Crugnola between Church Art and the TSP Hiking Trail

Crugnola combines sacred architectural history with a direct connection to motorcycle manufacturing and hiking trails that begin right in the town. A church dedicated to Saint Giulio is documented here as early as 1566. Later, Crugnola became the birthplace of the motorcycle manufacturer Angelino Super-Moto: Luigi Angelino founded the company in 1925 in the Crugnola district. If, during your trip to Italy, you would like to discover smaller places through their buildings, history and landscape, this town offers several clearly distinct points of interest.

Church Architecture Spanning Several Periods

The Chiesa della Beata Vergine Assunta acquired its present appearance after renovations at the beginning of the 20th century. The church has a single-nave layout and includes two side chapels and a semicircular apse. Its distinctive architectural character is already apparent on the exterior: the Neo-Romanesque façade has a gabled roof, a long staircase leads up to it, and two corner pilasters frame the façade.

Inside, the Chiesa della Beata Vergine Assunta preserves Baroque furnishings. These include stucco work, capitals, trompe-l’œil paintings and a marble high altar. At the right end is the former Chapel of San Giulio; it has a rustic stone structure and a low, flattened portal. Together with the church documented in 1566 and dedicated to Saint Giulio, the chapel points to Crugnola’s long-standing sacred character, without suggesting that the two structures should be treated as a single building.

Hiking on the Sentiero TSP

The long-distance Sentiero TSP hiking trail is 36.3 kilometres long in total and begins in Crugnola. For a shorter hiking option, there is also a circular route on the Sentiero TSP that starts and ends in Crugnola. This loop is easy, has only minor elevation changes and is approximately 12 kilometres long. The two distances provide a straightforward basis for planning: the long-distance trail refers to the entire route, while the approximately 12-kilometre loop follows its own course and returns to Crugnola.

The change in landscape can also be clearly experienced along this route. After leaving Crugnola’s town centre, the TSP follows a road for ten minutes between meadows and woodland. The trail then descends into a hollow; from there, an unpaved path branches off through a deciduous forest. Within the route described, built-up areas, open meadows and woodland, the hollow and the section through the deciduous forest alternate in turn. If you pay attention to the different trail surfaces and landscape areas while hiking, the appeal of this section lies precisely in this sequence.

Orientation on Site and Choosing Your Accommodation

There is a large car park on Via Verdi. Nearby, there is an information board with a topographic map of the TSP. This specific location helps you orient yourself if you want to follow the route on site. When choosing a hotel for your stay in Crugnola, you can therefore first determine the focus of your trip: the church, with its Neo-Romanesque façade and Baroque interior, appeals to those interested in cultural history, while the TSP offers a hike with a total length of 36.3 kilometres as well as an easy loop of approximately 12 kilometres.

Other Places in the Surrounding Area

For further orientation, you can also explore Malgesso, Colmegna, Gazzada Schianno, Montegrino Valtravaglia, Bassano, Castronno, Olgiate Olona and Solbiate Olona.

To the higher-level travel overview: Varese.