The closest town to the Sacra di San Michele is Sant’Ambrogio di Torino, located about an hour away from Turin by train. I travelled there in November and had to go by train because, according to the abbey’s official website, a shuttle bus linking Turin and the Sacra di San Michele only runs until 26 October. Once this service stopped operating, the train became the only practical option for me. An easier option for drivers would be by car, it is a road going there from Avigliana.

From Sant’Ambrogio station I walked up to the abbey. If I remember correctly, Google Maps estimated about an hour and a half on foot, but in reality the route felt longer. I had seen on the map that the path was very winding, but I had not imagined such a steep ascent. As you can see from the cover photo of this article, the slope is quite significant and the climb is demanding, though still manageable for anyone in average physical condition. I did not use any trekking sticks or hiking poles, or any other equipment, and it was perfectly doable. It took me a little over two hours, partly because I was hurrying to reach Mass in the chapel, which finished around twelve or half past twelv

My haste made the path feel harder than it really was. The trail runs through the forest and along the way there are fifteen crosses. I do not know if they are spaced at equal intervals, but they are numbered with Roman numerals from I to XV. Do not be fooled when you reach Cross no. XV: the ascent is not over and the trail is not yet finished. That point is only about three quarters of the way. To enter the monastery you need to buy a ticket at the entrance, which cost around seven or eight euros when I visited.

After passing through the gateway there is another long flight of steps to climb. Then, on the way up to the church, there is a further staircase that I found particularly striking because the steps appear to be carved directly into the rock. The stairwell is not built of masonry; it is simply raw rock, a rocky wall that gives the impression of walking into the very heart of the mountain.

The church itself is more richly decorated than St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall. It features a statue of Saint Michael the Archangel, as well as many icons on the back walls and one or two tombs inside. From the church you go down into an inner courtyard. I am not entirely sure where the chapel is located: although I had a map, I did not manage to find it in time for Holy Communion and, because I was in a hurry, I missed a little of the beauty of the place.

I was lucky that the heavy rain began while I was inside the church, so I did not get too wet. From the terraces of the abbey you can admire the landscape from above. The view is absolutely superb. In November, the surrounding deciduous forest is painted in shades from green to yellow, red and brown, creating a beautiful, soft palette of colours. The villages in the valley are also very picturesque from up there, with houses mostly roofed in red tiles that stand out vividly against the green slopes of the mountain.

On the opposite side of the valley, facing the abbey, there are high mountains often shrouded in cloud. A local told me that there are also interesting tourist attractions on that side. If you want to plan a longer hiking route in the area, there are several points of interest. In Sant’Ambrogio I saw a map showing a trail of about forty kilometres, if I remember correctly, that includes the Sacra di San Michele and other local sights, with two or three variants of different lengths.

On the way back down from the mountain I stopped at the church of Sant’Ambrogio, which is remarkably beautiful. I felt an extraordinary sense of peace there. It has lovely paintings, stained-glass windows and statues, and an atmosphere of deep calm. I even recorded a short video, saying that if peace could be located in one place, named, felt, smelled and tasted, then for me that church would be the very definition of peace. If you have the opportunity to visit it, do so.

A sacred place concentrates a very special kind of energy. Everything you do there, and everything you spend there, helps to strengthen your connection with the spirit of the place and, in this case, with Archangel Michael.

When you arrive, buy candles, light them, and set your intentions as you do so: for your ancestors, your parents, your teachers, for Archangel Michael, and for the people and situations you carry in your heart. Eat there, sleep in the area, allow yourself to support the local businesses and, at the same time, the spirits of the place. All the effort and all the expenses of this pilgrimage – the journey itself, the days you dedicate, the money you invest to get there and stay there – are part of tightening your bond with Archangel Michael.

It is helpful, even before you leave home, to offer to Archangel Michael the gifts and blessings you hope to receive from this journey. In this way you invite him to walk with you, to open your path, to remove from it those obstacles that are allowed to be removed. The others will remain, because they are the lessons you need to live and learn during this pilgrimage.

Before you set out, ask for the blessing of the spirits of the place: ask them to receive your prayers, to guide you in what you have to learn and what you have to do there. In this way, your trip becomes not just a visit, but a true spiritual journey.