Symbol of Piedmont
Around 40 kilometres west of Turin, the Sacra di San Michele sits enthroned on the summit of Monte Pirchiriano. You climb up to the church via the Scalone dei Morti and through the Porta dello Zodiaco – and at the top, the view over the Susa Valley awaits.
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See the tour from Turin
The Sacra di San Michele is an abbey on Monte Pirchiriano, where the Susa Valley opens out into the plain of Turin. It lies within the municipality of Sant’Ambrogio di Torino, around 40 kilometres from Turin according to Turismo Torino. Since 1836 the abbey has been looked after by the Rosminian Fathers.
The Sacra lies on a pilgrimage route which, according to Turismo Torino, links Mont-Saint-Michel in France with Monte Sant’Angelo in Apulia over some 2,000 kilometres. There is also talk of a “St Michael's Line”: seven places dedicated to the archangel, from Ireland to Israel, are said to lie on a straight line – legend has it that St Michael drew it with his sword.
Towards the end of the 10th century, the hermit Giovanni Vincenzo, a disciple of St Romuald, lived on the mountain. Count Hugh of Montboissier came as a penitent and had the monastery built. Construction began between 983 and 987, and five Benedictine monks founded the community. The large church dates from the 12th century.
The abbey flourished until around the middle of the 14th century. In 1379 Count Amadeus VI of Savoy, the “Green Count”, asked the Pope to abolish the office of monastic abbot because of the abbot's mismanagement. From then on, commendatory abbots ruled, and from 1381 to 1622 priors led the monks.
In 1836 King Carlo Alberto of Savoy entrusted the Sacra to the Rosminians, the religious order founded by Antonio Rosmini. Pope Gregory XVI confirmed this in August 1836. On 25 October 1836, the remains of members of the House of Savoy were brought here from Turin Cathedral – more on our page about the House of Savoy.
In 1991 Pope John Paul II visited the abbey. On 21 December 1994, the Piedmont region officially declared the Sacra the “monumental symbol of Piedmont”.
The route leads up the Scalone dei Morti and through the Porta dello Zodiaco to the church, the panoramic terrace and the ruins of the Nuovo Monastero. QR codes with videos explain what you are seeing along the way.
The steep, wide staircase from the mid-12th century – 243 steps to the top, according to italia.it. On the left, a pillar more than 18 metres high supports the floor of the church. The “Staircase of the Dead” takes its name from the skeletons of monks that were displayed in a niche until 1936. Abbots and dignitaries were buried here, and five tombs survive.
The Romanesque portal at the top of the staircase was created by Master Nicolao of Piacenza around 1128–1130. On the jambs, the twelve signs of the zodiac are carved on the right and the constellations of the northern and southern skies on the left. Two Latin poems end with the artist's signature.
The 12th-century abbey church with its paintings is the high point of the climb. Members of the House of Savoy rest here; their sarcophagi were brought from Turin Cathedral in 1836.
From the panoramic terrace you look out over the Susa Valley and towards Turin. Next to it are the ruins of the Nuovo Monastero, the “new monastery”.
A small, very old building from the 10th century. The “Tomb of the Monks” was probably a cemetery chapel.
A legend surrounds the tower: young Alda is said to have thrown herself into the abyss while fleeing soldiers and been saved by angels. When she repeated the leap to prove it, things ended badly.
Turismo Torino and Italy's official tourism portal name the Sacra as an inspiration for Umberto Eco's novel “The Name of the Rose”. Anyone who sees the fortified monastery high above the valley understands why the Sacra is linked with the novel.
The well-known film adaptation by Jean-Jacques Annaud starring Sean Connery was shot in the winter of 1985/86, partly at Eberbach Abbey in Germany's Rheingau. So if you are looking for film sets, you are more likely to find them there – the model for the novel's atmosphere lies in Piedmont.
Turismo Torino also counts the Sacra among the magical places around Turin. Read more about legends, symbols and “white and black” Turin on our page about magical Turin.
The abbey is open daily all year round, except for a winter break in January. According to the official website, these hours apply:
| Day | March to October | November to February |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 9:30–17:30 | 9:30–16:30 |
| Sunday | 10:45–17:30 | 10:45–16:30 |
| Public holidays | Easter Monday, 25 April, 1 May, 2 June: 9:30–17:30; 15 August: 10:45–17:30 | 1 November, 8 December, 1 and 6 January: 10:45–16:30; 25 December: 13:00–16:30 |
Winter break 2026: 12 to 30 January. The dates for January 2027 had not yet been published on 1 October 2026. Separate times apply for church services. Current information: sacradisanmichele.com.
You can buy admission at the ticket office or online. You don't need to book to look round on your own. The abbey's guided tours must be booked online in advance – they are held in Italian.
| Visit | Regular | Reduced | With Torino + Piemonte Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admission without guided tour (approx. 45 minutes) | €10.00 | €8.00 | free |
| Admission with guided tour (approx. 90 minutes), Sat and Sun 11:00 and 15:00, in August daily 11:00 | €15.00 | €13.00 | €5.00 |
| Special tour with library and areas otherwise closed (approx. 120 minutes), first weekend of the month 15:00 | €20.00 | €18.00 | – |
Official prices according to sacradisanmichele.com, as of October 2026. Reduced: children aged 6 to 18, seniors over 65, families (2 adults with at least 2 children aged 6 to 18). Children under 6 free. The Abbonamento Musei gives the same benefits as the Torino + Piemonte Card. The special tour is not suitable for people with reduced mobility. The combined train and bus ticket gives you 25% off admission.
Without a car, the tour is the most convenient option, especially on weekdays when there is no connecting bus from Avigliana. Coach travel, guide and admission are included. You climb the stairs in the abbey on foot.
By coach into the Susa Valley, a guided tour of the abbey with the Scalone dei Morti and the Porta dello Zodiaco, admission included. According to the provider, departure is from Piazza Solferino in front of the Teatro Alfieri. Duration four to five hours.
Languages according to the product page: Italian, English, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish – you can see which language is offered on which date when you book. According to the provider, not suitable for people with reduced mobility; comfortable shoes recommended.
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See the tourFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance according to the product page. Price, dates and reviews live from GetYourGuide.
The abbey is at Via alla Sacra 14 in Sant’Ambrogio di Torino. Without a tour, you have four options:
From 4 April to 31 October 2026, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, take the regional train from Torino Porta Nuova to Avigliana and change there to the bus to the Sacra. The whole journey takes 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes. The combined train and bus ticket costs €6.30 each way from Trenitalia and gets you 25% off admission. You can buy the bus from Avigliana on its own on board for €3.60 each way. Information on Turin's stations is on train stations in Turin.
Possible all year round: the regional trains on line SFM3 from Torino Porta Nuova towards Susa and Bardonecchia stop at Sant’Ambrogio station. From the village, footpath no. 502, an old mule track, climbs to the abbey in about 1.5 hours – around 600 metres of ascent. Details of all the paths are in the next section.
Take the A32 motorway towards Fréjus to the “Avigliana Centro” exit, then follow the signs for “Sacra di San Michele”. You park at Piazzale Croce Nera and walk about 800 metres (around 15 minutes) from there to the abbey. Parking costs €2.50 for the first hour, then €2.00 per hour. Tips on hire cars and traffic zones in the city: driving and parking in Turin.
According to the official website, a direct bus runs on Sundays from March from Piazza Solferino in Turin (departure 9:15, €28.00 return, online booking only). You can find the current offer on sacradisanmichele.com.
Visitors with disabilities may drive up to the foot of the abbey. A separate route with three lifts leads up to the church; the lifts run at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00. According to RFI, Sant’Ambrogio station has no assistance service and no lifts.
Walking up is the most beautiful way to reach the abbey: from the valley you keep seeing the Sacra above you on its rock. The abbey lists these paths:
“Easy” here means well waymarked, but steadily uphill. Bring sturdy shoes and water. If you want to visit the abbey, plan your climb so that you reach the top well before closing time. In the village of Sant’Ambrogio, it is worth taking a quick look at the town walls, the Baroque church of San Giovanni Vincenzo and the abbey castle.
The Sacra di San Michele is included in the Torino + Piemonte Card: visiting on your own is free, and the abbey's guided tour costs €5.00 instead of €15.00 with the card. This pays off especially if you visit museums such as the Egyptian Museum or the Musei Reali on your other days. The Sacra is not included in the Royal Pass.
The Sacra combines well with a stop in Avigliana – you change there anyway on the train-and-bus connection. The small town lies on the edge of a moraine basin with two small lakes and holds the Touring Club Italiano's “Bandiera Arancione” (Orange Flag). In the medieval old town, the ruins of the castle tower above Piazza Conte Rosso with its arcades. The octagonal clock tower from the 13th to 14th century is said to have carried the first public clock in Piedmont. A flight of steps leads up to the Romanesque-Gothic church of San Pietro.
By bike, a route of about 7.5 kilometres links Avigliana with Sant’Ambrogio, along the Dora river and with views of Monte Pirchiriano. The mule track to the Sacra starts in Sant’Ambrogio.
Further west, the Susa Valley leads into the Alps. You will find more destinations for day trips in our day trips in Piedmont. If you are planning several days, the Sacra makes a good third day on the Turin in 3 days itinerary.
From 4 April to 31 October 2026, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, take the train from Torino Porta Nuova to Avigliana and continue by bus (1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, €6.30 each way). All year round you can take the SFM3 to Sant’Ambrogio and walk up in about 1.5 hours. The half-day tour from Piazza Solferino is more convenient.
€10.00 at regular price, €8.00 reduced (children aged 6 to 18, seniors over 65, families). Children under 6 go free. With a guided tour, admission costs €15.00 or €13.00.
Yes. With the Torino + Piemonte Card, admission is free and the guided tour costs €5.00. Admission is also free with the Abbonamento Musei. The Sacra is not included in the Royal Pass.
From March to October, Monday to Saturday 9:30–17:30 and Sunday 10:45–17:30. From November to February the abbey closes at 16:30. There is a winter break in January – in 2026 from 12 to 30 January.
Looking round on your own takes about 45 minutes, the abbey's guided tour 90 minutes. With the journey from Turin you should allow half a day, with a hike a full day. The half-day tour from Turin takes four to five hours.
According to the Italian tourism portal italia.it, there are 243 steps to the top. The staircase dates from the mid-12th century and leads to the Porta dello Zodiaco and the church.
The Sacra is considered an inspiration for Umberto Eco's novel. The 1986 film was shot partly at Eberbach Abbey in Germany's Rheingau.
The abbey's own guided tours are in Italian. The half-day tour from Turin lists several languages on its product page, including English – you can see which language is offered on your date when you book. When visiting on your own, QR codes with videos help.
Partly. Visitors with disabilities can drive to the foot of the abbey and reach the church using three lifts (rides at fixed times between 10:00 and 17:00). The Scalone dei Morti and the special tour are not suitable for people with reduced mobility.
At Piazzale Croce Nera, A32 exit “Avigliana Centro”. The first hour costs €2.50, each additional hour €2.00. From the car park you walk about 800 metres to the abbey.