What to Do in Vercelli: A Practical Guide for 1 or 2 Days
- amycasettadicharme
- Dec 29, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 9
Vercelli is small, flat, easy to visit — and surrounded by one of the most unique landscapes in Italy. You don’t need a week. 1 or 2 days are perfect, if sai cosa fare e dove dormire.
Here’s a clear, no-nonsense guide to what to do in Vercelli.
1. Visit Basilica di Sant’Andrea (1 hour)
Why: it’s one of the earliest Gothic churches in Italy and the city’s main landmark. Time needed: 45–60 minutes Cost: free Where: historic center
Go straight here. No detours.The architecture is clean, powerful, and never crowded.
Tip: morning is best (quiet + better light).
2. Walk the Historic Center (1–1.5 hours)
Don’t overthink it. Just walk.
What to see:
Piazza Cavour (main square, cafés, aperitivo spot)
Torre dell’Angelo
Cathedral of Sant’Eusebio (optional, quick visit)
Side streets around the center (local shops, zero chains)
Market days: Tuesday & Friday mornings.
3. Eat Panissa (This Is Mandatory)
You are in the rice capital of Europe. Skipping this would be a mistake.
What to order:
Panissa vercellese (rice, beans, salame della duja, red wine)
Or a classic local risotto
This is not a light dish. Plan lunch accordingly.
4. Leave the City: Rice Fields Experience (Essential)
This is what makes Vercelli different.
Distance: 5–10 minutes by car from the center Best times:
April–May → flooded rice fields (mirror effect)
September–October → harvest season
Drive or cycle outside the city and stop where the roads cross the fields. No ticket, no entrance, no crowds.
If you stay inside the city, you’ll miss this.
5. Sleep Outside the City (Smart Choice)
Visiting Vercelli is easy. Sleeping in Vercelli is optional.
Sleeping in the rice fields is the upgrade.
AMY B&B – Base in the Rice Fields
Location: Asigliano Vercellese Distance to Vercelli center: 5–10 minutes
Why it works:
silence at night
open landscapes instead of traffic
free parking
easy access to the city
wake up surrounded by rice fields
You visit the city by day, you relax in nature at night.
Suggested Itineraries
1 Day in Vercelli
Morning: Basilica di Sant’Andrea
Walk historic center
Lunch: panissa
Afternoon: rice fields drive or walk
Evening: dinner + sleep in the countryside
2 Days in Vercelli
Day 1: city + food
Day 2: rice fields, cycling or slow walks
Optional: Monferrato or wine areas nearby
When to Visit Vercelli
Spring: flooded fields, best landscapes
Summer: green rice, long days
Autumn: harvest, food season
Winter: fog, silence, very atmospheric
No mass tourism. Ever.
Where to Stay in Vercelli (Without Staying in the City)
AMY B&B
Only 2 rooms
Rice fields all around
Homemade breakfast
Free parking
Local tips you actually need
