Festival of Saints Vitale and Valeria

A festival of faith, art, and territory

The Festival of Saints Vitale and Valeria is the event with which Gorla Maggiore, in the Olona Valley (province of Varese), celebrates the saints to whom the ancient church on the hill is dedicated. Promoted by the Spazio Zero APS Association with the patronage of the Municipality, it is held on the first Sunday of May and combines a devotional dimension with a rich program of cultural, gastronomic, and family-friendly initiatives.

The hobbyist and artisan market

The heart of the festival is the craft market, featuring original creations by hobbyists and artisans: jewelry, resin works, candles, 3D action figures, and many other unique items. Along Via Roma and in the center, there are also food and wine tastings, with cured meats, cheeses, honey, and local flavors.

FAI visits to the little church and Vigna del Nando

Thanks to the collaboration with the FAI, guided tours (by reservation) are available to the charming medieval church of San Vitale and the nearby Vigna del Nando, the town's ancient vineyard. The route accompanies visitors from the church dedicated to the celebrated saints to the historic vineyard, on a panoramic journey through faith, landscape, and peasant memory. The cultural offering is enhanced by the opening of the church of San Carlo, which hosts an exhibition of paintings.

Many activities for children

A dedicated area for children features inflatables, softball sessions, and soap bubble shows. The Festival of Saints Vitale and Valeria is thus a complete day, capable of uniting the religious and peasant tradition of Gorla Maggiore with the rediscovery of its historical and landscape heritage, in the heart of the province of Varese.