Nichelino

Nichelino lies immediately south of Turin, and its reason for travelling here has a name: Stupinigi. The Savoy hunting residence designed by Filippo Juvarra — a UNESCO World Heritage Site crowned by a bronze stag — anchors the town, while around it stretch the woods, meadows and wetlands of one of the largest protected areas on the edge of any Italian city.

Why visit

Most visitors come for the Hunting Lodge of Stupinigi, and rightly so: its soaring oval central hall and Rococo interiors are among the most theatrical spaces the House of Savoy ever commissioned. But Nichelino rewards a longer stay than a rushed half-day tour. Directly behind the palace, the Stupinigi Nature Park preserves the former royal hunting grounds as a mosaic of woodland, farmland and wetland, laced with walking and cycling routes that follow the ancient paths of the hunting parties. The combination — a baroque masterpiece and a Natura 2000 site in the same afternoon — is what sets this destination apart from the better-known Savoy residences inside Turin itself.

Character and history

Nichelino’s modern identity is that of a residential town grown up against Turin, but its historic heart is the borgo of Stupinigi, which grew around the palace. The land’s connection to the Savoy order goes back to 1573, when Emanuele Filiberto donated it to the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus; today the Fondazione Ordine Mauriziano still owns the residence. Construction of the Palazzina began in 1729 to Juvarra’s design and the main works were finished in 1733. It was conceived for the chase — the deer hunt of 1778 held for King Vittorio Amedeo III is one of the episodes evoked in the palace’s immersive displays — but it also staged dynastic celebrations, and Napoleon stayed here in 1805. In 1997 the residence entered the UNESCO listing of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy. Queen Margherita took tea here in 1909, a reminder of how long the palace remained a living royal setting.

What to see

The Palazzina’s visit route starts in the eighteenth-century Juvarra Stables, where Francesco Ladatte’s original bronze stag is displayed — the deer atop the roof lantern today is a copy — before opening into the apartments and the glittering Salone centrale. The Church of Sant’Uberto, the palatine chapel dedicated to the patron saint of hunters, stands within the palace complex, designed by Juvarra himself. Outside, the Historic Garden of the Stupinigi Palazzina restores the geometric parterres and avenues of the formal gardens; note it is a seasonal visit, open in the warmer months rather than year-round. The borgo around the palace keeps its own parish church, the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, while the modern quarters of Nichelino hold several twentieth-century parish churches, including the Church of the Most Holy Trinity and the Church of Madonna della Fiducia.

How to experience

Plan the palace first thing in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the busiest tour groups, and take the audio guide — it covers more than two dozen points across the apartments. Then cross into the park: rent a bike or simply follow the marked trails on foot, ideally at dusk when the wetlands are at their liveliest. The park authority runs guided excursions and themed events, worth checking when planning. A sensible day pairs Stupinigi with Turin’s other sights, since the two sit barely ten kilometres apart and connected by city transport. If you have a car, the combined Ordine Mauriziano ticket links Stupinigi with two further Piedmontese monuments, the Abbey of Staffarda and the Priory of Sant’Antonio di Ranverso, both within easy driving range.

Practical planning

Nichelino is reached from central Turin by tram and bus routes in roughly twenty to thirty minutes, making it one of the easiest Savoy sites to visit without a car. The Palazzina’s standard pattern is closure on Mondays, with longer hours at weekends; the historic garden follows a roughly March-to-October season and winter closures. Because hours, tickets and event programmes change, confirm details on the Fondazione Ordine Mauriziano website and the park authority’s site before travelling. The municipal tourism pages (comune.nichelino.to.it) list local services. Comfortable shoes serve you well: the palace route involves long galleries, and the park trails are unpaved. Food options cluster around the borgo of Stupinigi and along the main roads toward Turin.

Nearby places

• Turin — the regional capital, with the royal palace, museums and dining, ten kilometres north.
• Venaria Reale — the grandest Savoy residence and its gardens, on Turin’s north-west edge.
• Rivoli — a hillside town west of Turin with a Savoy castle housing contemporary art.