 939130 · sacradisanmichele.com · info@sacradisanmichele.com

Hospitality and where to sleep

Guesthouse available

Spiritual retreats for adults only (about 3 days), to be arranged with the Rosminian fathers. No tourist overnight stays.

Beds and prices

At the Sacra the Rosminians offer hospitality only for religious experiences and spiritual retreats for adults (stays of about 3 days), to be arranged directly with the community; the old monumental guest quarters now serve as conference hall and ticket office. For the bike traveller: B&Bs and hotels in Sant'Ambrogio di Torino and Avigliana, at the foot of the mountain, budget-to-mid range.

Services

Stock up on water in Avigliana or Sant'Ambrogio: up top, supplies are not guaranteed and the refreshment point by the car park is seasonal/intermittent. Plenty of bars, restaurants and shops in Avigliana. Tickets can be bought online (card payments at the ticket office); no visitor wifi. In bad weather the climb is exposed: consider the Turin-Susa railway line (station at Sant'Ambrogio).

Places to stay nearby (within 15 km)

• Camping Avigliana Lacscampsite
  Via Giaveno 23/a, Avigliana (TO) · 5.5 km as the crow flies

  Price:

  ~€25 pitch with electricity

  Open:

  year-round

  Facilities:

  hot showers, laundry, shop, restaurant-pizzeria, Wi-Fi

  Source:

  pitchup.com / camperonline.it

  On Avigliana's Lago Piccolo, at the foot of the Sacra di San Michele (Turin variant).

Getting there by bike

A real climb: from Avigliana take the asphalted SP188 "via Sacra di San Michele", about 500 m of elevation gain with steady gradients that are demanding with loaded bikes. The last point you can reach on wheels is Piazzale Croce Nera (paid parking): lock the bike there and continue on foot for about 10 minutes along an asphalted path, plus the internal stairway. Full ticket 10 €, reduced 8 €, also available online; guided tours at weekends at 11am and 3pm.

The provincial road climbs firmly from Avigliana. Some stretches exceed ten percent and test loaded legs. The ticket price has risen compared to a few years ago, keep that in mind. At altitude, better to arrive with full bottles.

The last point reachable by bike is Piazzale Croce Nera, then ten minutes on foot plus the internal staircase. Stock up on water in Avigliana or Sant'Ambrogio, at altitude supply is not guaranteed.

Map and stages