The second course for volunteer hospitaleros took place in Turin on the last weekend of February 2026.
The historic complex that hosted us is the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary with its Cistercian monastery founded in 1617, near the ancient Mirafiori Castle. The monastery currently offers lodging to groups of young people and pilgrims walking from Montgenèvre to Rome and back to Santiago de Compostela.
The 15 new participants, accompanied by a group of experienced volunteers, spent a weekend experiencing traditional hospitality and exploring the many facets of life as a hospitalero. They also visited the air raid shelters in the church’s basement, which protected the neighborhood’s residents during World War II.
The meeting provided a further opportunity to discuss the Camino de Santiago and the pilgrimage route, renewing their commitment to hospitality.
Like the new aspiring hospitaleri, the training team—Laura, Marinella, Angelo, Barbara, José Luis, Marcella and Umberto—and the interns, Emilio, Ornella, and Giovanni, will be engaged in service both in Italy along the Via Francigena and in Spain along the Camino de Santiago.
Thank you all for your hard work and dedication, without which it would be difficult to maintain the spirit of hospitality in the hostels.