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Oropa. Cable car ascent to Monte Mucrone and Monte Camino

Pubblicato : Martedì, 13 Febbraio, 2024 - 19:58

 

For all mountain and hiking enthusiasts, Oropa is not only an important religious centre, but also an important starting point for various mountain walks. Thanks to the cable car (located a few metres behind the New Basilica), even the laziest and least trained can make the ascent from the Sanctuary's 1160 metres to the 1900 metres of Lake Mucrone (which can be reached in 15 minutes on foot) or continue by cableway up to the 2391 metres of Monte Camino.

 

 

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Sanctuary of Oropa. New Basilica

Pubblicato : Lunedì, 12 Febbraio, 2024 - 17:16

 

The New Church of Oropa stands out strongly in its contrast to the Old Basilica. As well as being more modern (it was completed in 1960), it is striking for its imposing size and that of its dome, which rises up in a picture-postcard panorama, with the grandeur of the mountains behind it. Unlike the previous squares, which were cosy and intimate, the latter is very airy and spacious. Next to the New Basilica you can visit a collection of cribs, which have come from all over the world.

 

 

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Sanctuary of Oropa. Ancient Basilica and Sacred Square

Pubblicato : Domenica, 11 Febbraio, 2024 - 19:32

 

This enormous forecourt is the centrepiece of the entire Oropa complex. Despite its imposing dimensions, 126 metres in length by 70 in width, the atmosphere that one perceives is very collected. The cloister is traversed by a portico that runs along its entire perimeter, on the side wings we find a superimposition of galleries. The Basilica Antica divides the square exactly into two parts and inside it holds the Black Madonna of Oropa. In the centre of the square stands Burnell, the pilgrims' fountain.

 

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Sanctuary of Oropa. First Square and Porta Regia

Pubblicato : Sabato, 10 Febbraio, 2024 - 15:59

 

The first impact with the monumental complex of Oropa is stunning. Once through the gate, one finds oneself jolted from the mountain atmosphere to the great splendour of the First Square. Two elegant pavilions, enriched by an almost infinite series of porticoes, inside which are housed bars, restaurants, shops and even a hall for opera performances. This square, the antipasto of Oropa, ends with the Porta Regia. Raised above the ground and coloured in dark stone, it stands out among the simple, light geometries of the building.

 

 

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Gattinara. Gattinara vineyards

Pubblicato : Venerdì, 9 Febbraio, 2024 - 15:40

 

Gattinara, a small town in the Vercelli area on the banks of the Sesia River, is the land of the homonymous DOCG vine, one of the most renowned Nebbiolos of Upper Piedmont. A not too demanding walk allows you to admire the panorama of its vineyards on one side and the town centre, dominated by the dome of its church, on the other. At the top of this walk, culminating in a panoramic viewpoint, we can find the 11th-century Torre delle Castelle, an ancient defensive fortification. More recently, a Big Bench, a giant bench from which to enjoy the view, as well as an impressive giant chalice made of iron, have also found their place here. From here, a series of cycling and walking paths run alongside or through the vineyards.

 

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Alagna Valsesia

Pubblicato : Giovedì, 8 Febbraio, 2024 - 15:27

 

Alagna Valsesia lies at the foot of the Monte Rosa massif, at an altitude of 1,154 metres, and is included in the Alta Valsesia Natural Park. Alagna traces its ancient origins back to 1200 when some communities of German origin, the Walser, settled in the area. Today it is made up of numerous villages aggregated to the town centre. Walking along the central via dei Walser, one breathes in an atmosphere that smells of ancient traditions. The small, picturesque streets of the village are dotted with the typical dwellings of the Walser people, houses built in wood and stone that make the town a real historical and cultural jewel. A true paradise for all sports enthusiasts, especially thanks to the Monterosa Sky, but also for summer sports such as trekking, MTB but also paragliding and rafting.

 

 

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Varallo Sesia. Sacro Monte

Pubblicato : Giovedì, 8 Febbraio, 2024 - 11:13

 

The oldest of the nine Sacred Mounts built in the Alps of Piedmont and Lombardy, it rises on the summit of a rocky spur immersed in the green woods surrounding the elegant town of Varallo Sesia. It was the Franciscan friar Bernardino Caimi who, towards the end of the 15th century, planned the construction of a 'New Jerusalem', which at that time was definitively in Arab hands, to allow the faithful to experience the spirituality of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land by faithfully retracing its symbolic places. Sacro Monte consists of a basilica and 44 chapels inside which the stages of Jesus' life and Passion are depicted with life-size sculptures and numerous paintings.

 

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Varallo Sesia

Pubblicato : Mercoledì, 7 Febbraio, 2024 - 11:10

 

This town at the entrance to Valsesia is best known for its Sacro Monte and its festival, the Alpàa. Despite this, it would be a pity to underestimate the pleasantness of its largely pedestrianised town centre, where you can stroll leisurely through the narrow streets of the centre, dotted with lively little squares and historic buildings, typical shops, small churches and the bridge over the Mastellone river. All in the natural setting of the surrounding Valsesia mountains.

 

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