Cavaglio-Spoccia: Ecomuseum, Churches and Trails
Accommodation in Cavaglio-Spoccia
Culture in Cavaglio and Spoccia
Cultural attractions include historic churches, oratories and the Ecomuseum in Lunecco.
Cavaglio preserves characteristic old corners of the village. The Parrocchiale di San Donnino in Cavaglio dates from the late Middle Ages and was consecrated in 1517. The Parrocchiale di San Donnino contains fragments of 16th-century frescoes attributed to Antonio da Tradate.
The Parrocchiale di San Donnino is accessible during weekly services and outside these times by request. In Spoccia, the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena has been documented since 1445 and was consecrated in 1546. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena in Spoccia is connected with the Via Borromea.
A signposted walking trail from Spoccia follows an old path to the Alpe di Bronte. The walking trail from Spoccia passes through chestnut forests and by old terraces.
Trails, Forests and Frescoes
The Via Borromea runs through extensive chestnut and oak forests, where deer, chamois and roe deer may be encountered. Cavaglio contains late medieval frescoes in the Parrocchiale di San Donnino and in the Oratorio della Madonna delle Grazie “del Rì”, which are frequently attributed to Antonio da Tradate.
Oratories with Their Own History
The single-nave Oratorio della Madonna delle Grazie “del Rì” was built in 1670 to enhance an older chapel containing a late-15th-century image of the Virgin Mary. The Oratorio della Madonna delle Grazie “del Rì” contains a slab of Candoglia marble regarded as a relic of Christ’s footprint. The Oratorio della Madonna delle Grazie “del Rì” is accessible during its annual celebration and outside this period by request.
The Oratorio della Madonna di Re in Spoccia can be reached via a stone staircase with 75 steps and a length of 40 metres. The Oratorio della Madonna di Re is usually closed; however, its interior can be viewed through the windows on the façade.
Everyday Culture at the Lunecco Ecomuseum
The Centro di documentazione dell’Ecomuseo del Lago e dei Monti in Lunecco preserves objects and documents about the everyday life of the inhabitants of Valle Cannobina. The Lunecco Ecomuseum includes reconstructions of an apartment and an inn. The ethnographic exhibition “Al femin d’in val” at the Lunecco Ecomuseum is dedicated to the everyday life of women in Valle Cannobina up to the mid-20th century.
At the Lunecco Ecomuseum, visits for school groups accompanied by members of the Valle Cannobina folk group can be organised by prior booking. The Lunecco Ecomuseum is open from the end of June to the end of August on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 14:00.
Further destinations: Feriolo Di Baveno, San Domenico, Varzo, Gurrone, Verbania, Cambiasca, Stresa, Brovello-Carpugnino
Back to the higher-level travel overview: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.
