Ossola Valleys

Val d’Ossola, a wide valley near Lake Maggiore, can easily be reached by car or by train. It is made up of seven small valleys, which surround the Ossola plain.
Among the numerous villages with a long history, the most famous is Vogogna, with an enchanting castle built by the Visconti family.

The administrative “capital” of the Ossola area is Domodossola. Above it towers Sacro Monte Calvario, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The valleys surrounding the plain are areas of outstanding natural beauty. Val Vigezzo is known as the “Valley of Painters” whereas Valle Anzasca, at the foot of Mount Rosa, boasts of a traditional Walser culture that has been passed down from generation to generation by its inhabitants. The beautiful Antigorio, Divedro and Formazza valleys also have plenty to offer, such as the Premia Thermal Baths (one of the largest wellness centres in northern Italy), a good number of skiing resorts and the impressive Toce waterfall. Valle Antrona is the “wildest” of the Ossola valleys and Val Bognanco has thermal waters.

Last, but not least, is Val Grande, the largest wilderness area in the Alps.