Santa Giuletta, the toyland of Oltrepò Pavese

In the heart of the Oltrepò Pavese, where the vineyards draw the horizon and tradition mingles with ingenuity, lies Santa Giuletta, a surprising village, known for its wine vocation but also for a more playful side: that of dolls.
Yes, because this was – and in part still is – the ‘toyland’, defined in the 1950s as the Italian Nuremberg of dolls.

Two souls: Castle and Villa

The municipality of Santa Giuletta is divided into two parts: Villa, the modern area on the plain, and Castello, the older nucleus in the hills.
It is precisely this hilly area that makes Santa Giuletta a must for lovers of wine and the beauty of the vineyard landscape.

🍇 Speaking of viticulture, here’s a historical curiosity: it was here, in 1879, that the first Italian outbreak of downy mildew, a vine disease that caused enormous damage to the wine sector, was apparently discovered.

🏛️Già inhabited in pre-Roman times by Ligurians and Gauls, the area became a Roman garrison and was mentioned as Sancta Juleta in the 10th century. The name derives from Saint Julitta, a Greek martyr venerated together with her son Quirico.

Isimbardi Castle and the noble charm of the village

At the top of the hill, the Castello hamlet is home to an architectural gem: the Castello Isimbardi, transformed over time into a refined neoclassical palace with 3400 m² of floor space, a 40,000 m² park, ornate coffered ceilings, private chapel cellars-prisons probably dating back to before the 12th century and even an ice house.
Today it is privately owned, but is open for events and visits by appointment.

Not far away, in the hamlet of Monteceresino, stands the Sarolli-Griziotti tower, built by the Beccaria family.
With its stratifications – from the Roman pavement to the 16th-century cells – it is a journey through history.
It also houses a collection of Garibaldian memorabilia, donated by Garibaldi’s brother-in-arms, Giacomo Griziotti.

The Doll Museum: from Santa Giuletta to Argentina

🪆 The centre of Santa Giuletta’s identity is on the ground floor of the 18th-century town hall: it is the ‘Quirino Cristiani’ Museum of Dolls and Toys.
Cristiani, who was born here, was the pioneer of Argentine animation cinema, but it is to the whole community that we owe another great creative contribution: in 1933, Teresio Garbagna and Luigi Porcellana founded the first doll workshop.
This led to the creation of papier-mâché dolls, then polyethylene and vinyl dolls, the first walking doll and even a forerunner of Barbie.
In the 1960s, the Rossella factory made several versions of Topo Gigio, while in 1980 it produced Misha, mascot of the Moscow Olympics.
The museum, opened on 11 June 2005, exhibits hundreds of toys, materials, vintage catalogues and has a papier-mâché workshop. The municipal library is equipped for thematic exhibitions and research.

Churches: between sacred art and unexpected architecture

Santa Giuletta holds two main places of worship:

⛪the parish church of San Colombano (1953-54), decorated by Aldo Gentilini with stained glass windows by Father Costantino Ruggeri
🔔the ancient church of Santa Giulitta (11th cent.) in the hamlet of Castello, with a neo-Gothic bell tower and Carrara marble floors, housing Caravaggesque paintings.

Both testify to a deep connection between the village and spirituality.

Traditions, events and authentic flavours

Every year Santa Giuletta hosts events that tell of its creative and rural soul:

• Vintage doll and toy fair (2nd Sunday in May) 🪀
• Bellezze in bicicletta, a parade of historic bicycles from Santa Giuletta to Redavalle (1st Sunday in June) 🚲
• Feast of St Columba and blessing of new wine (last Sunday in November) 🍷

Absolutely not to be missed are the tagliatelle di Santa Giuletta, which originated in the 8th century as a diplomatic gesture between Piedmontese and Austrian officials visiting Marquis Lorenzo Isimbardi. This historic dish is offered at the Enolocanda 700.

Hospitality and local wineries:

The area is famous for its wines produced by the numerous local wineries and for its agritourisms, including:

• Agriturismo Corte Montini – www.cortemontini.it – historic wine-growing estate with agritourism
• 700 Enolocanda – www.700enolocanda.it – with organic wines, 0-km cuisine and 5 en-suite rooms
• Azienda Borgo Santuletta – https://borgosantuletta.com restaurant, winery, location with rooms and pool and experiences such as wine tasting, sunset aperitifs, activities in the vegetable garden and more
• Tenuta Isimbarda – www.isimbarda.com/azienda, a dream panorama to enjoy in total relaxation with a glass in hand, both in the outdoor garden and in the indoor hall
• La Tassera – www.latasseraoltrepo.com – charming location for weddings, private and corporate events
• La Casaia – www.lacasaia.it – with wine cellar, kitchen and beautiful terrace from which to admire the vineyards below and the surrounding hills while sipping wine
• Terre Bentivoglio – www.terrebentivoglio.it – a wine producer with a focus on inclusion, so much so that it applies to its bottles information written in Braille, the tactile alphabet dedicated to people who are blind or visually impaired.
• Cordero San Giorgio Wine – www.corderosangiorgio.wine – a noble and ancient estate with a crenellated tower in which to experience different desgustation routes
• La Costanza https://lacostanzavini.it/ Winery founded at the end of the 19th century and which in recent years has switched to organic regine
• Poderi Cignoli – https://cignolivini.it/ wine and jam producers
• Azienda Agricola Stefano Milanesi – www.stefanomilanesi.com – Since 2007, the company has been Bioagricert certified, but its winemaking tradition goes back as far as 1700
• La Travaglina – https://www.latravaglina.it – Organic winery organising tastings

Useful information

How to get to Santa Giuletta: located along the Via Emilia, the village is easily reached by car from Stradella or Broni.
Information centre:

• Municipality – tel. 0383 899141
• Museum visitable by appointment

This ancient village in the Oltrepò Pavese area is distinguished by its rich and remarkable wine production, the beauty of its estates, its history of ancient toys, and its breathtaking views.
A place to visit without haste, in which to stop and relax.