Cavaglio-Spoccia: Ecomuseum, Churches and Walking Routes

Cavaglio-Spoccia offers several cultural, historical and landscape perspectives for a stay. In Lunecco, the Ecomuseum focuses on everyday life in the Valle Cannobina; Cavaglio and Spoccia each have their own themes relating to churches and oratories. A signposted walking route leads from Spoccia to Alpe di Bronte. When planning your trip, you can weigh up whether museum exhibits, sacred art or a walk through the chestnut landscape is your priority.

Everyday life at the Ecomuseum

The Centro di documentazione dell’Ecomuseo del Lago e dei Monti in Lunecco preserves objects and documents relating to the everyday life of the people of the Valle Cannobina. The Ecomuseum includes reconstructions of a home and an inn. The ethnographic exhibition “Al femin d’in val” focuses on the everyday lives of women in the Valle Cannobina up to the mid-20th century. The collection, reconstructed rooms and exhibition offer different perspectives, from domestic life and the inn to a specifically themed look at women’s everyday lives within a defined time period. Visits for school groups can be arranged in advance, accompanied by members of the Valle Cannobina folklore group. If you are planning a group visit, arrange it before travelling.

Churches and sacred art

The Parrocchiale di San Donnino in Cavaglio dates from the late Middle Ages and was consecrated in 1517. The church preserves fragments of 16th-century frescoes attributed to Antonio da Tradate. Its construction and consecration history meet a later painted decoration that has survived only in fragments. Cavaglio also preserves characteristic old corners of the village.

The single-nave Oratorio della Madonna delle Grazie “del Rì” was built in 1670 to enhance an older chapel containing an image of the Virgin Mary from the late 15th century. The Oratorio also houses a slab of Candoglia marble, believed to be a relic of Christ’s footprint. The Parrocchiale di San Donnino is accessible during weekly services and, at other times, on request. The Oratorio del Rì is accessible during its annual feast and otherwise on request. Arrangements can change, so check current access options in advance.

The Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena in Spoccia is documented from 1445 and was consecrated in 1546. The Oratorio della Madonna di Re is reached by a 40-metre-long stone staircase with 75 steps. It is usually closed, but its interior can be viewed through the windows in the façade. Check whether this is possible before your visit, as access arrangements may change.

Walking routes and woodland

A signposted walking route follows an old path from Spoccia to Alpe di Bronte. It passes through chestnut woods and by old terraces. The route therefore has a named destination, as well as landscape features along the way. Conditions may vary by season, so check the route before setting out.

The Borromea also passes through extensive chestnut and oak woods. Deer, chamois and roe deer may be encountered there, but sightings are not guaranteed. When planning, the woodland landscape is a more reliable point of reference than any particular wildlife sighting. The routes described therefore offer different experiences: the walk from Spoccia leads to Alpe di Bronte and passes old terraces, while the Borromea is associated with its woods and possible wildlife sightings.

Discover more destinations: Casale Corte Cerro, Cursolo-Orasso, Carmine, Intra, Cesara, Cossogno, Agrano, Mozzio.

For the overview of the wider area: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.