Ossola

<< Piedmont

Ossola is a valley located in the Province of Verbano–Cusio-Ossola, west of Lake Maggiore and north of Lake Orta. The valley is crossed by the river Toce, and its most important city is Domodossola. Other intersting attractions can be found in various smaller towns among the mountains and in the lateral valleys. Ossola is also known for the Republic of Ossola, a partisan republic established here during World War II.

Domodossola

Domodossola is the main center of Ossola, a valley crossed by the river Toce in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. The town was founded in prehistoric times by the Lepontii people and later became a Roman city. For centuries ruled by other local powers, Domodossola became an important trading post because of its proximity to the Simplon Tunnel, which connects the town with Switzerland. During World War II Domodossola was briefly the capital of an autonomous partisan republic that resisted the Nazi-Fascist occupation.

Sacro Monte Calvario di Domodossola

The Sacro Monte Calvario di Domodossola is one of the Sacri Monti, a series of religious complexes erected on the mountains between Piedmont and Lombardy. The sanctuary was erected starting in the 17th century on a mountain overlooking Domodossola, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The complex includes a series of chapels adorned with various sculptures, frescoes, and other artworks. The main church features rich Baroque decorations.

Palazzo di Città

Palazzo di Città is the town hall of Domodossola, erected in the 19th century. During World War II it was the seat of a free partisan republic. A hall in the palace, known as Sala Storica della Resistenza (“Historic Hall of the Resistenza”) now serves as a museum, hosting a series of objects and memorabilia linked with the local resistance against the Nazi-Fascist occupation.

Palazzo Silva

Palazzo Silva is a historic palace in Domodossola, originally erected in the Late Middle Ages and reworked during the Renaissance. The palace now hosts a museum featuring a collection of local artworks, archaeological findings, ancient weapons, traditional objects, and more.

Piazza del Mercato

Piazza del Mercato is a historic square located in the center of Domodossola. The plaza is surrounded by many traditional porticoed buildings, and to this day it is still the site of the local weekly market.

Ornavasso

Ornavasso is a small town in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. It is best known for the two necropolises unearthed near the town.

Museo del Paesaggio – Enrico Bianchetti Archaeological Section

The archaeological section of the Museo del Paesaggio of Verbania is located in the town hall of Ornavasso. This museum hosts a rich collection of ancient objects found in the two necropolises located around the town, which belonged to the Lepontii people that once inhabited the area. The archaeological findings are dated between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE.

Macugnaga

Macugnaga is a municipality in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola formed by a few mountain villages. The area is known as a ski resort, and it is a popular tourist destination thanks to its position just below Monte Rosa, the second highest mountain in the Alps.

Old Walser House Museum of Borca

The Old Walser House Museum of Borca (Museo Antica Casa Walser di Borca/Alts Walserhüüs Van Zer Burfuggu) is a ethnographic museum located in Borca, a village forming part of the municipality of Macugnaga. The museum hosts a large collection of traditional objects showcasing the life and history of the Walser people, a German-speaking community that has inhabited the area for centuries. The exhibition is hosted inside a 17th-century Walser house.

Valle Vigezzo

Valle Vigezzo is an alpine valley in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, which extends east from Domodossola toward Switzerland. The valley is known for its natural beauty but also for being the birthplace of many painters and chimney sweeps.

Chimney Sweep Museum

The Chimney Sweep Museum (Museo dello Spazzacamino) is a unique museum dedicated to the many chimney sweeps, usually children, who learned the job in Valle Vigezzo before emigrating all over Europe. The museum is located in Santa Maria Maggiore and houses a collection of objects and memorabilia showcasing the history of the chimney sweeps of Valle Vigezzo.

Sanctuary of Madonna del Sangue

The Sanctuary of Madonna del Sangue (Santuario della Madonna del Sangue) is a large Byzantine Revival church located in Re. Erected during the 20th century, the sanctuary is a pilgrimage site, hosting a fresco of the Madonna that supposedly started bleeding after being hit with a rock in 1494.

Valle Antigorio

Valle Antigorio is a valley among the Alps in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. The valley is crossed by the Toce river and extends north from Domodossola, before contunuing toward Formazza. Valle Antigorio is known for its thermal resorts in Crodo and Premia.

Church of San Gaudenzio

The Church of San Gaudenzio is a Romanesque-Gothic church in Baceno. Erected during the Late Middle Ages and later expanded, it features a rich series of frescoes covering all the interiors, while another large fresco adorns its facade.

Uriezzo Gorges

The Uriezzo Gorges (Orridi di Uriezzo) is a series of caves and gorges located between Baceno and Premia. The area features a series of interesting rock formations carved by the movements of water and ice during the last Ice Age.

Formazza

Formazza is the northernmost town in Piedmont, part of the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. The small village is located in a valley among the Alps, which extends north from another valley, Valle Antigorio.

Cascata del Toce

Also kwown as: La Frua

Cascata del Toce is a tall waterfall formed by the Toce river north of Formazza. With a vertical drop of 143 meters and a 60-meter-wide base, it is one of the largest and most spectacular waterfalls in the Alps. However, the waterfall is visible only for a few hours a day during summer, as for most of the time its water is blocked by a nearby dam.