Viverone: Lake, Pile-Dwelling Village and Via Francigena

If you are looking for a hotel in Viverone, you can plan your trip around three specific local points of interest: Lake Viverone, the Vi1-Emissario pile-dwelling village and the Via Francigena. They represent different areas of interest: the lake and landscape, archaeological history, or a route through Viverone. The information below will help you distinguish between these themes.

Lake Viverone: size, origin and protected status

Lake Viverone is the third-largest lake in Piedmont and is of glacial origin. Since 2005, it has been recognized as a Site of Community Importance under code IT1110020.

This information places the lake in context in different ways: its ranking describes its position in Piedmont, its glacial origin explains how it formed, and the code identifies its protected-area designation. These details offer different perspectives for planning a trip—regional comparison, geological background and formal recognition as a Site of Community Importance. This means the lake is more than just its size.

Pile-dwelling history and UNESCO World Heritage status

The Vi1-Emissario di Viverone pile-dwelling village has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011 and dates to 1450 BC. The dates answer different questions: 2011 marks its inclusion on the World Heritage List, while 1450 BC is the archaeological dating of the village. This distinguishes its recognition as a World Heritage Site from the age of the settlement.

The Centro di Documentazione del Lago di Viverone displays archaeological finds from the Bronze Age and offers a tour on the history of the pile-dwelling settlement. The exhibition focuses on the finds, while the tour focuses on the settlement’s history. Together, they offer different ways to explore the subject: archaeological objects and the history of the pile-dwelling settlement.

The Bronze Age finds also provide a distinct point of reference: the pile-dwelling village dates to 1450 BC, while the finds at the Centro are from the Bronze Age. This helps distinguish the dating of the settlement from the period represented by the objects on display.

Municipal visitor information, updated on November 29, 2025, lists the Centro’s opening hours as Sundays from June to October, except August, from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Check the current hours before visiting.

Via Francigena and boat service

The Via Francigena through Viverone is intended for people traveling on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. If the route shapes your stay, you can use these three ways of traveling as a starting point for planning your own trip.

A boat service connects Viverone Lido with the ports in the hamlets of Masseria, Comuna and Anzasco. While the Via Francigena information lists ways of traveling, the boat service names specific destination ports. If you plan to use the service, check the timetable in advance.

Discover more destinations: Vivaro, Caprile, Romagnano, Netro, Bielmonte, Biella, Sandigliano, Magnano.

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