Discover Borgomanero

If you’re looking for a hotel in Borgomanero, you can plan your trip around your interests, such as church history, historic buildings, Villa Marazza or local cuisine. The Cammino delle Colline Novaresi pilgrimage route, which leads to Borgomanero, is another way to explore the area; you can walk or cycle along it. The following topics offer concrete starting points for deciding what you’d like to explore further in Borgomanero.

Church history and medieval painting

The Oratorio di San Leonardo is Borgomanero’s oldest church and was already the town’s first parish church in the first half of the 12th century. Its original 13th-century frescoes depict Christ Pantocrator, the Evangelists, the twelve Apostles and the months of the year. The paintings thus bring together religious figures and depictions of the yearly cycle. Two time periods are of interest when placing them in context: the oratory’s early role in the town’s history and the specific imagery of the later frescoes.

Two distinct towers

The Torre della Baraggiola was built in the 10th century, during the Ottonian period. It is now 21 metres high, with walls 120 centimetres thick. The tower was used for observation and signalling as part of the town’s defences. Its height, wall thickness and function together give a clear picture of its defensive character.

The Torre di Caristo represents a different architectural focus. It stands on the southern edge of Borgomanero, on the border with Cressa, and retains the characteristics of an enclosed farmhouse complex. Unlike the Baraggiola tower, with its observation and signalling role, this site reflects the character of a rural farmstead. Those interested in architectural history can therefore explore two different perspectives: a defensive function on the one hand, and the surviving features of a farmhouse complex on the other.

Villa Marazza, the library and the park

Villa Marazza is a prototype of a rural aristocratic residence in the Novara countryside. The Biblioteca di Villa Marazza holds more than 110,000 volumes, including around 30,000 old and rare books dating from the 14th to the 19th century. Collection figures may change over time. Comparing the building’s character with its collection offers two different ways to explore Villa Marazza’s cultural significance: the architecture of a rural aristocratic residence and an extensive book collection.

The Parco di Villa Marazza is a public park with an equipped children’s area. Its grounds are home to centuries-old oak and chestnut trees. If you distinguish between the collection and the park, the park’s old trees and children’s area take centre stage, while the library is defined by its collection of books and their historical range. This lets you focus on different aspects according to your interests, without treating them as the same visitor experience.

A route on foot or by bicycle

The Cammino delle Colline Novaresi is a pilgrimage route that leads to Borgomanero. You can walk or cycle along it. These two options offer a concrete starting point for planning if you’d like to combine your trip with a pilgrimage or cycling tour. Check the current route before setting out.

Local flavours

Tapulone is considered Borgomanero’s best-known local dish and is part of the municipality’s De.Co. tradition. It offers a specific link to local cuisine alongside the town’s historical and cultural attractions. If you’d like to include culinary traditions in your travel plans, Tapulone is a clearly identified example from Borgomanero.

Discover more destinations: Dormelletto, Sillavengo, Ghemme, Cameriano, Armeno, Massino Visconti, Casalino, Gattico

For the main travel overview: Novara.