Corio: Churches, Mountain Trails and Local Traditions

Corio Between Mountain Landscapes and Cultural Heritage

Corio is a hilly town with beautiful panoramas and becomes a tourist destination during the warmer months. The mountain area around Corio is characterized by forests and mountain streams. Here, nature and culture come together in trails, bridges, chapels and churches.

Churches, Bridges and Art

The Church of San Genesio in Corio was built in the Baroque style between 1744 and 1749. The mountain area around Corio is home to 20 churches in as many hamlets. Santa Croce is an 18th-century Baroque church; its construction began in 1715 next to the older Church of San Genesio. Corio’s sacred landscape therefore ranges from a single Baroque building to churches in the hamlets.

The bridges also add their own historical accents. Ponte Picca is a stone bridge from the 14th century with a single Gothic arch and is the oldest crossing over the Malone mountain stream. Ponte dell’Avvocato is a 14th-century bridge with two arches. The Chapel of San Giacomo has origins dating back to the 17th century beside it. In Corio, Giovanni Oldrado Perini from Novalesa painted frescoes in 1587.

The AR.CO open-air museum in Corio presents various movements in contemporary art and can be visited by everyone every day and at any time of year. Corio’s cultural offering thus encompasses Baroque churches, historic bridges and contemporary art.

Hiking Between Hamlets and Peaks

A dense network of trails connects Corio’s hamlets with the peaks of Soglio, Uia and Angiolino and reaches elevations of around 2,000 meters. The first stage of the Tre Vallate trail leads from Corio via Piano Audi to the Rifugio Alpe Soglia mountain hut. It is 13.2 kilometers long, takes 3:45 to 4:00 hours and has a difficulty rating of E. The Bune pere trail passes through the forests at the foot of Bric Castello di Corio to historic Losere stone quarries.

The two trails have different focuses: Tre Vallate connects Corio with higher-elevation destinations, while Bune pere leads through the forest to historic quarries. This allows you to weigh elevation, walking time and cultural-historical interest when planning your hike.

Local Language, Event and Chestnuts

The Franco-Provençal language is still spoken in Corio. In addition, a local event takes place every year and is part of the official Battaglie delle Reines event circuit. The first chestnuts are associated with a tradition of their own: they are traditionally boiled and never roasted, as roasting is said to bring bad luck.

Accommodation and Travel Planning

When choosing a hotel or other accommodation in Corio, you can tailor the focus of your stay to these themes: churches and bridges, AR.CO, the language and event, or trails into the mountain area. The precise length and duration of the Tre Vallate stage can help you match a hike to the time available and the desired difficulty level.

More Destinations for Your Plans

More destinations for planning your trip to Italy: Balme, San Giorio, Piamprato, Cervoto, Moncenisio, Rosta, Riva presso Chieri, Germagnano.

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