Varzo is made up of 52 villages scattered on a plateau at the foot of Monte Cistella: this route allows you to discover some of these villages with their beautiful oratories and old houses.
The centre of Varzo still houses the ancient Derna tower, the church and memories of the ancient occupation of the someggiatore, who once transported goods using mules through the natural gorges of Gondo and the Simplon Pass.
From outside Varzo railway station, where you can arrive by public transport, take the road that leads to the village (by car you can directly reach the centre). Cross the stone bridge and climb in the direction of the Torre del Derna tower and the parish church. From the church, follow the road towards the old hospital and take the road to Bertogna, dotted with a series of splendid villas with parks. You reach the oratory and take the mule track along Vicolo Valdo Giovanni alley, cross the paved road for the alpine pastures, head off the mule track that leads to the oratory of Durogno passing the settlement I Crist. From the oratory, take the mule track downhill, adorned with the high chapels of the Via Crucis. Cross the village of Colla up to the oratory of the same name, and then continue along Via Colla and climb along the mule track that leads to the Oratory of Coggia, passing by Bassogno. From the oratory, the façade frescoed by the Vigezzo painter Giuseppe Mattia Borgnis (1738) stands out. Climb along the steep mule track that leads to the upper part of the village where you can admire the chaplain’s house of 1732. Arriving at the junction for Staggiolo, descend along a good path to the oratory. From here, take the path that leads to Piaggio, then along Vicolo Casa Bruciata alley go down a short set of steps and you’ll reach the Piaggio Oratory. After passing Case Steffanino, follow a short stretch of paved road until you reach Pasquè Oratory. Continue on the left along the paved road to the settlement of Casa Stanga, cross the village and after a short stretch of mule track take the paved road to Bertogno and through the village streets you’ll arrive in the central piazza.
From this point the return to the centre of Varzo begins: continue along Via Galtarossa as far as Via Bertogno and, after passing a chapel, turn right to admire the old washhouse. Continue along the village streets, which still show evidence of the ancient Via del Sempione (curious marks and writing on the walls of shops and inns). Pass the Oratory of Fontana and Alneda, beyond a chapel with a portal and reach the centre of Varzo, where you can admire the washhouse and stone bridges.
Sector F “Routes”– IF03
Domodossola FS International Railway Station (from Bern and Milan).
From the BUS terminal take the route to Varzo, getting off at Varzo train station.
Contact details: Municipality of Varzo
CAI contact details: Varzo Section
Easy.
9,5 km
395 m
3 hrs
Walking boots.
Map no. 9 scale 1:25,000 of the Geo4Map/CAI
Digital maps on the following apps: ViewRanger – PDF Maps
