Maddalena: Hiking Trails, History and Piedmontese Cuisine
Maddalena: Hiking Trails and Local History
Maddalena can be explored through several specific trails, buildings and culinary stops. The Maddalena–Colle della Roussa hiking route begins in Maddalena at 770 m and ends at Colle della Roussa at 2,030 m. The third stage of the Quota Mille also reaches the hamlet of Maddalena via Viretta, where the Rifugio La Madlena is located. Different routes and elevations therefore converge in the area’s layout.
Accommodation and Historic Village Centre
The former school building of Borgata Maddalena is now used as tourist and educational accommodation. The courtyard of the former school building is equipped for tourists as an area for relaxing, reading and eating outdoors. Another accommodation option is the Rifugio La Madlena, located in the historic Borgata Maddalena of Giaveno. It offers traditional Piedmontese cuisine made with ingredients from the region and the respective season.
Santa Maria Maddalena Church
The Church of Santa Maria Maddalena is part of the area’s history. It was built in 1780 by Francesco Ferrero and enlarged in 1930 according to a design by architect Lino Ravegnan. The two years mark different construction phases, making the church a specific point of interest for anyone wishing to explore architecture and regional history in Maddalena.
Trails with Historical and Landscape Connections
The Maddalena–Colle della Roussa route passes the Palazzina Sertorio, which is now known as the Osservatorio per l’ambiente alpino. Another route is the Sentiero dei morti. It was used to transport the deceased from the valley to the cemetery of the Maddalena parish. In the area around Maddalena, a panoramic detour of the Sentiero dei Semplici also leads from Borgata Verna to the San Pietro e Giuseppe Chapel.
Sentiero delle Acque
The Sentiero delle Acque runs uphill through the valley of the rio Brunello and downhill through the valley of the rio del Parco. The Fontana Pitacrù is located along this trail and is considered a viewpoint and rest area. Ca’ Verde is also situated on the Sentiero delle Acque, a distinctive stone building with a steeply pitched roof that was built in 1933 as a forest hut, the Rifugio Brunello. Prese Damon can be reached by car from Maddalena, and the Sentiero delle Acque can be accessed from there.
Local Tradition
The feast of Santa Maria Maddalena in Maddalena is one of the largest and most widely attended patron saint festivals among the Borgate of Giaveno. Together with the church, the historic trails and the cuisine of the Rifugio La Madlena, the festival reveals another aspect of the area: Maddalena combines religious tradition, the history of its trails and Piedmontese food culture within a clearly defined local setting.
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If you would like to compare Maddalena with other Italian destinations, here are some more places: Bobbio Pellice, Piverone, Exilles, San Giorio, Vistrorio, Busano.
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