If you are looking for what to see in Savigliano, I will tell you where we start: from Piazza Santarosa, when we open the office and the city around us wakes up. A short walk under the arcades, a coffee, the facades changing with the light. Savigliano tells its story through details, not special effects. And yes, for us at Vayadù it is also “home”: our headquarters and office are right in the main square, so we have known Savigliano from the inside for many years.
In this article you will find a practical guide that is not rushed: what to do in Savigliano and nearby, what to see on foot, where to eat, a few ideas for the weekend, a small thoughtful “map,” and, for anyone who feels like widening the circle, a few stops in the surrounding area.
What is Savigliano famous for?
The short answer: trains, history, and Piedmontese Baroque. The useful answer: Savigliano is known for its railway tradition, linked to the production of rolling stock and, more recently, to the high-speed rail supply chain. The municipality describes this identity by calling Savigliano the “city of the Pendolino”: the Pendolino is the nickname for Italian tilting trains, the ones that lean into curves to maintain speed and comfort. It is a definition that sounds almost nostalgic today, but it sums up the industrial continuity of the area well, all the way to the presence of Alstom, the international transport group that designs and builds trains and also develops signaling systems and digital solutions for rail mobility.
Alongside this world on rails there is the city’s other side: a historic center that brings together centuries of transformation, with religious buildings, palaces, and an urban layout that works very well for a walk on foot, without stress. The official tourist map clearly lists the key sights: Piazza Santa Rosa, the Civic Tower, the Triumphal Arch, Palazzo Taffini d’Acceglio, Palazzo Muratori Cravetta, and a series of churches and complexes that deserve at least a stop.
The historic center of Savigliano: what to see on foot, without zigzagging
If your question is what to see in the historic center of Savigliano, the basic itinerary almost builds itself: a loop through squares, arcades, and courtyards.
Piazza Santa Rosa is the natural starting point: it is wide, irregular, lined with arcaded buildings, and shaped by layers and urban “adjustments” over time. For Vayadù it is also a very specific address: here, at 66 Piazza Santarosa, we have our main headquarters and Spazio Vayadù, an office with shop windows where the city enters our work every single day. Two large windows with screens showing images of our holiday homes, the staff workstations where every day we manage homes to make profitable and guests to care for, and the meeting room where we meet and exchange big ideas.
The historic center makes one thing clear right away: Savigliano is elegant, but never stiff.
From here you can head toward:
- the Civic Tower, marked by fires, reconstructions, and architectural overlaps: more than “a tower,” it is a reminder of how a city changes without ever stopping being itself;
- the Triumphal Arch, one of the city’s most recognizable monuments;
- the historic palaces such as Palazzo Taffini d’Acceglio and Palazzo Muratori Cravetta, which are part of the city’s visual language.
If you want a walk that brings together postcard-worthy places and spots that explain the city better, save these names too: lively, hard-working Piazza del Popolo, the Ala del Mercato with its commercial soul, Via Stamperia among arcades and palaces, and the Jewish Ghetto, which is a place of memory between Via Palestro and Via Cambiani.
Piedmontese Railway Museum: the stop that tells Savigliano’s story without rhetoric
When people talk about what to see in Savigliano, the Piedmontese Railway Museum is one of those places that helps you connect the dots: the Savigliano of arcades and squares, and the Savigliano that for decades lived through workshops, technical expertise, shifts, and experimentation.
The visit is made up of two parts. The first is indoors: a small building with layouts, models, and memorabilia that help frame the eras and technologies linked to trains.
The second is outdoors, and it is the one that stays with you most: an area that recreates the idea of a railway depot, with tracks and vehicles displayed around a large turntable. Outside you will find locomotives, carriages, freight wagons, and special vehicles; some pieces are enormous, you walk right beside them and understand the real scale of rolling stock. It is a real experience, both for adults and for children.
How the visit works: on many days the visit is guided and starts at set times, so it is worth arriving a little before the departure time.
How much time for the visit: about 1 hour and a half is a realistic estimate if you take in both the indoor and outdoor sections at an easy pace.
Opening days: watch out. The museum is open only on Saturdays and Sundays, except for pre-booked group visits.
Tickets and prices: full ticket around 5 euros and reduced ticket around 3 euros. The ticket office may close before the end of visiting hours, so it is better not to arrive at the last minute.
The great thing about this museum, and the reason we recommend it, is that you do not need to be a train enthusiast to enjoy it. It is also perfect for anyone who simply wants to understand “why here, of all places.”
MÚSES, European Academy of Essences: a wonderfully fragrant museum
Among the most interesting attractions to include on the list of what to see in Savigliano, there is definitely MÚSES – Accademia Europea delle Essenze, a very unusual museum dedicated to the world of perfumes, essences, and aromatic plants.
The museum is located inside the historic Palazzo Taffini d’Acceglio, and the exhibition route brings together science, botany, and the culture of perfume, explaining how natural essences are created and the role they have played in the history of medicine, cosmetics, and gastronomy.
The visit is highly interactive: along the route you will find olfactory installations, laboratory tools, aromatic plants, and explanations of the process used to extract essential oils. It is a museum unlike the usual ones, because it engages above all with the sense of smell and lets you discover a world that is often invisible, but very present in everyday life.
A museum to smell your way through, perfect for adults and children.
How the visit works: visits are guided only.
Opening days: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in the afternoon. Sunday all day. Check the website for updated opening times.
Tickets and prices: full ticket around 12 euros and reduced ticket around 8 euros. The ticket office may close before the end of visiting hours, so it is better not to arrive at the last minute.
Other cultural stops worth noting, even if you do not have much time
If you still have half a day left, here are a few good options.
- Convento di Sant’Agostino with archival center, library, and Center of Memory: this is the right stop if you are interested in the “documented” side of Savigliano. Here you will find spaces devoted to consulting and preserving materials, and often cultural initiatives linked to local history.
- Crosà Neira (Arciconfraternita della Misericordia): a building worth seeing both for its architecture and for its contemporary second life. It is one of those places that, when it is open or hosting activities, shows you how Savigliano uses its historic spaces without turning them into scenery.
- Museo Civico Antonino Olmo and the Davide Calandra Gipsoteca: here the key word is variety. The museum gives you a broader reading of the city through works and collections, while the gipsoteca, a collection of plaster models, is interesting even if you are not usually a museum person: the plasters reveal the behind-the-scenes side of sculpture, with studies, sketches, and intermediate steps.
- Teatro Civico Milanollo: if you like going into places, not just looking at them from outside, this is a stop that feels different from the usual. It is a historic theater that tells the story of the relationship between the city and performance very well; when it can be visited, it is worth it even just to see the hall with its frescoes and its wonderful wooden boxes.
What to do in Savigliano on the weekend: a ready-made itinerary
Here is a day plan that works well if you arrive on Saturday morning:
- morning: Piazza Santarosa, the Civic Tower, the Triumphal Arch, a couple of streets in the historic center, and a stop under the arcades;
- lunch: in the center, keep reading and you will find our tips for delicious bars and restaurants;
- afternoon: Piedmontese Railway Museum;
- end of the day: Parco Nenni or a walk toward Piazza del Popolo and the Ala del Mercato.
If you have two days instead, you can dedicate Sunday to the surrounding area.
Where to eat in Savigliano
Below you will find a selection of places we often recommend, because they are central, easy to fit into a day of sightseeing, and above all they are really good.
Restaurants and taverns:
- Cantina 121 Wine & Food, Piazza Santarosa 39
- Ostu Bistrot, Via Muratori 18
Antica Osteria dell’Orsa, Piazza Cesare Battisti 5
Officina del Gusto, Corso Roma 55
Taverna del Teatro, Via Teatro 7
Pizzeria 30 e Lode, Via Bisalta 33
Sato, Via Mellonera 12
Breakfast, coffee, and breaks:
Pasticceria Buttigliero, Piazza del Popolo 10
Pasticceria Scarafia, Piazza Santarosa 50
Caffè Pasticceria Sabena, Via Vittorio Alfieri 16
Caffè della Torre, Piazza Santarosa 33
Bar Wall Street, Via Trento 48 - Antica Osteria dell’Orsa, Piazza Cesare Battisti 5
- Officina del Gusto, Corso Roma 55
- Taverna del Teatro, Via Teatro 7
- Pizzeria 30 e Lode, Via Bisalta 33
- Sato, Via Mellonera 12
Breakfast, coffee, and breaks:
- Pasticceria Buttigliero, Piazza del Popolo 10
- Pasticceria Scarafia, Piazza Santarosa 50
- Caffè Pasticceria Sabena, Via Vittorio Alfieri 16
- Caffè della Torre, Piazza Santarosa 33
- Bar Wall Street, Via Trento 48
Shopping in Savigliano: what to buy
If you feel like doing a little shopping in Savigliano, the key word here is “local.” Take home something typical, such as:
- pnun (pnon) from Levaldigi: a traditional artisanal biscuit from Levaldigi, a hamlet of Savigliano, known for its elongated stick shape and rough surface. They are perfect for slipping into a suitcase;
- Fassona Piemontese beef: if you can transport it, a good butcher will solve dinner, or lunch at home, without any fuss;
- pane all’alvà, meaning sourdough bread, with an aroma and shelf life that are different from everyday bread. You can find it in bakeries that make it as a local specialty;
- saviglianesi al rum: cousins of the cuneesi, these are chocolates filled with chocolate ganache, meringue and rum, hazelnut, or pistachio.
- “Paulin”: the typical aperitif based on vermouth, linked to a historic recipe from Pasticceria Scaraffia.
Or buy something that is good for the heart. BLU LAB is the social workshop of the La Rosa Blu cooperative, where disability, vulnerability, and creativity find a home. Here, objects and furniture often forgotten in attics or cellars come back to life.
Or also, you can also buy the “galeotti” biscuits made by the social cooperative Voci Erranti, which runs Caffè Intervallo.
The fairs and expos of Savigliano
Do you like the festive and slightly chaotic atmosphere of fairs, with stalls and performances? Here are a few events to note down in Savigliano:
- QuintEssenza: herbs, spices, flowers, and gardening, with stands and talks spread throughout the center;
- Spring Fair: a seasonal market with exhibitors and stalls, ideal if you want to see the city full of life;
- National Agricultural Mechanization Fair: machinery, technology, and the agricultural supply chain, with exhibition grounds and demonstrations;
- Meating: a focus on Piedmontese beef, with talks and tastings;
- Bread Fair: bakers, tastings, and workshops about bread and flours.
Savix Comics & Bricks: comics, anime, cosplay, and games in Savigliano
The most popular fair of recent years, a real event for the city, is Savix Comics & Bricks, the festival dedicated to the world of comics and everything around it, organized by the Municipality of Savigliano and held every year in May since 2023. For two days Savigliano is completely transformed: comic book fans, anime lovers, cosplay, games, and LEGO bricks everywhere. And not only that: exhibitions, concerts, talks, workshops, and meet and greets with some of the best guests in the field, plus the much-anticipated cosplay competition.
Of course, during the event there are also many areas dedicated to gaming: board games and card games, vintage video games, and themed stands worthy of any true nerd.
As always, Savix is also an opportunity to meet artists from the world of comics and illustration.
What to see around Savigliano
Racconigi
Racconigi is about 15 km from Savigliano and is perfect for a half-day trip. There is one main reason: the Royal Castle of Racconigi. It is a visit worth taking seriously, because it is a residence that shows you the way people lived and represented power.
After the interiors, we recommend visiting the castle park. It is large and flat, easy to walk around, and has many spots where you can sit down, eat a sandwich, and spend time in nature.
Racconigi is also one of the places in Piedmont most closely linked to the presence of the white stork. There has been a stable colony in the area for years, and it is possible to spot nests and storks among rooftops and green spaces.
If you want to add a detour, note down the Stork and Waterfowl Center: it is a short visit, suitable even for those traveling with children.
Saluzzo
Saluzzo is 13 to 14 km from Savigliano, but it feels farther away because the whole layout changes: here the historic center rises upward. If you want a day trip that you will really feel in your legs, this is the right choice.
If we had to recommend just one thing to see, it would be La Castiglia, a castle that later became a prison and now houses two museum routes: one linked to chivalric civilization and one to prison memory.
After La Castiglia you can head toward the upper town, through narrow cobbled streets, with Monviso peeking out between the houses.
If you want to add just one museum besides La Castiglia, the most sensible choice is Casa Cavassa: a Renaissance residence that is easy to visit in about an hour. It is a place that helps you understand what it meant to “live well” at a certain moment in history.
Fossano
Fossano is the most straightforward trip: you get there quickly and can move around without a strategy. The essential stop, in our opinion at Vayadù, is the huge Castle of the Princes of Acaja. It is an imposing brick fortress, first built as a defensive structure and later turned into a noble residence in the sixteenth century. In June, it also hosts the Palio dei Borghi.
After the castle you can walk under the arcades of Via Roma, in the center, and see the cathedral and the old quarter.
Where to stay in Savigliano? In a Vayadù home, of course
In Savigliano we really have many options to welcome you for a weekend. Here they are.
If you are looking for a minimalist setting that still preserves the centuries-old traces of our beautiful hometown, we recommend two independent apartments that are twins in style and furnishings: Loft Arco and Loft Affresco. Both have an open-plan kitchen and living area, a bathroom, and a double bedroom on the mezzanine. The extra touch? Fifteenth-century beams and frescoes inside the home. Wow.
Do you need a garden? Maybe for a retreat, or simply because you want to enjoy outdoor space? Dimora 1690 is a historic villa in the center of Savigliano surrounded by greenery, with two apartments, Erica and Ortensia, that mix arches and seventeenth-century details with 1960s furnishings.
If you want an apartment for a larger group, colorful and with outdoor space, we recommend Binario 2, near the level crossing and the railway. Arranged over two floors, it has two large bedrooms, a really spacious living area with a kitchen that will make you want to try your hand at more ambitious recipes too, and a magnificent large terrace to enjoy. And yes, parking is included as well.
If instead you are looking for a home where design takes center stage, we can only recommend La Bice: unique red-and-white striped kitchen tiles, funky armchairs, and a mix and match of modern and very old elements in a house that is elegant, never ordinary, and full of playful touches. Here you will have a beautiful double bedroom and a comfortable living area with kitchen.
For anyone looking for more country-style vibes, the right choice is Casa Schiaparelli: a cozy one-bedroom apartment that truly gives a warm feeling, with parquet floors and exposed beams. The home is located inside an old farmhouse courtyard.
Finally, Casa Fiore is the right choice if you want to stay in a central area, in a one-bedroom apartment with a very large double bedroom, a walk-in closet, and a lovely little balcony overlooking the rooftops of Savigliano.
This is our selection for enjoying Savigliano and its wonders. We are waiting for you!
