{"id":33012,"date":"2021-08-01T11:57:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-01T09:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bellitalie.org\/?post_type=destination&p=33012"},"modified":"2026-10-07T22:09:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T20:09:03","slug":"valsesia","status":"publish","type":"destination","link":"https:\/\/www.bellitalie.org\/en\/destination\/piedmont\/valsesia\/","title":{"rendered":"Valsesia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Val Sesia towards Civiasco<\/p><\/div>\n

Less visited than the neighbouring Alpine valleys, the Valsesia<\/strong> nevertheless has interesting natural and cultural riches. It descends from the slopes of Monte Rosa<\/strong>, with several tributary valleys off the beaten track.
Its upper part is wild and marked by the Walser<\/strong> (who were a German-speaking people of Burgundian origin) where pastoral traditions and centuries-old wine production survive, partly within a nature park. The lower part has more artistic sites.
This region offers many hikes or mountain bike trails, with small Walser villages, and whose main town Varallo<\/strong>, lies at the boundary between the upper and lower valleys. The latter preserves a fine historical and artistic heritage, above all its famous Sacred Mount<\/strong>, but also the beautiful church of Santa Maria delle Grazie<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Sacred Mount of Varallo \"interest<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

The oldest of the Sacred Mounts<\/strong> is that of Varallo<\/strong>, founded in 1491, among the 9 Sacred Mounts of northern Italy inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, designed by the Milanese Franciscan Bernardino Caimi<\/strong> on his return from the Holy Land. The holy places of Palestine are symbolically recreated there, with 44 chapels decorated with frescoes and statues, as well as the basilica of the Assumption built from 1814, which is discovered along a path crossing the nature park with beautiful views over the valley. There are nearly 4,000 painted figures and nearly 800 very expressive painted wooden or terracotta statues representing scenes from the Gospels and from the life and Passion of Christ, made by local artists such as Gaudenzio Ferrari<\/strong> (early 16th century) or Francesco Mazzucchetti.
It can be reached by a path from Varallo, passing along the Way of the Cross, by car or by funicular.
Chapels 1 to 19 are at the heart of the reserve, while the following ones occupy the summit of the mount, which is designed like a small town with its squares, arcades and palaces.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"photo<\/a>
Chapel of the Sacred Mount<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"photo<\/a>
Sacred Mount of Varallo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"basilica-monte-sacro-di-varallo_6680\"<\/a>
Basilica of the Sacred Mount<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"cappelle-monte-sacro-di-varallo_6687\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"monte-sacro-di-varallo_6688\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"chapels-mount-sacred-of-varallo_6697\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n

Sites in Varallo<\/h2>\n