Zimone: Churches, forest paths and landscapes

Zimone lies between the moraine ridges and hollows shaped by the Serra. The houses grouped around the church stand on a watershed; green forests and vineyards surround the village. Views stretch to Lake Viverone and the Canavese area. Sacred buildings dating back several centuries, forest paths and the surrounding landscape offer different ways to make the most of a stay. Whether you are interested in local history, outdoor activities or the region’s natural environment, you can get to know Zimone from different perspectives.

Churches and local history

The parish church of San Giorgio is dedicated to Saint George and dates back to the 17th century. Above the village, the 16th-century Cappella di San Grato stands on a hill. The monastic cell of San Michele di Bellino was built in the 12th century and cared for by the Black Benedictines. Together, these three sacred buildings span different historical periods: San Michele is part of the monastic history, while San Giorgio and San Grato are other religious buildings in Zimone.

The Ecomuseo Valle Elvo e Serra is also located in the village, near the Chiesa di San Rocco. The parish church, chapel, monastic cell and ecomuseum each represent different aspects of Zimone’s history and cultural life. If you are planning your stay around these themes, you will find specific places here, each of which can be explored in a different context.

The local history also includes a historic road connection. Zimone lay at the starting point of a high-altitude road that linked the Biella hinterland with the Via Francigena and the Strada delle Gallie. This connection adds a perspective on the village’s former importance in relation to transport routes to its architectural and monastic history.

Forest paths and routes to Zimone

The forest paths around Zimone offer opportunities for walks through the green landscape. These paths can also be used for horseback riding and mountain biking. So, alongside a stay focused on the churches, there are activities to choose from in the surrounding area. The forests and vineyards that define the settlement’s setting give these paths a connection to the landscape; the type of activity that interests you can shape the focus of your stay.

Another route description concerns the St. Charles's Way: it leads to Zimone along a mule track. This mule track begins near Roc della Strega. This describes a specific route to Zimone, while the forest paths around the village offer opportunities for walking, horseback riding and mountain biking. The two descriptions help distinguish the different route options without presenting them as a single offering.

Landscape and regional history

The Parco Regionale della Bessa regional park is located near Zimone. Gold was mined in the Elvo and Olobbia streams there in Roman and pre-Roman times. The waste material was moved by hand, creating a rolling plateau with piles of rubble up to 15 to 20 metres high. The Bessa landscape adds an area shaped by former gold mining to the forests and vineyards around Zimone. It also brings together two different themes: the region’s natural environment and the history of work along the streams.

Local traditions

The Fagiolata tradition in Zimone dates back to 1842. At Il Cantavino, visitors can sample different wines and drink them in larger quantities. A cup is purchased at the various entrances for this purpose. Il Cantavino also includes a traditional barefoot grape-treading competition. The wine tasting and the competition give the festival different focuses: it is both about sampling different wines and about a traditional way of handling grapes. Together with the Fagiolata, these customs offer another glimpse of local life, alongside the sacred buildings and the opportunities to explore the landscape on footpaths.

Discover more destinations: Bielmonte, Tollegno, Romagnano, Donato, Portula, Cerrione, Campiglia Cervo, Viverone

See the main travel overview: Biella.