Colazza: Hiking Routes and Church Art

When choosing a stay in Colazza, two specific highlights stand out: hiking routes and sacred art with local history. Itinerario n. 1 is described as a short, easy route; Itinerario n. 4 is used annually for running and mountain biking competitions. Churches, chapels, and frescoes offer another point of interest. Before your trip, you can consider whether you are more interested in a short route, connections to competitions, or historic works of art.

Hiking routes and a notable waymarker

Itinerario n. 1 runs from Croce di Colazza to Motto Cassinario and is considered a short, easy route. This description gives you a concrete reference if you are looking for a hike of this kind. Access is free for people without disabilities; you can travel on foot or by regular bicycle, e-bike, or mountain bike.

Itinerario n. 4 is notable for its annual use in running and mountain biking competitions. By comparison, Route 1 is described as short and easy. The two descriptions emphasize different things: a compact route on the one hand, and recurring use for two competitive sports on the other.

About 20 metres from Itinerario n. 4 stands Sass Preiatecia, a large glacial erratic. A small path on the right leads to the boulder; its inscription dates from the early 20th century. Anyone interested in individual waypoints will find here, alongside the route's use for competitions, a specific stone bearing a historic inscription. The path and approximate distance help you locate it from the route.

Churches, frescoes, and local history

The Chiesa di San Bernardo dates from the 14th century. In the lunette above its portico, a fresco depicts Saint Bernard on his journey through the Alps. Here, a clearly identifiable feature of the building and a scene of travel through the Alps come together. The image offers a distinct art-historical perspective on the church, in addition to its date of origin.

The Chiesa Parrocchiale della Beata Vergine Immacolata was built in the 17th century and extensively renovated in the 19th century. Its choir contains a fresco attributed to the school of Gaudenzio Ferrari. The church square affords a sweeping view of Lake Maggiore and the plain. The building's history, an attributed work of art, and the view from the square provide three different points of reference: the development of the building, its interior decoration, and the landscape visible from the church square.

You can also find traces of local history in the block of houses still known as “Castello” on Via Umberto I: several houses bear traces of ancient fortifications. The Castello area is accessible by car or on foot via a public road. This connects the historic remains with a practical way to find the site, without requiring any particular mode of transport.

Two chapels with different motifs

The Affresco di Via per Tapigliano depicts the Nativity of Jesus and dates from the late 18th century. The chapel containing the fresco is clearly visible from the road and can be reached on foot or by car. Its subject and date give you a specific way into the artwork: the scene depicts the Nativity of Jesus, while its date provides a historical context.

The Cappella Madonna della Guardia brings together an inscription and a building history. The inscription refers to the apparition of the Madonna to Benedetto Pareto in 1490; Gregorio Mazzola built the chapel in 1841 out of devotion. You can reach it on foot or by car via Via Don Giulio Gemelli. The two chapels thus differ in what makes their histories distinctive: the Affresco di Via per Tapigliano centres on its subject and date, while the Madonna della Guardia is notable for the account recorded in its inscription and the chapel's construction.

Discover more destinations

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For the broader travel overview: Novara.