Alta Valsesia Travel Guide: The Italian Alps’ Undiscovered Gem
One of our family homes is in the shadow of Monte Rosa, the second-highest peak in the Alps.
Our family has lived in Italy’s Valsesia Valley for 500 years. It is a magical place, and nothing like the Italy you think you know. Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia and famed outdoorsman, says visiting the Valsesia “changed his life.” Some of the finest parts of the Alps are in this quiet corner of Piedmont bordering Switzerland. And though you probably think of skiing when it comes to the Alps, Valsesia is an all-season destination; people enjoy world-class skiing in the winter and hiking, climbing and white-water activities in the mountain summers. The lush hanging valleys, panoramic vistas and high-altitude lakes, home to ibex and chamois, are recognized as a UNESCO Geopark. But what really makes Valsesia special is its deep connection to tradition, rich mountain culture and an abiding belief that it is the simple things that make life rich.
Best time to visit the Italian Alps’ Valsesia Valley
Brilliant rhododendron in bloom in one of the Valsesia’s many alpine meadows where livestock graze in summer.
Located in Italy’s northwest Piedmont province on the Swiss border, Valsesia is a favourite ski resort, linking the three stunning valleys that create the Monterosa Ski. The area’s high-altitude glaciers, good precipitation and variety of on and off-piste runs draw alpine and backcountry skiers as late as July. In summer, the Valley explodes in a riot of wildflowers and brilliant rhododendrons, earning it comparisons to a fairy-like Middle-earth. Dubbed “the greenest part of Italy”, the Valsesia Valley is also a favoured summer getaway for Italians because, being at a higher elevation (1,200 metres), it does not suffer from the heat that bakes much of the country in July and August. Temperatures hover around 18 to 20C during the day and dip to about 10C at night.
In short, the “best” time to visit Valsesia depends on what adventure you are looking for. While October, November and May tend to be rainy and many locals leave for vacation, December to April are traditional ski months. June to September are beautiful for summer activities, although we recommend steering clear of August when Italians go on vacation and lodging becomes very limited.
Activities in the summer — hiking, climbing, river rafting and more
Hiking the Italian Alps, Monte Rosa
The Valsesia alpine valley, particularly the Alta Valsesia (meaning ‘high’ Valsesia for its elevation), is a mecca for hiking in the Italian Alps. It’s the perfect place for those who want to hike the Alps but avoid the crowds. The area’s crown jewel is the Monte Rosa, the second-highest peak in the entire Alps, with a rich array of treks offering spectacular views of the snow-capped massif. The multi-day Tour de Monte Rosa is a favourite.
Hiking the Alta Valsesia is an outdoor cultural excursion: many hikes wend through centuries-old mountain hamlets, tracing ancient paths used by shepherds to bring cows, sheep and goats up to higher alpine pastures bursting with wildflowers. A network of mountain rifugios offers delicious, locally sourced cheese, butter and ricotta, along with traditional polenta with wild venison.
The variety of hiking means there is something for everyone and is great for families with older kids. Some of the hikes can be steep and demanding, but they are doable if you are fit and looking for that satisfying challenge. You’ll be rewarded with unparalleled views, crowd-free hikes and a likely visit from the many cows and goats that meander along the trails, their telltale bells tinkling as they graze.
We often run into friendly grazing herds of livestock on our hikes in the Alta Valsesia.
Climbing
In this part of Italy, climbing is big among visitors and locals. Valsesian peaks are a free climber’s paradise, with iconic, historic and wild spots like the Fun’d Scotte cliff, the Calva Wall, Cuore Crag and many more. Though the 43 crags and hundreds of routes in Alta Valsesia are most popular for free climbing, you’ll also find prime opportunities to climb ‘via ferrate’ (an Italian phrase meaning, “iron way”). This popular European method uses metal bars installed into the mountainside. The Valsesian town of Varallo is a ferrate hotspot. Two notable routes are the beginner-friendly Partusacc Ferrata and the challenging Falconera Ferrata, which is well-lit for nighttime climbs. You can hire a guide from the historic Alagna Alpine Guides Group to take you to these and many other rock faces.
Valsesian fly fishing
The gorgeous Sesia River cascades from the legendary Monte Rosa through the winding, narrow gorges and curves of Valsesia Valley. The Sesia is glacier-fed and filled to the brim with trout — brown, marble, rainbow and more.
“Valsesiana” fly fishing has been practiced for hundreds of years in the region and was recently chronicled in a documentary by Patagonia. The historic Valsesian way prioritizes careful planning and harmony with nature. Fly hackles are made from silk and wild bird feathers in muted colors, and are gently launched onto the water with a graceful technique. The Valsesians’ time-honoured practices and the health of the local system are regulated and monitored by the local sport fishing society. The Society’s Museum of Valsesian Fishing (Museo de la Pesca Valsesiana) in Varallo is worth a visit if you’re interested in learning about the long history of Valsesian fly fishing.
Kayaking or rafting on the Sesia River
From May to September, the Sesia River transforms into one of Europe’s favourite places for water sports. Set to the unbeatable backdrop of the Monte Rosa, the dynamic river is perfect for any number of activities. Some of the most popular things to do on the river are kayaking and white-water rafting. These cold, crystalline waters are adored among kayakers and rafters for their rough rapids, steep side creeks and adrenaline-pumping waterfalls.
The Sesia has been the locale of the World and European Kayak Championships and holds an annual international festival for paddlers. Particularly popular adventures for experienced paddlers are the so-called “Sorba Slides” and the Devil’s Slide at the Sawmill Cataract Section, which are part of the Sorba branch-off between Quare and Piode.
Rafters and the rafting curious can also have an adventurous day on the Sesia. During high waters, you can enjoy the intense classic stretch of the river. Lower water levels call for the gorges route, where the rapids are less intense but you can traverse canyons and witness the pristine alpine water up close.
Some of the best off-piste and powder skiing in the Italian Alps
The ski slopes, with their light and fluffy snow, are pristine.
Winters in Alta Valsesia feel like being in a snow globe. The area transforms into a cozy wonderland of chalets and great skiing in the Italian Alps. The village of Alagna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the end of the valley and nestled at the foot of the Monte Rosa, serves at the base for the ski resort — Monterosa Ski — that links northwestern Italy’s three Alpine skiing valleys: Alagna Valsesia in the Valsesia Valley, and the Ayas Valley and Lys Valley in neighboring Aosta Valley.
The picturesque ski village of Gressoney-Saint-Jean fuses French, Italian and Walser culture.
Linked by a network of gondolas, each valley has its ski village — the French-infused Gressoney-Saint-Jean in Lys and the more glam Champoluc in Ayas. All three are known for their steep slopes, powder and extensive off-piste backcountry trails, which attract premier skiers from across the globe.
Local food traditions in Valsesia
Northern Piedmont’s mountainous fare is fresh, delicious and locally sourced. Staples include local venison, with deer, chamois and ibex commonly seen in the high alpine, as well as potatoes. Everyone has their own potato patch; small fingerlings, slathered in local cheese and butter, are heavenly. Your palate will also be pleasantly surprised by more than 100 local varieties of rice (arborio) and the dry red Gattinara wine from Nebbiolo grapes.
Wheels of cheese are commonplace in this dairy-rich area.
If you are a cheese and dairy lover, this is the place for you. The cream and butter are otherworldly and the artisanal cheese, known as Toma, is irresistible. Every summer, the shepherds bring their cows, sheep and goats to the high alpine to graze in the lush meadows filled with wildflowers. They make artisanal cream, ricotta and butter, whipped to perfection, as well as Toma. One of the best experiences in all of the Italian Alps is visiting a local caseificio (cheesemaking facility run by shepherds) to buy cheese straight from the source. You can get Toma made from sheep or cow milk, and it comes in many varieties, ranging from a soft and creamy, sweeter, younger cheese to more aged.
One of the most traditional recipes made with Toma cheese is “Polenta Concia”— perfect after a hardy hike or day of skiing. Polenta, slow-simmered ground corn, is a comfort food much-loved in northern Italy. It’s even celebrated with a regional Sagra del Polentone festival, which has been held annually for centuries. You’ll find abundant polenta dishes in Valsesia; in addition to “Polenta Concia”, there’s spezzatino (brisket) with polenta and polenta con latte (polenta made with hot milk and sugar).
Raclette melted onto local potatoes is a shared dish common in Piedmont.
Another divine treat to fuel up with at the end of a hike is miacce. This crepe recipe, now associated with Valsesia, was originally a creation of the Walser community (more on them below). Miacce was created as a substitute for bread, so they are traditionally stuffed with savory cheeses, particularly Toma and Gorgonzola, and local cured meats, or the original butter and salt. The fun of going for miacce is ordering different combinations to find out which you like best. These days, you can also opt for a sweet Nutella-filled miacce. Nutella, too, is a local creation — its first form, called “Giandujot”, originated in a little Piedmontese pastry shop in the 1940s.
Varallo — Your new favorite town in the Italian Alps
The Sacro Monte in Varallo, always a stunning sight, is often just like this — empty and peaceful.
Varallo is the beating heart of the Valsesia Valley’s history and culture. The core of the old town retains its labyrinth layout and medieval architecture with characteristic loggia. Art lovers will enjoy the frescoes of the Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie painted by Gaudenzio Ferrari, a local painter and sculptor turned legendary Renaissance artist. The town center is known for little shops selling typical Valsesian arts and handicrafts, including puncetto lace and traditional scofoni slippers.
This medieval town has meaningful religious importance in Italy. Varallo is home to Europe’s oldest Sacro Monte (1491), one of the nine “Sacred Mountains” that dot towns in the Italian Alps and together constitute a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Varallo Sacro Monte is the focal point of the town’s most important locale: the pilgrimage site of Monte di Varallo, which was designed to replicate Jesus’s walk to crucifixion. The basilica has 45 frescoed chapels and upwards of 800 life-size statues, and the surrounding area is curated with gardens and a piazza emulating ancient Jerusalem. The Sacro Monte is a masterpiece and the entire monte is a moving place for anyone to visit, regardless of faith.
The Walser shepherding community and Baita architecture
Clusters of Baita homes, including our family’s, are nestled into the verdant valley.
The Valsesia Valley is home to the Walser, a Germanic shepherding people that migrated to the Valsesia and other nearby valleys about one thousand years ago from the northern areas of the Swiss canton Valais. While the exact reason for their migration is unclear, they have left an indelible mark on the Valsesia.
The most famous living reminder of the Walser’s deep connection to these lands is their architecture. The Walser are known for their Baita homes, which they engineered to accommodate their pastoral lifestyle in a harsh mountain environment. Baitas are wood and stone-hewn dwellings composed of three storeys to house shepherds, livestock and hay. These centuries-old structures still pepper the alpine meadows and mountain slopes, organized in small clusters or hamlets — each sporting a communal fountain, oven and church.
Our family Baita in the village of Alagna Valsesia dates back to 1617, and we retain many others throughout the Valley, as well as casere, the traditional stone huts located at higher altitudes.
The village of Alagna, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is our home base.
One of the most historically significant Walser settlements is in the Otro Valley, a spectacular hanging valley only reachable on foot. Its unique charm was threatened by moves to build a road up to the valley until a citizens’ revolt and the Italian Environmental Foundation stepped in to protect it. Thankfully, conservation efforts mean we can still experience one of the most unspoiled Walser hamlets, known as Dorf in the local Germanic dialect. There are also ample opportunities to visit local museums centred on the Walser; there’s a good one organized in a traditional Baita in Alagna Valsesia, where the karibu adventures tour is based. Also nearby are the Walser House Museum in Macugnaga and the Ethnographic Museum of the Walser in the Rabernardo hamlet of Val Vogna.