A crossroads of valleys, a puzzle of views, many colors: San Giovanni Bianco is closely reminiscent of Harlequin, the character from Italian popular theater who tradition says is linked to these lands.
The town’s historic center has remained virtually intact, still made up of old houses leaning against each other, separated only by narrow alleys.
As many as seven Romanesque bridges give the village its characteristic appearance; from the valley floor the view is priceless.
Finally, don’t miss the “Harlequin House” in the nearby hamlet of Oneta, a perfectly preserved 15th-century noble house where the character who inspired the famous theatrical mask is said to have lived.
If you happen to be in San Giovanni Bianco in the two weeks leading up to Easter, don’t miss a very heartfelt and scenic devotional festival: The Feast of the Holy Thorn.
In the beautiful parish church, a relic of the Holy Thorn, which the knight Vistallo Pignoni brought to San Giovanni Bianco after the battle of Fornivo on the Taro, in which he took part, has been kept since 1495.
Each year a large crowd attends the festival, during which the relic is carried in procession through the town; on the evening of the eve, characteristic bonfires are lit accompanied by a fireworks display, while the whole town is illuminated by thousands of candles and candle lights.