Vercelli and the rice fields
The rice capital, surrounded by paddies that in spring become a 'chequered sea', with the basilica of Sant'Andrea, one of the first Gothic buildings in Italy.
The story
The cathedral's chapter library holds the Vercelli Book, a late 10th-century manuscript containing some of the oldest poems in Old English. No one knows for sure how it got here: perhaps it was left by a pilgrim heading to Rome along the Via Francigena, which passes through Vercelli.
Why go
A quiet art town and a unique waterscape, best seen between April and May when the rice fields are flooded.
In the itineraries
Get directions ↗OpenStreetMap ↗
Saved. You'll find everything in My trip, where you can split it into days and see it on the map.
Saved on this device: you can open it even without a connection. All your saved pages are in Offline guides.
Weather forecast
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
Getting there
- By train. The nearest station is Vercelli station, 700 m away (about 10 minutes on foot). Alternatively: Borgo Vercelli station, 4.9 km away.
- By air. The nearest airport is Milan-Malpensa Airport (MXP), about 41 km away.
- Parking. There are many signposted car parks within a kilometre; the nearest is 150 m away, paid.
- ZTL. Many Italian historic centres are limited traffic zones (ZTL) monitored by cameras: if you arrive by car, leave it outside the centre and check opening times and permits on the town council's website (your hotel may be able to register your plate).
Stations, ports, airports and car parks from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); distances as the crow flies. Timetables and connections change: check them before you travel.
Climate month by month
The most pleasant months for weather are from April to June and from August to October, with average highs between 18 and 29 °C. The wettest month is May (about 130 mm), the driest January.
| Month | Temperature | High / low | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | from 2 to 9 °C | 9° 2° | 36 |
| Feb | from 4 to 12 °C | 12° 4° | 60 |
| Mar | from 6 to 15 °C | 15° 6° | 66 |
| Apr | from 9 to 19 °C | 19° 9° | 70 |
| May | from 13 to 22 °C | 22° 13° | 130 |
| Jun | from 18 to 27 °C | 27° 18° | 91 |
| Jul | from 21 to 30 °C | 30° 21° | 71 |
| Aug | from 20 to 29 °C | 29° 20° | 77 |
| Sep | from 16 to 25 °C | 25° 16° | 72 |
| Oct | from 12 to 21 °C | 21° 12° | 117 |
| Nov | from 7 to 14 °C | 14° 7° | 91 |
| Dec | from 4 to 10 °C | 10° 4° | 45 |
Averages for 2015–2024, estimated for an altitude of 139 m. Air: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), corrected for the altitude of the place; rain: average monthly total. These are indicative values: the weather on any given day can be very different, so always check the forecast before you go.
Nearby
- ★ Infernot of the MonferratoHistory and art · 28 km as the crow flies
- ★ Ricetto di CandeloTown · 35 km as the crow flies
- ★ IvreaHistory and art · 46 km as the crow flies
- Sanctuary of OropaHistory and art · 48 km as the crow flies
- AstiTown · 50 km as the crow flies
- Orta San GiulioTown · 53 km as the crow flies