Vacciago Among Churches, Art and Landscapes

Vacciago combines religious architectural history, bourgeois Renaissance architecture, international art and a landscape with lake views. For you, this means planning a trip with two clearly distinct focuses: cultural and historical heritage in the village and nature experiences along the trails around Monte Mesma.

Historic Villagescape and Sacred Architectural History

At the centre of Vacciago stands Casa Calderara, a Renaissance building in the bourgeois architectural style. Outside the village centre lies the Chiesa Parrocchiale di Sant’Antonio Abate at a viewpoint overlooking Lake Orta. Its present building dates from 1589. The oldest document mentioning the church dates from 1217. Anyone interested in the development of sacred buildings will find here a timeline ranging from the earliest documentary mention to the present church building.

The Santuario Madonna della Bocciola

The present Santuario Madonna della Bocciola was built on the remains of a small 16th-century church erected to commemorate an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Construction of its present building began in 1754 and was completed between 1834 and 1843 in the typical Neoclassical style. The walls and vaults are decorated with 19th-century frescoes by Agostino Comerio. The Santuario is located in Vacciago di Ameno on a broad terrace overlooking the lake and the Orta peninsula. For visitors interested in culture, this site combines architectural history, painting and a clearly defined vantage point.

Art Between Oratory and Collection

Another artistic trail leads to the Oratorio di San Giuseppe. There, a series of paintings by Giorgio Bonola of Corconio depicts episodes from the life of Saint Joseph. In addition, the Fondazione Calderara collection comprises 327 paintings and sculptures: 56 works are by Antonio Calderara, while 271 works are by various European, American, Japanese and Chinese artists. For October, the Fondazione Calderara lists opening hours on Saturdays and Sundays from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm until 15 October.

Trails Around Monte Mesma

If you would like to include nature experiences in your days, the forests around the Monte Mesma nature reserve offer numerous signposted trails for hiking, horse riding and mountain biking. The Anello Celeste circular trail connects Ameno with its main hamlets and the Riserva Naturale Speciale del Monte Mesma, and continues to Vacciago. This also allows you to plan your trip based on whether your focus is more on sacred art and architecture or on trails through the forest and protected area.

When choosing accommodation in Vacciago, you can use these two focuses as personal priorities: for a culture-oriented stay, the churches, Casa Calderara, the Oratorio di San Giuseppe and the Calderara collection take centre stage; for days spent in the landscape, the signposted trails around Monte Mesma and the Anello Celeste are the highlights. Vacciago is therefore suitable as a destination for travellers who want to combine historic places, art and activity.

More destinations: Vicolungo, San Maurizio D'opaglio, Gargallo, Lagna, Massino Visconti, Bolzano Novarese, Paruzzaro, Cameriano

For the overview of the wider travel area: Novara.