Graglia in Piedmont: Trails, Culture and Mountain Landscapes

Hiking between the town center and the mountain areas

The area around Graglia rises from the town center, located at an altitude of 600 meters, to over 2,000 meters in the mountain areas. A dense network of trails leads from Graglia’s town center through the Santuario district to the alpine pastures, enabling walks in every season. The selection of described trails therefore ranges from short outings around the town to more demanding mountain hikes.

Experienced hikers can climb to the 2,373-meter summit of Mombarone. The PSR 10-1 trail from the Santuario di Graglia to Mombarone is classified as a moderate, 8-kilometer hike. The ascent involves 1,540 meters of elevation gain and has a stated walking time of 4 hours and 15 minutes. A gravel road leads from San Carlo to the Rifugio Alpe Pianetti at an altitude of 1,321 meters.

The route from the Santuario di Graglia to San Carlo also passes a marked spot with a special echo. There, visitors can hear a shouted word again after a fraction of a second; the echo can reproduce a word with eleven syllables.

Santuario, Sacro Monte and Churches

The origins of the Santuario di Graglia date back to a project conceived by don Nicolao Velotti in 1615. The foundation stone of the Santuario di Graglia was laid in 1659; construction work was completed in the second half of the 18th century. The Sacro Monte di Graglia comprises four chapels integrated into the church building, as well as another chapel on Colle di San Carlo. At the Sacro Monte di Graglia, a scene is formed by around ten life-size polychrome terracotta figures.

The Church of Madonna della Neve in the village of Campra lies on the edge of the village of Graglia and faces the mountain landscape of the Valle Elvo. On Piazza Crida, the Museo di Scienze Naturali houses around 700 well-preserved prepared birds. The Museo di Scienze Naturali di Graglia also has a catalogued collection of minerals and shells.

Natural History Collection and Regional Cuisine

The Noro ornithological collection in Graglia comprises more than 600 specimens from Piedmont and various European countries. The specimens date from the late 19th to the early 20th century. Thus, natural history topics stand out independently in Graglia alongside its sacred and historic sites.

In the restaurants at the Santuario, you can eat typical dishes from the Biellese tradition. These include “polenta concia,” “fundua,” “ris an cagnun,” “bagna caouda” and “palpiton.”

Arrival and Practical Information

Graglia can be reached from Biella via the Carisio or Santhià exits of the A4 and the SS 230 or SS 143, respectively. From the Ivrea exit of the A5, the route leads via Chiaverano, Donato and Netro on the SP 419. Graglia has an equipped motorhome parking area at Casale Campiglie.

Further destinations for your travel planning include Biella, Pollone, Campiglia Cervo, Romagnano, Bioglio, Caprile, Netro and Muzzano.

To the overarching travel overview: Province of Biella.