The outdoors between lakes and mountains is also enhanced by the colours of autumn!

Hiking, cycling, adventure parks and adrenalin in the Ossola Lakes and Valleys.

Outdoor activities in the Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, Monti e Valli dell'Ossola (Ossola Lakes, Mountains and Valleys Tourist District) continue into autumn. In fact, they get even better. Because in this period you can best enjoy days in contact with nature, but also with culture.     

The starting point is Lake Maggiore. In Arona, not far from the centre and the famous Colosso di San Carlo, there is a naturalistic area of great value, which goes by the name of Parco Naturale dei Lagoni di Mercurago. This is a lowland forest, or rather an area of forest that has never been altered since ancient times, the site of important archaeological finds, which became part of the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2011. An astonishing area, which can be visited along several thematic, self-guided routes to learn about the wetlands, forests, production activities and the archaeological site dating back to the 18th-13th centuries BC. A plunge into nature and history.       

Also on Lake Maggiore, in Ghiffa, a pretty village halfway between Verbania and Cannero Riviera, an interesting and evocative walking route allows visitors to immerse themselves in yet another UNESCO site: the Sacro Monte della SS. Trinità of Ghiffa. 
Starting from the lakeside, you can reach the Special Nature Reserve and the religious complex consisting of three main chapels, dedicated to biblical subjects, and two other smaller chapels, a single body with the Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity and the portico with the fourteen Stations of the Via Crucis. Immersed in the silence of the Reserve, at 360 metres above sea level, in the coolness of the woods among chestnut, ash, alder, maple and birch trees, you can admire a romantic view of the upper Lake Maggiore.

For families (and others as well!), there are many alternatives for outdoor fun on Lake Maggiore, including our Adventure Parks.

Changing lake, and also activities, we move on to the Pescone Valley, with an easy mountain bike route of great charm starting (and ending) in Pettenasco, on the eastern shore of Lake Orta, running for about 10 km and allowing you to discover the valley of the Pescone stream, passing through the characteristic villages of Armeno and Miasino. Not to be missed, cycling between villages, are the Museum of Art and Woodturning in Pettenasco, the parish church in Armeno, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, and Villa Nigra in Miasino.
    
Leaving the lakes area and heading up towards the Ossola Valleys, you reach the Veglia-Devero Natural Park. In particular, Alpe Devero in the hamlet of Baceno, where a walk along the relaxing pastures of this small corner of Piedmont, close to the Swiss border, takes just under an hour in the direction of Crampiolo to the suggestive Lago delle Streghe (Witches' Lake), fed by underground springs that make the water particularly clear. From Alpe Crampiolo, the path continues towards the nearby Codelago dam.         

From Witches to Fairies. We are in the Anzasca Valley. From Macugnaga, a beautiful Alpine village of Walser origin nestled at the foot of Monte Rosa, a short and easy walk takes you up to Lago delle Fate (Fairies’ Lake). Start from the hamlet of Pecetto, not before stopping in front of the majestic centuries-old lime tree, which stands near the Old Church, and take the road to Val Quarazza, where this stretch of water starts, famous for its panoramic views, the lush nature that surrounds and protects it, and the network of paths that reach it, while admiring the local scenic beauty.      

In the adjacent Antrona Valley you can immerse yourself in an absolutely enchanting cycling route, which from Antronapiana passes by the shores of Lake Antrona and reaches Lake Campliccioli. Returning to Antronapiana, you can ascend in the direction of Alpe Cheggio and Lago dei Cavalli, an evocative basin with turquoise-coloured waters, and find yourself in the presence of the Parco Naturale dell'Alta Valle Antrona, characterised by wild landscapes and imposing peaks.

With autumn comes back a great classic, the Centovalli Vigezzina Railway's Foliage® Train: 4 hours of magic, between Italy and Switzerland, to admire splendid autumn landscapes from the window. From 12 October to 17 November!

A holiday in the Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, Monti e Valli dell'Ossola becomes an experience that leaves its mark, among nature, relaxation, wellness, traditions and good food.

The distrettolaghi.it website provides extensive information on itineraries, news and routes, together with a calendar of scheduled events, updated daily.