Ameno between Lago d’Orta, hiking trails and culture

Ameno between two lakes and a medieval route

Ameno lies in the hilly landscape between Lago d’Orta and Lago Maggiore. At the same time, the town is located on the medieval Via Francigena, which connected Gozzano with Orta San Giulio. Ameno therefore combines a landscape between two lakes with a route that links regional history and modern travel planning. When choosing a hotel in Ameno, you can plan your stay around both nature experiences and culture and architecture.

Forests, wildlife observation and trails through the hills

The high hills of the Vergante around Ameno are covered by forests of chestnut, beech, pine and birch trees. In the hills of the districts beyond the Agogna, marked hiking trails lead through natural areas. Attentive hikers may encounter fallow deer, roe deer, wild boar, squirrels, foxes, birds of prey and other animals there. The landscape is therefore particularly appealing to travellers who, while walking, want to take in not only elevations and trails but also flora, woodland and possible wildlife sightings.

The Anello Celeste circular trail is 7.3 kilometres long. It leads from Ameno via Vacciago and Lortallo and past the monastery on Monte Mesma back to Ameno. The route also includes the section to the Monte Mesma nature reserve.

The Anello Indaco offers a different focus. The route is approximately 11 kilometres long and is particularly interesting for naturalists because of its richness in flora and fauna. Along the Anello Indaco, more than 15 information boards with images and thematic focuses provide information about the environment and the area. The different trail lengths help you plan the desired hiking loop according to your interests and the time available, without reducing the trails to the same character.

The Sentiero Alimurgico begins in the unpaved car park opposite Ristorante Monte Oro in Ameno. Via QR codes, the trail provides in-depth information about habitats, botanical characteristics, culinary uses and possible identification errors concerning the plants. This makes the trail suitable not only for people who want to cross a landscape, but also for visitors who want to explore plants and their significance in greater detail.

Culture and architecture in Ameno

The Museo Tornielli is located in Ameno in the Palazzo Tornielli of the same name. It hosts temporary exhibitions, concerts, theatre events, cultural gatherings and conferences. The Oratorio di San Giovanni Battista contains paintings by Giovanni Antonio De Groot, Giuseppe Zanatta and Tarquinio Grassi. The Oratorio is a Baroque church built at the end of the 17th century that served as the private oratory of Palazzo Tornielli.

The Parco Neogotico also combines landscaped nature with historic architecture. The park includes centuries-old trees, beds planted with native species, a well-preserved old icehouse and a tower. It also features fully frescoed settings designed as imitations of Gothic architecture. The Parco Neogotico was opened to the public in 1920 and extensively restored from 2007 to 2011. The bell tower of the Chiesa Parrocchiale Santa Maria Assunta was built as early as 1505.

Monte Mesma is both a natural area and a cultural site. Its monastery complex includes two Baroque cloisters and a church dedicated to Saint Francis. The Piedmont region established the Monte Mesma nature reserve to protect the religious complex and its vegetation. From Monte Mesma, there is a view of Lago d’Orta with its centrally located island and of the Monte Rosa massif in the background. This place therefore combines a specific viewpoint with religious architecture and protected vegetation.

Vacciago and the buildings in the surrounding area

Casa Calderara stands in the centre of Vacciago and is a notable example of late-16th-century civic Renaissance architecture. The building has a triple loggia with granite columns and served as Calderara’s home and studio. A collection of sculptures and paintings from the 1950s and 1960s was also established in Casa Calderara.

Between Vacciago and Ameno, the Santuario della Madonna della Bocciola stands along the road in a panoramic location. The Neoclassical building has a quatrefoil-shaped interior, a monumental main altar made of white marble and frescoes by Agostino Comerio from the 19th century. Together with Casa Calderara, the sanctuary shows how varied the architectural and artistic points of reference around Ameno are.

Which accommodation location suits your plans

When choosing your hotel or accommodation in Ameno, it is worth organising your planned priorities early on. If you prefer observing nature, the Anello Indaco, the forests of the Vergante and the marked trails beyond the Agogna offer different ways to explore the area. Those interested in culture will find several specific themes for their travel planning in the Museo Tornielli, Oratorio di San Giovanni Battista, Parco Neogotico, Casa Calderara and Santuario della Madonna della Bocciola.

For further options, you can also open the pages for Ghemme, Gargallo, Galliate, Pettenasco, Vacciago, Oleggio, Gozzano and Borgo Ticino.

To the overarching travel overview: Novara.