Scareno among chestnut paths and mountain culture

The valley of the Rio Scarnasca lies between Aurano and Scareno; numerous farmsteads with scattered buildings stand on the slope above the valley. This combination of valley landscape, hillside farms and traditional building forms defines the rural character of the village. An old house in Scareno has preserved its original construction, with unrendered stone pillars and chestnut-wood loggias.

Paths through chestnut forests

The route from Scareno to Alpe Piaggia and back is designated as route R11. The Giir di Curt di Scareno climbs in steady switchbacks through ancient chestnut forests to Alpe Piaggia. The Giir di Curt di Scareno is a hiking route through the alpine farmsteads known as “Curt”. Between Ponte del Dragone and Alpe Piaggia, a centuries-old chestnut forest stretches out on both sides of the path. For your planning, this creates a route in which the ascent, forest and historic farmstead structures follow closely one after another.

Routes and orientation

Ponte del Dragone lies approximately halfway along the path from Scareno to Alpe Piaggia. Alpe Piaggia is a starting point for ascents to the peaks of Monte Zeda and Marona. A programme run by Val Grande National Park followed the path from Scareno to Ponte del Dragone and provided information about the gold prospectors in Val Grande. The Sentiero del Patrimonio di Aurano has Aurano and Scareno as its starting and return points. A mule track connects Aurano with Scareno, passing by the Vallone dei Mulinasch.

Church, chapel and festivals

The Chiesa di San Michele in Scareno was built in the 18th century and later extended and embellished. Its interior is finely decorated and has a vaulted ceiling. Near Alpe Piaggia, the Oratorio della Madonna del Rosario has preserved its original architecture almost unchanged. The two buildings offer contrasting features: in Scareno, the village church as it was later developed; near Alpe Piaggia, the preserved original architecture.

The Madonna del Carmine is celebrated in Scareno on the third Sunday in July. The San Michele festival takes place in Scareno on the first Sunday in October. The traditional festival at Alpe Piaggia takes place every year on the second Sunday in July. Religious and community events are thus rooted both in the village and in the mountain area around the destination.

Memorial sites and local history

On the uphill path from Scareno, shortly before Alpe Piaggia, a small monument with an iron cross commemorates the partisans who fell on 16 June 1944. The ossuary near Scareno was built between 1945 and 1946 and preserves the remains of several partisans from the Cesare Battisti Brigade. According to local tradition, the name Ponte del Dragone derives from a family that held the mining rights to a small gold mine in the 17th century.

Accommodation and local everyday life

The Circolo di Scareno serves lunch, dinner and light meals. When choosing accommodation for Scareno, you can therefore decide whether to focus on the village architecture and festivals in the village or on the paths towards Alpe Piaggia and Aurano.

More places for travel planning

More places for your trip to Italy: Gurro, Domodossola, Cavaglio-Spoccia, Gravellona Toce, Premia, Masera, Mozzio, Miazzina.

To the higher-level travel overview: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.