Rimasco on Lake Rimasco: Trails, Winter and Churches

Rimasco stretches along the shore of Lake Rimasco, an artificial lake created in 1925 by the construction of a dam downstream from the town to increase electricity generation. The lake shapes the town’s relationship with the surrounding landscape, while its creation highlights a special connection between the natural environment and the town’s history. For you, Rimasco therefore offers a manageable mountain destination where landscapes, trails, churches and seasonal experiences are all close together.

Summer trails around Rimasco

The network of trails around Rimasco offers numerous opportunities for trekking in summer. A winding path through deciduous trees leads to Pian della Ratta at an altitude of 1,140 m. The chairlift’s upper station and the starting point of the summer bobsleigh are located there. Trail no. 363 leads to Alpe Vallè Piat and offers a view of Rimasco. These different trail destinations provide clear points of reference for your planning when you are choosing between a hike with views of the town and an excursion into higher-altitude landscapes.

Winter mountain landscapes and the Fun Bob

The mountains around Rimasco are suitable for snowshoe hikes and ski touring in winter. This means that the landscape remains a setting for active days outdoors even outside the summer season. The Fun Bob is located in Rimasco’s former ski area, which has been redesigned.

Dorca and the churches of Rimasco

The hamlet of Dorca lies at an altitude of 1,276 m, just outside Rimasco. You can reach it on foot via a stone-paved mule track or by rack railway. In Dorca, the altitude combines with an independent network of paths and a distinct local character, which can be readily compared with Rimasco’s other landscape impressions.

The Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Giacomo has a wooden high altar with a pyramid-shaped tabernacle, as well as statues of Saint John the Baptist and Saint James. The church has ancient origins and acquired its present form in 1688. It also contains numerous fragments of medieval frescoes from the 15th century depicting the months and people’s work. Anyone interested in regional ecclesiastical spaces and historical visual motifs will find specific details here that go beyond a purely scenic perspective.

Santa Croce, Feast Day and Getting There

The Chiesa di Santa Croce stands on the banks of the Egua stream near Lake Rimasco and was built on private initiative toward the end of the 17th century. Another regular event in local life is the Sagra della Miaccia, held in Rimasco every year on August 16. Daily bus services connect Varallo with Rimasco. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore take different priorities into account: the lakeshore, hiking trails, winter mountain activities, historic churches or the date of the festival each offer a different direction for planning your trip.

Further destinations: Ferrera, Cigliano, Alagna Valsesia, Valduggia, Vocca, Riva Valdobbia, Varallo, Bianzè

For the overview of the wider region: Vercelli.