Incontri al Castello
The cultural festival at the Castello Consortile in Buronzo
About Incontri al Castello
A year of culture at the Buronzo Castle
In the small town of Buronzo, located in the Province of Vercelli in the agricultural heart of Piedmont, the Castello Consortile opens its doors for Incontri al Castello, a widespread cultural festival that accompanies the public from September through June. The formula is simple yet refined: one date and one event each month to discover, at a slow pace, one of the most fascinating fortified complexes in the Vercelli region.
The Castello Consortile, a unique site in Italy
The manor of Buronzo is not like other castles: born as a shared residence among different branches of the same family, the Lords of Buronzo, it is a complex weave of buildings, courtyards, and towers that tells centuries of history. The festival's tours lead guests through Baroque frescoed halls, medieval remains, and the large top-floor loggia, reaching areas normally off-limits, such as the Cesone residence with its painting cycle inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses.
Tours that become performances
The great innovation of the festival is the transformation of guided tours into true experiences: the themed routes are enriched by musical and theatrical moments, featuring Renaissance guitar, historical storytelling, and readings that balance between documentation and popular legend. Thanks to the collaboration with the owners, guests gain access to private areas of the castle and, on certain dates, to other manors in the area between the Vercelli and Biella territories.
Culture, rice, and the territory
Each appointment connects the castle with the surrounding landscape: from photographic exhibitions dedicated to rice paddies to multisensory paths on rice culture, from walks in the village and hamlets like San Damiano di Carisio to treasure hunts for children. It is a way to explore the history, art, and traditions of this corner of Piedmont together.
Organizers
The festival is promoted by the Municipal Administration of Buronzo together with the Associazione Amici del Castello di Buronzo and local volunteers, with the support of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Vercelli.
Incontri al Castello — edition 2026
The 2025-26 festival opens on Sunday, September 21, 2025, with the reopening of the Castello Consortile and closes on Sunday, June 7, 2026, with one event each month. Each appointment combines a themed guided tour of the castle and village with musical and theatrical moments and access to private rooms of the manor.
Among the richest appointments of the season: April 12, 2026 with "The castle and the farmsteads", May 10, 2026 dedicated to the culture of rice and the village of Arborio, and June 7, 2026 with the path themed around ghosts and legends. A widespread photographic exhibition, "A look at rice", accompanies several spring dates.
Programme Incontri al Castello 2026
Sunday, September 21, 2025 — Reopening
- 3:30 PM — Guided tour on the theme of rice (€7)
- 5:00 PM — Conference by Prof. Enzo Givone "The Lords of Buronzo and their castle", followed by a celebratory toast (free admission)
Exhibitions set up: Rice paddies: a journey through images (Maria Teresa Giuliano, Giuseppe Mencarini, Gian Paolo Montagner, Spiros) and BioArt (Angiolina farmstead and Sophie Bourkab's studio).
Sunday, April 12, 2026 — "The castle and the farmsteads"
- 3:00 PM — Themed tour "What a good head of the family: the castle and its lands" with Renaissance music; curated by Gabriele Ardizio, guitar by Edoardo Tritto. Extraordinary access to the Cesone residence with the painting cycle inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses (€7)
- 3:30 PM — Treasure hunt for children with face painting and snack (free)
- 5:00 PM — Walk to San Damiano di Carisio with historical narration by Pier Emilio Calliera
On display is the photographic exhibition A look at rice (April 12 and 26, May 10).
Sunday, May 10, 2026 — Rice culture
- Multisensory path dedicated to the culture of rice and the roots of the territory, with the Castello Consortile and the village of Arborio as protagonists
Sunday, June 7, 2026 — Spirits and ghosts
- 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM — Themed tour "Souls in pain… spirits and ghosts in the castles between the Vercelli and Biella areas", curated by Gabriele Ardizio, between historical documentation and popular legend (€7)
- 3:00 PM — Literary meeting: presentation of the book "I listened to my voice" with the author Paola Nicolai (free admission)
Highlights Incontri al Castello 2026
Prices Incontri al Castello 2026
Practical information — Incontri al Castello
Location
Castello Consortile di Buronzo, Via Chiesa, 13040 Buronzo (VC), Piedmont.
When
One event per month from September to June, mainly on Sunday afternoons (3:00 PM and 4:30 PM).
Tickets
Themed guided tours: 7 euros (admission + tour). Exhibitions, conferences, children's treasure hunts, and literary meetings: free admission.
Reservations
Booking is highly recommended for themed tours. Info: [email protected].
How to get there
Buronzo is located in the Vercelli plains, reachable by car from the A4 and A26 motorway exits; the village is well-connected to Vercelli, Biella, and Santhià.
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Where does it take place — Incontri al Castello
Castello Consortile di Buronzo
Via Chiesa, 13040 Buronzo