Brovello-Carpugnino: Historic Places and Trails

Brovello-Carpugnino offers a variety of starting points for a trip: churches and historic townscapes, trails through forests, and views of Lake Maggiore. Brovello, Carpugnino, Stropino, and Graglia each reveal this diversity in their own way. When planning your trip, you can focus on cultural history, hiking and cycling, or the golf course.

Churches, Townscapes, and Local History

The churchyard of the Chiesa Romanica di San Donato is home to the chapels of a Way of the Cross dating from 1780. The painter Perraccino from Novara decorated them with frescoes in 1792; they were restored in 2000. In Brovello, the first section of Itinerary IV09 also passes through the town center, over a characteristic stone bridge, and to the Romanesque church of San Pietro. The so-called “Ponte romano” on the route to Brovello was once a mandatory crossing for transporting goods and for passenger traffic.

The historic center of Stropino is characterized by winding lanes. It features houses from the 18th and 19th centuries with entrances and arcaded porticoes, older houses with medieval features, as well as votive chapels and frescoes depicting sacred subjects. Carpugnino is also associated with the “Lusciat”: this was the name given to itinerant umbrella makers, who are part of the local craft tradition.

The history of work can also be read in the landscape. The Grisana stream separated the territories of Carpugnino and Graglia; several mills along the stream ground rye, millet, and corn into flour. In the Sacche area, one of these mills was converted into a workshop with a hammer mill for ironworking in 1829. The Chiesa dei SS. Antonio e Giuseppe stands in Graglia’s old town center. It was built after Comnago, Nocco, and Brovello gradually separated from the mother church of SS. Pietro e Paolo. The church of SS. Pietro e Paolo in Graglia Piana is surrounded by chestnut and beech forests.

Forest Trails, Viewpoints, and Golf

From the last houses in Brovello’s upper hamlet, a trail leads through chestnut and beech forests to the mountain pastures of Brovello. These are connected to one another and to surrounding places by numerous trails, which can be used year-round for hiking and cycling. Carpugnino offers a different starting point: its shady forest trails are ideal for walks.

In Graglia, a wooded trail leads from the town center past the church of SS. Pietro e Paolo and onward toward Nocco. Along the way, there are views of the Vergante and Lake Maggiore. In Stropino, paths from the town take about 30 minutes on foot to reach the lakeshore; on the way, you can see Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands. The summit of Motta Rossa, also known as Monte Ber, also offers views of Lake Maggiore.

From Stropino’s main square, you can walk or mountain bike to the Golf Des Iles Borromées golf course and continue to the summit of Motta Rossa. Golf Des Iles Borromées is open year-round, although seasonal closures may apply. Check the latest opening information before your visit. From the golf course, there are views of the mountains of Simplon and Val Grande, as well as of the four pre-Alpine lakes: Lake Maggiore, Lake Varese, Monate, and Comabbio. On clear days, the Milan skyline is also visible.

Getting There and Choosing a Hotel

The A26 motorway has an exit at Carpugnino. It provides access to the major destinations of Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta, and Lake Mergozzo, as well as to places and mountains in the Ossola area. When choosing a hotel, compare these priorities with the specific details provided for each property.

Graglia holds its annual Feast of Sant’Antonio Abate on January 17. After the liturgy, the festivities include an auction of offerings. Check the current program before your trip. This will help you take the event into account when planning.

Discover more destinations: Madonna Del Sasso, Premosello-Chiovenda, San Domenico, Quarna Sotto, Bognanco, Re, Crevoladossola, Cresseglio.

For the broader travel overview: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.