EACH VILLAGE HOLDS A SURPRISE!

A land full of life and history

One of the elements that characterize the Canavese is the presence of a very high number of urban centers, most of them very small, gathered around a church, a castle or a tower: it could not be otherwise, considering its history and its architectural heritage.

Out of 130 municipalities, we can count on the fingers of our hands those with more than 10K inhabitants!

The sense of belonging is very strong and no one, over the years and, even, over the centuries, has given up their identity. They should be discovered slowly, appreciating their squares, their most picturesque streets, perhaps at traditional events that allow you to learn about both their intangible and eno-gastronomic culture. We tell you about some of them: it is up to you to choose the one that intrigues you the most or that you find most fascinating.

small uniquenesses

Ivrea: it fascinates for its Lungo Dora, for its Roman origins (do you know what its inhabitants are called?), for its industrial history, which has also shaped its urban planning, for the glimpses of Via Arduino and the narrow streets leading to the castle, for the Torta 900 and, of course, for its Carnival, with Violetta, the Battle of the Oranges and the horses, the great protagonists of this out-of-the-box event and of the Patronale di San Savino.

Chivasso: it conquers with its historic center, characterized by medieval arcades, “secret” passages that open onto picturesque corners, the large square overlooked by the cathedral, its “disproportionate” bell tower and octagonal tower, the historic café-pastry shop that churns out Nocciolini and then, why not, it also conquers for its “great river,” the Po, which with the Bricel River Park offers nature and outdoor activities.

Rivarolo Canavese: it attracts because of its liveliness, which has made it the real point of reference for the economy of the Upper Canavese. It is nice to get lost in the small historic center that winds along the two main axes: Via Ivrea, with its arcades, an elegant covered walkway full of stores, and the tree-lined ally that runs for a good part of the central street, an ideal outdoor meeting place and often enlivened by cultural and gastronomic events. The Malgrà Castle, a historic gem on the bank of the Orco stream, characterizes the profile of the town of “biautagambe.”

a journey through time

Aglié: it evokes a step back in time, when the Savoy family was at home and the scenic Fountain of the 4 Rivers was the backdrop for their royal snacks: just imagine being in their place, replace the carriages with e-bikes and go on a discovery of Santa Marta, with its triangular bell tower, Villa Meleto, residence of the poet Guido Gozzano, the sanctuary of the Three Ciuché and the ovens that produce the typical torcetti.

Torre Canavese: an open-air art gallery; art village, among whose narrow streets and stairways you can breathe atmospheres between the rural and the aristocratic, between the medieval tower-gate and the castle of the unfortunately deceased antiquarian Datrino, a true protagonist of the artistic development of the entire village.

Castellamonte: one of Italy’s Ceramic Cities, where store signs are works of art by ceramists; where the color of terracotta emerges insistently in the toponymy plaques, in the unfinished Antonellian Rotunda, in Arnaldo Pomodoro’s arch, in the friezes of houses and stately palaces, and in the “pitociu,” typical allegorical figures placed atop chimneys.

Villages of Canavese: Between Coppi and Lose

Cuorgné and Pont Canavese: both share a medieval “main street” with ancient porticoes and towers of various shapes; from those in Pont the view sweeps over the entire town, the Canavese plain and the Alpine range, and the glimpse can only be even more complete by climbing to the Church of Santa Maria in Doblazio.

Borgofranco d’Ivrea: you will be won over by the Balmetti, a village within a village! A small cluster of hovels leaning against the rocky walls of the “breathing mountain,” where the little streets, alleys, and climbs have names that evoke the cheerfulness, the euphoria that a few glasses of wine give you: Via del Buonumore, Via della Coppa, Vico di Bacco. Want to bet it’s a place to eat and drink well and in good company?

And then a myriad of tiny agglomerations with red roofs, because almost every village had a kiln to bake bricks and tiles: Barone, Vialfré, San Martino, Bollengo, Oglianico, Pavone, Candia, Mazzé, Piverone. The roofs then, as they go up into the valleys, turn gray: these are the lose, split stone: Carema, Settimo Vittone, Nomaglio, Corio, Andrate, Vistrorio, Traversella, Ingria, Ronco, Noasca, Locana, Frassinetto.

Every glimpse is never dull and obvious!