Chiaverano: Via Francigena, Culture and Nature

Chiaverano combines the Via Francigena with Romanesque art, unusual landscapes, terraced vineyards and rosemary cultivation. The town lies on the Via Francigena, the network of routes leading from Canterbury to Rome and the ports of Apulia. This creates a destination where sacred history, craftsmanship, walking trails, water and rural cultural landscapes stand side by side. These different facets can help you decide which experiences should be the focus of your trip to Italy.

Romanesque Art and Craftsmanship

The Chiesa di Santo Stefano di Sessano is the surviving church of the village of Sessano, which was destroyed by a landslide, and dates from around the year 1000. Particularly impressive is the fresco cycle from the 11th and 12th centuries, regarded as one of the most important examples of Romanesque painting in the Canavese area. A visit therefore leads into a very early layer of the region’s art history.

Another aspect of the local past is shown at the Museo del fabbro “la botega del frèr”. It is located in the building where Teatro Majota Mastro Antonio began his work in 1700. In the museum, a waterwheel renewed in 1997 continues to power the machinery. The Campanile di Chiaverano is another highly visible symbol of the town: the tower is 65 metres high and can also be seen from neighbouring towns.

Landscape Between Marshland, Lake and Morainic Amphitheatre

Chiaverano also features a landscape with unusual individual elements. The hamlet of Scalveis on the Serra encompasses 100 hectares of unspoilt landscape. In the surrounding municipal chestnut and beech woods stand the ruined former mountain huts of Chiaverano. There are also large, isolated erratic boulders, known as “Roc”.

The Terre Ballerine is a peat bog whose ground visibly sways beneath your feet when you step on and compress it. Chiaverano also offers views of the Ivrea Morainic Amphitheatre. Lago Sirio has been designated by the Piedmont Region as a site of significant ecological interest. Anyone wishing to combine natural phenomena, sweeping landscapes and geological formations will find very different points of connection here.

Trails, Vineyards and Rosemary

In Chiaverano, walking routes lead through vineyards, forest paths, paved mule tracks and rural lanes. The terraced vineyards are supported by slender monopoles, known as “Culigne”. These trails and landscape elements make the local cultural landscape understandable even if you are planning a quiet, observant stay.

Rosemary cultivation includes the medieval Hortus Conclusus garden near Santo Stefano and the Bottega del Rosmarino. The garden contains around twelve beds with different rosemary cultivars that bloom from April to September. The Bottega del Rosmarino presents the selected rosemary cultivation of the Associazione del Rosmarino in Chiaverano.

Lago Sirio as a Distinctive Travel Highlight

Lago Sirio is one of the area’s few bathing lakes; there are two bathing establishments on the lake. The lake thus adds a water-based option to the historical and landscape themes for planning your day. Depending on your personal interests, in Chiaverano you can combine Romanesque painting, the history of craftsmanship, walking trails, vineyards, marshland, viewpoints and swimming into an individual selection of travel experiences.

More Places for Travel Planning

For further travel planning, you can also make a note of these places: Fenestrelle, Oulx, Robassomero, San Gillio, San Pietro Val Lemina, Candiolo, Vigone and Sciolze.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Turin.