Trecate: Churches, Villa Cicogna and the Sentiero Novara

Churches and historic center

Trecate’s history is particularly evident in the religious buildings in the town center. The Chiesa di San Cassiano in the historic center dates back to the Middle Ages. The Parrocchia Santa Maria Vergine Assunta also stands in the heart of the historic center; its façade is designed in the Neoclassical style. Medieval heritage and Neoclassical architecture thus meet here.

The Chiesa di San Francesco was consecrated in 1514, after an earlier chapel dedicated to Santa Barbara had been remodeled. In the presbytery, frescoes by Cerano depict Saul’s fall and the restoration of his eyesight by Saul.

The Oratorio del Gonfalone is located next to the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta and preserves an altarpiece created by Cerano, dated after 1617. Sacred art in Trecate can thus be traced through several independent buildings and works.

Villa Cicogna and landscaped open spaces

Another side of Trecate can be seen at Villa Cicogna. It is an example of 18th-century architecture and houses the municipal library, which has been located there since 2002. The Parco Cicogna surrounding the villa includes a green space with play equipment and large trees. The park also contains the Cortile delle Magnolie and an Italian-style garden.

Border history and paths along the Ticino

The location on the Ticino is also shaped by history. Under the Savoy dynasty, Trecate was a border town between Piedmont and Lombardy. A bridge and a customs office were established at the crossing over the Ticino. The river is therefore both a landscape feature and part of the town’s traditional history.

For those interested in nature and physical activity, Stage 9 of the Sentiero Novara offers a specific route: it is a Greenway that begins at the Ponte Ticino di San Martino in Trecate and ends in Galliate. Most of it runs through the Parco Naturale del fiume Ticino. The stage thus connects the Ticino crossing in Trecate with Galliate.

Festivals, flavors and cultural program

The Chiesa di San Cassiano is considered a place of popular devotion and is associated with the feast of Saint Cassian. This feast is celebrated with masses, processions and other events. In culinary terms, the Sagra dell'Anatra represents stuffed duck; its recipe has been awarded the De.Co. designation. In Trecate, religious celebration and local specialty thus stand side by side as two distinct cultural points of connection.

As a specific date, the Fiera Agricola e Artigiana 2026 is scheduled for September 20, 2026, from 09:00 to 18:00 in Trecate. In addition, festivities in honor of the town’s patron saints Cassian and Clement are announced for the period from September 18 to September 21.

The Cine Teatro Silvio Pellico complements the cultural offerings with 499 seats in the stalls and gallery. As part of the Sipario Aperto program, free theater performances for the public, particularly older people, were scheduled there on Sunday afternoons at 4 p.m. The cultural spectrum thus extends from religious buildings and art to a theater program.

More destinations for your trip to Italy

More destinations for your trip to Italy: Marano Ticino, Casaleggio Novara, Castelletto Sopra Ticino, Grignasco, Oleggio Castello, Gozzano, Tornaco, Barengo.

To the main travel overview: Novara.