Vercelli Airport

Rice fields, medieval towers, and Romanesque splendor await.

Vercelli is a small but historically rich city in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, best known as the rice capital of Europe. Surrounded by vast irrigated paddies that turn emerald green in spring and gold in autumn, the city offers an authentic slice of northern Italian life largely untouched by mass tourism.

Despite its modest size, Vercelli punches well above its weight culturally. It boasts one of Italy's finest Romanesque churches, a remarkable medieval layout, and a museum holding a precious collection of Egyptian artifacts alongside old masters. Visitors who pause here between Turin and Milan are invariably surprised by how much there is to discover.

• •Basilica di Sant'Andrea — stunning 13th-century Romanesque-Gothic church, one of Italy's best.
• •Museo Francesco Borgogna — Piedmont's largest art museum outside Turin, rich in Renaissance works.
• •Torre dell'Angelo — medieval tower offering rooftop views over the rice-padded plain.
• •Cattedrale di Sant'Eusebio — grand cathedral with a vast interior and historic crypt.
• •Piazza Cavour — elegant main square lined with arcaded porticoes perfect for people-watching.
• •Vercelli rice paddies — seasonal flooded fields ideal for scenic cycling or guided agri-tours.

Getting around: Vercelli is easily walkable in its compact historic center. The train station sits a short walk from the main sights and offers frequent regional connections to Turin (about 45 minutes) and Milan (about 55 minutes). Local buses cover the wider city and nearby villages, while taxis are available outside the station. Rideshare apps have limited coverage, so taxis or rental bikes are the best fallback for exploring the surrounding countryside.

Best time: Late April through June is ideal, when the rice paddies flood and glow, temperatures are mild, and the city hosts local festivals.

Local food: Try panissa vercellese, a hearty risotto with borlotti beans and salami, along with local Carnaroli rice dishes, aged Grana Padano, and frogs' legs prepared in the traditional Vercelli style.

This guide is provided for general information only. Verify details locally before making travel decisions.