Sentieri e Pensieri
The literary festival in the heart of the Vigezzo Valley Alps
About Sentieri e Pensieri
A literary festival in the mountains of the Vigezzo Valley
Sentieri e Pensieri is the literary festival of Santa Maria Maggiore, the picturesque village in the Vigezzo Valley known as the "Valley of Painters," in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. Organized by the Municipality of Santa Maria Maggiore, the festival transforms Villa Antonia Park into a large open-air cultural salon for a week in late August, where writers, journalists, scientists, and experts engage with the public on literature and the major issues of our time.
Directed by Bruno Gambarotta
The soul of the festival is Bruno Gambarotta, a writer, journalist, and familiar face on Italian television and radio, who serves as its artistic director. Under his guidance, Sentieri e Pensieri has built a distinct identity over the years: high-level yet accessible meetings that bring voices from culture, science, and media—usually heard only in major cities—into the heart of the Alps. Throughout its history, the festival has hosted over 250 guests, becoming a landmark event for the cultural summer in Piedmont.
A week of meetings at Villa Antonia
The heart of the festival is the stage set up in Villa Antonia Park, in the center of Santa Maria Maggiore (in case of bad weather, events move to the Municipal Theater). Each day offers multiple sessions, featuring book presentations, dialogues on current affairs, scientific outreach, and moments dedicated to younger audiences. Alongside the main program, a temporary bookshop allows visitors to purchase books by guest authors and meet them for signings.
Culture accessible to everyone
One of the hallmarks of Sentieri e Pensieri is its accessibility: all meetings are free to attend, with booking recommended given the high turnout (the last edition recorded approximately 10,000 attendees). The festival is thus not only an opportunity for cultural enrichment but also a driver for tourism in Santa Maria Maggiore and the entire Vigezzo Valley, which comes alive in late August with readers, curious visitors, and enthusiasts arriving from all over Piedmont and beyond.
Sentieri e Pensieri — edition 2026
The fourteenth edition of Sentieri e Pensieri takes place in Santa Maria Maggiore from August 18 to 25, 2026, for the tenth consecutive year under the artistic direction of Bruno Gambarotta. The program offers twenty events with over twenty-five guests, including writers, journalists, essayists, and scientists, on the stage of Villa Antonia Park. All meetings are free to attend with booking recommended. New features this year include the morning press review on August 22 and 23, the "Sentieri e Pensieri 2.0" section dedicated to younger audiences, and the morning "BassaParola" sessions.
Programme Sentieri e Pensieri 2026
The dates
The festival opens on August 18 and continues until August 25, 2026, with twenty events in Villa Antonia Park.
Announced guests
Among the protagonists of this edition: Stefania Auci (opening), Carmen Lasorella, Matteo Bussola, Carlo Cottarelli, Benedetta Tobagi, Daniele Mencarelli, Pegah Moshir Pour, Sandra Bonzi, the meeting with Ninna Quario and Federica Brignone, as well as the preview day with Raimondo Caliari and Luca Calzolari.
Non-fiction and current affairs
- Davide Casaleggio — "The 7 Revolutions of Artificial Intelligence"
- Aldo Grasso — "Dear Television"
- Roberta Villa and Beatrice Mautino — meetings dedicated to science and medicine
Morning press review
New for the 2026 edition: Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, a morning press review with Davide Giacalone (RTL 102.5), Tommaso Cerno, and RTL 102.5 speakers Giusi Legrenzi and Massimo Lo Nigro, with "incursions" by Bruno Gambarotta.
Santa Maria Maggiore Podcast Award
During the festival, the fifth Santa Maria Maggiore Podcast Award will be presented, with the recording of an original episode during the ceremony. Participants include chemist and popularizer Ruggero Rollini, with the participation of Dario Bressanini.
Special sections
- Sentieri e Pensieri 2.0 — a section dedicated to younger audiences, with contemporary themes and social media coverage
- BassaParola — morning sessions curated by Roberto Bassa
Highlights Sentieri e Pensieri 2026
- Opening with Stefania Auci and a week of twenty events
- Notable guests: Carlo Cottarelli, Carmen Lasorella, Benedetta Tobagi, Matteo Bussola
- Davide Casaleggio on artificial intelligence and Aldo Grasso on television
- The new morning press review on August 22 and 23
- The fifth Santa Maria Maggiore Podcast Award with Ruggero Rollini and Dario Bressanini
Prices Sentieri e Pensieri 2026
Practical information — Sentieri e Pensieri
Where it takes place
The meetings are held on the stage at Villa Antonia Park, in the center of Santa Maria Maggiore (VB). In case of bad weather, events are moved to the Municipal Theater.
Admission and booking
All meetings are free to attend. Given the high turnout, booking via the official municipal website is recommended.
How to get there
Santa Maria Maggiore is located in the Vigezzo Valley, accessible by car from the A26 motorway (Verbania/Gravellona Toce exit) and via the scenic Vigezzina-Centovalli railway from Domodossola.
Contacts
Santa Maria Maggiore Tourist Office — tel. +39 0324 95091 — [email protected]
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Sentieri e Pensieri
Parco di Villa Antonia
Parco di Villa Antonia, 28857 Santa Maria Maggiore