This itinerary is one of the longest and most various, by involving hills around Turin, later a large area of the Northern territory of Asti and, at the end, the zone of Monferrato Hills, reaching the town of Casale Monferrato. The route is 115 km long, starting from Moncalieri (TO), crossing  the “Parco della Collina Torinese” area, up to the Church of Superga. From there it continues towards the Municipalities of Sciolze (TO)  and Cinzano (TO), entering Lower Monferrato Hills nearby the village of Moncucco Torinese (AT). From this point the most peculiar stretch of the route starts; it crosses the Lands of Saints, with the Abbey of Saint Mary of Vezzolano as the key place, the Hills of Romanesque churches to follow and, at the end, the Lands of Aleramo, the historical heart of the Marquisate of Monferrato, up to reach the Sacro Monte of Crea and finish in Casale Monferrato.

The itinerary, nowadays known as the “Superga – Crea Route”, was invented and tested for the first time in an “amateur way” in 1990 by a CAI Association member of Casale Monferrato, the hiker Cesare Triveri, to whom the route was dedicated in order to remember his extraordinary feat.

To characterize the initial and final stretch of the route, two symbolic places of Piedmont, where environmental, landscape, architectural and devotional attractions coexist in perfect harmony, giving the walker a unique sporting and emotional experience.

The Hill of Superga: where it all began…

The starting point is the Superga Hill, at 670 meters, from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city of Turin, the Po river and the Alps. The area is included in the homonymous Natural Park, which extends with its 800 hectares on the surrounding territory, up to the Municipalities of Baldissero Torinese, Pino Torinese and San Mauro Torinese. Nestled between the Alps and the sea, the Park preserves a valuable floristic heritage, ranging from species of Mediterranean origin, such as the ornithine and the butcher’s broom, to the purely Alpine kinds, including pine and blueberry. The fauna is also very interesting, where birds of prey stand out, such as the kestrel, the tawny owl and the owl.

But what strikes the eye of those who climb for the first time the Hill of Superga is the Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, whose history is deeply connected to that of Turin and Piedmont.

To discover it, you have to go back in time, until 1706. The city is under siege by the army of the Sun King and the Piedmontese troops of the Duke of Savoy Vittorio Amedeo II, allied to the Austrians led by his cousin, the Prince Eugenio of Savoy-Soisson, are in great difficulty. The two cousins, climbed on the hill to observe the battlefield from above, identify in the bed of the Dora river in dry a weak point of the enemies, where they can attack them from behind. But it is not enough, and the Duke makes a vow:  in case of victory, he would have built in that place a large church in honor of the Virgin. The battle was very hard. Perhaps it was the new strategy, or the sacrifice of Pietro Micca, exploded together with the military fortress of Turin, or the intervention of the Madonna; certainly the French were defeated and the city was saved. Vittorio Amedeo II, from that moment nicknamed “the Savoy Fox”, became the first King of the House of Savoy but did not forget the promise made.

In 1731 the monumental Sanctuary was inaugurated, born from the project of the most famous architect of the time: Filippo Juvarra. A masterpiece of the Baroque style, with its gigantic dome and the sculptures in marble from Carrara; underground, in the Royal Tombs, some of the biggest names of the House of Savoy rest.

Behind the church, reachable walking around, the monument to the soccer team of Grande Torino stands; they were all star players, also employed in the National Team. They tragically disappeared, together with the staff and the crew, on May 4, in 1949, when the plane that was taking them home from Lisbon crashed into the embankment of the Basilica, leaving no survivors.

The “Superga Vezzolano Crea” route is composed of 5 stages, including variations, whose data are visible on Piemonte Outdoor website.