Rima: Walser house model, alpine pastures and trails in Alta Valsesia

Rima brings together alpine nature, Walser building culture and trails that open up different ways of exploring the area. The result is a destination where nature observation, historical traces and a hike through alpine pastures can be combined. The character of the place emerges from its settlement, landscape and the trails that start in Rima or lead back there.

Culture and history in Rima

At the foot of Rima stands the Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie. Its façade is attributed to A. Orgiazzi il Vecchio. In the second half of the 14th century, Rima developed from an alpine pasture into a permanent settlement. Sacred architecture and settlement history thus provide two important ways of approaching the village.

The Walser house model in Rima is part of the village’s architectural character. The ground floors are built of stone, while the upper floors consist of horizontally interlocking logs. Other features include attics, broad covered galleries and roofs covered with Beola stone slabs.

At Alpe Lanciole di Sopra, individual huts stand alongside further huts arranged in rows from uphill to downhill to provide protection and shelter from avalanches. A trail near Rima leads to Vallè di Sopra, with megalithic remains known as the “Antiche Dimore”. In the workshop of the Associazione del Marmo Artificiale in Rima, Master Dellavedova demonstrates the traditional “secret” of artificial marble.

Alpine nature and trails

A large part of the area surrounding Rima is protected by the Alta Valsesia Natural Park and is suitable for observing typical alpine flora and fauna. The landscape can be explored both via trails through the alpine pastures and via a stage featuring sections through forests and grazing areas.

The Anello degli Alpeggi is an easy trail. This route also passes through one of the oldest settlement groups of an alpine pasture in the Rima basin. The year 1650 is engraved in a stone. Natural surroundings, the course of the trail and a specific historical marker come together here.

At the church square, a sign showing walking times and the markers for trail 93 make it easier to get started. The classification as an easy trail provides a concrete reference point for planning the day’s hike. The walking times at the church square can be taken into account when deciding on the start time. The markers for trail 93 provide additional guidance for hikers at the local trailhead. The GTA route passes through forest and grazing landscapes at the edge of or within the Alta Valsesia Natural Park.

Rima as a place to stay

Rima is easily accessible by car. The GTA Rima–Carcoforo stage begins at the church square; the Anello degli Alpeggi leads through the alpine pastures of the Rima basin and back to Rima.

Other places for planning your trip

If you would like to expand your orientation in the surrounding area, here are some other places: Piode, Rimasco, Balmuccia, Santhià, Albano Vercellese, Cellio, Ferrera and Trino.

For the higher-level travel overview: Vercelli.