Attractions and Places To See around Balmuccia - Top 20

Chapel, refuge and on the left, the white dot, is the summit cross.

The German-language television series "Treasures of the World - Heritage of Humanity" – which I highly recommend – is dedicated to short film segments on UNESCO World Heritage sites from all continents and eras. This includes the "Sacri Monti" in northern Italy (there are eight of these "Sacred Mountains" in Piedmont, and a ninth in Lombardy), which are presented to culture-loving viewers in a 15-minute segment. This can be accessed in the ARD Media Library at the following link =>> https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/schaetze-der-welt/heilige-berge-in-piemont-italien-folge-396/3sat/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS84ODgxMzc2

My favorite route for both "training" climbs (when I was young) and, more frequently, to enjoy a climb all through the woods, therefore bearable even in July-August, with the arrival at the refuge that instead opens up to the eyes an unexpected panorama over a good stretch of the lower Valsesia. The climb to the summit, behind the refuge, then reveals, on clear days, M. Rosa and many other peaks. I tried two excursions, starting from the refuge. The first, continue to sella Vazzosa (short exposed sections, be very careful!) and then to Massale, then always on a trail on the crest to Castello del Gavala, there be very careful for short exposed sections and to find the right passage to descend from the summit to the path just below that will lead to Luotto and finally to Tovo or even just to sella Rosetta, and then go to the Gilodi-Ca'Mea refuge. Many km and altitude difference (1700 m approx.), to be organized in company and with two cars, one in Casavei and the other in Ca' Mea, with a lot of necessary training. An easier tour of approx. 1050 m of altitude difference, but which requires a good sense of direction, maps and GPS, is to go down the southern ridge in front of the Spanna refuge, always continue without going down the sides, paying attention to some rare paint on the trunks, until you come across a dirt road at an altitude of 1250, at the hairpin bend, not far from Alpe Passarina. From there the dirt road leads to Sella di Parone and finally to Casavei, altitude difference reduced to approx. 850 m. But at that storm the adventure becomes beautiful by leaving the dirt road and taking a path, always vs. south and remaining on the crest (wooded), which leads below partly maintained and partly ruined mountain pastures, first to Arcacce, from which you leave the crest to turn left and then find Tereggia, Pometto, Uccello alps, descending to the dirt road of Pra Personale that leads to Locarno, from there go back up to Casavei, and it is this climb to Casavei/Narpone that brings the difference in altitude to about 1050-1060 m Almost absolutely to be done with those who have already done this descent as it is easy to get lost. I did it and discovered it a first time with a few mistakes and retraced my steps to then find the right passages, all easy and always on wooded slopes, since then I have memorized it and once every year or two it gives me great satisfaction to do this ring again. Get a Geo4Map map n.2

The sacred mountain presents itself as a fascinating garden-park and a majestic rural Via Crucis, which winds along the slope of a hill. At the same time, it resembles a fortified city, with mighty walls, a monumental entrance gate and two squares that evoke ancient Jerusalem. However, people do not live here, but paintings and statues. On this rocky spur above Varallo, at the end of the 15th century, the Franciscan friar Bernardino Caimi designed a small holy land: a series of rural buildings that reproduce the most significant places in the life of Christ, animated by sculpted and painted scenes, created starting in 1486.

I don't count the times... everything is easy, pay attention from the refuge to the summit, a few meters here and there of steep rock, no stumbling or getting distracted, very dangerous. Done well, however, it is for everyone. I have done the return trip several times along the southern ridge, right in front of the refuge, rare signs for almost 400 meters of altitude difference, stay on the ridge on the back of the ridge until you exit at 1250 meters of altitude on the road that ends on the right at Alpe Passarina and on the left goes down to Selle di Parone and further on to Casavei. Instead of going down the road, I have taken the path several times (on the hairpin bend where it comes out) that, here too, staying on the back of the ridge, turning left when it ends, and paying attention to the few signs on the plants, goes down to the ancient Arcacce Alps, then Pometto (ruins), Uccello (ruins), Pra, where the dirt road begins and some renovated farmhouses, then Parone etc.

The patronage of this shrine, dedicated to the Madonna, refers to the town of LORETO. This is one of the large and important Marian pilgrimage sites in Europe, along with LOURDES in the French Pyrenees and FATIMA in Portugal. Unlike the other two places mentioned, however, Loreto is not known for apparitions of the Mother of God. Here, pilgrims can show something very tangible: Mary's childhood home in Nazareth (Israel). Her parents - not mentioned by name in the biblical writings of the New Testament - are mentioned in apocryphal traditions: Saint ANNA and Saint JOACHIM are thus the grandparents of Jesus Christ (their common memorial day in the calendar of saints is July 26). When the time of the Christian kingdoms in the Holy Land came to an end towards the end of the 13th century, crusaders probably dismantled the venerated building in Nazareth and brought it to Europe. But this very sober assumption is contradicted by a much more interesting legend: According to it, four angels carried out the translation and flew the house over the Mediterranean.

A place of worship and prayer.

The chapel of the Madonna di Loreto stands in an isolated position upon entering Varallo. It is of particular artistic interest for the elegance of its Renaissance architecture and for the extensive external and internal decorative apparatus. Some of these decorations are the work of Gaudenzio Ferrari, executed between 1514 and 1521.