Nonio on Lake Orta: Village Character, Churches and Trails

Nonio on Lake Orta appeals to travelers who want to combine village history, landscape and unusual local features in a single stay. Narrow alleyways, closely spaced stone houses, churches and trails give the village a multifaceted character.

Lake Orta, hills and a special winter moment

Nonio lies in the northern part of Lake Orta; opposite, the Mottarone massif rises. The municipal area stretches from the shores of Lake Orta across the surrounding hills to the surrounding forests. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether to focus your stay on local history, trails or landscape.

One of the village’s distinctive features is the winter “doppio tramonto”. In the early afternoon, the sun first disappears behind Monte Castello, reappears for a few minutes and then sets for good. This phenomenon is closely associated with Nonio and adds a remarkable seasonal accent to the village’s landscape.

Routes with different focuses

The Grand Tour del Lago d’Orta is a 115 km circular route divided into five thematic stages. Its route reaches the area of Nonio. The village is therefore part of a broader trail concept around the lake, without this implying any specific access or usage condition for individual sections.

The Anello di Bagnella begins at the large parking area of the Centro Sportivo on Piazzale Lodi in Bagnella. After the ascent from Oira, the route leads into the village of Nonio and then continues along a mulattiera, a traditional trail, towards the Laghetti di Nonio. These consist of two bodies of water separated by a concrete slab. The Circuit of Quarna also leads to these two Laghetti di Nonio.

Another village-focused option is the GiroGatti: it can be followed using the numbered points of interest shown on the map. This gives you a combination of movement and close attention to the built environment, while the routes around Bagnella and Quarna focus more strongly on the landscape and the Laghetti di Nonio.

Churches and historical traces

The Parrocchiale di San Biagio Vescovo e Martire may date back to the 14th century and features a remarkable portal. In the center of Nonio stands the Oratorio di San Rocco, built in 1639. Two large frescoes, painted by Luca Rossetti d’Orta in 1749, are located on the side walls of the presbytery. The Palazzo dell’Ufficio Postale was formerly the Palazzo della Comunità. In Brolo, a hamlet of Nonio, the parish church dedicated to Sant’Antonio Abate dates from the first half of the 16th century.

Brolo is known as the “village of cats”. Cats are depicted on house roofs, on tiles bearing house numbers and on house façades. At the Museo della Civiltà Contadina, you can learn about historic crafts and agricultural traditions of the region. The Vecchio torchio provides a further reminder of former working methods: it was once used for pressing grapes, apples to make cider and walnuts to extract oil.

Local flavors in Nonio

The village also has its own culinary profile. Fugascina is a typical sweet from Nonio. Pasticceria Piazza Aldo is located at Via Marconi 3, in a historic house in the heart of Nonio. Such specific places of interest make the village center appealing for a stay if, alongside churches, trails and landscape, you also want to discover the region’s everyday culture.

Further destinations

More destinations for your trip to Italy: Santa Maria Maggiore, Gignese, Ceppo Morelli, Someraro, Varzo, Villadossola, Cicogna, Vogogna

To the overarching travel overview: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.