Description
This Reggia di Venaria and Sacra di San Michele tour fits two Piedmontese landmarks into one day of about six hours. You travel by car with a live guide, in a group capped at three people, and the small team is happy to adapt the day to what you want to see.
First comes the Reggia di Venaria, a Savoy summer home inspired by Versailles. It was built as a hunting lodge for Carlo Emanuele II, and Italianate gardens spread around it. Downstairs, the basements tell the Savoy story in an exhibition; the floors above rotate temporary shows.
Then you drive up to the Sacra di San Michele, a stern fortified abbey perched on a rocky hill. A climb of 150 steps, lined with sculptures from the 12th century, ends at the Porta dello Zodiaco, a Romanesque doorway carved with zodiac signs. The frescoes inside date from the 16th century: Gospel scenes on one side, the church's origins on the other.
- A small snack
- Car transfers between the two sites
Tickets are not included. When snow makes the visit impractical, the guide suggests another itinerary. Pregnant women are advised not to join.