Italea
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Route length 6 days

Valle Elvo and Biella, following the thread of the roots

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The experience

Periodo: da Aprile a Ottobre – dal sabato al giovedì – Numero persone: 4/5

Scoprire la Valle Elvo è un’esperienza eccezionale: il territorio, naturalmente delimitato dalla Serra morenica di Ivrea, è il più soleggiato delle valli biellesi. Dalle sorgenti di alta quota ai pascoli, dai rifugi ai centri rurali, il paesaggio della Valle si trasforma: da un territorio tipicamente montano alle dolci colline, fino al lago di Viverone. In questo tour, la Valle verrà ripercorsa proprio a partire dal lago, attraversando la riserva naturale della Bessa e percorrendo la Serra, per poi risalire da Donato verso l’alta montagna, facendo tappa al Santuario di Graglia, a Sordevolo, al Parco Burcina. Al ritorno,  non mancherà la visita al caratteristico Santuario di Oropa e, scendendo verso la pianura, alla città di Biella. Un percorso naturalistico, storico e culturale alla ricerca delle proprie origini.

In a few words

Biella (Italy)
Elvo Valley
Greenhouse
Nature
Lake
Mountain
archive
genealogy
Slow Food
roots

Tour

Wyver

The experience will begin at Lake Viverone with a boat tour, to discover the natural and historical beauties of the largest lake basin in the morainic amphitheater of Ivrea. At the end, you will be accompanied on a relaxing walk along the lakefront, of which it will still be possible to discover many peculiarities at the Documentation Center of Lake Viverone.

At the end of the morning, a lunch in a restaurant on the lake.

Address: Viverone, Biella, Italy.

Vermogno

In the early afternoon, transfer to Vermogno, a hamlet of Zubiena, for a guided tour of the Ecomuseum of Gold and Bessa, the starting point for a guided excursion to the nature reserve.

Dinner at a farmhouse.

Address: fraz. Vermogno di Zubiena, Biella, Italy.

Magnano

The day will begin with a guided hike on the Serra d’Ivrea, which will cross the medieval Ricetto di Magnano, then descend to the medieval church of San Secondo and end at the Monastery of Bose.

Address: Magnano, Biella, Italy.

Given

After a typical lunch, transfer to Donato for a visit to the Center for Documentation and Study on Emigration, in the headquarters of the historical Società Operaia di Donato, where it will be possible to consult the archives on emigration from the Elvo Valley.

Dinner in a typical restaurant.

Address: Donato, Biella, Italy.

Graglia

Guided tour of the Sanctuary of Graglia, dedicated to the Madonna of Loreto, and the discovery of the eco-hendecasyllable: from a small hill that has now been equipped with a small balcony and two benches, it is possible to experience the phenomenon of this strange echo, the longest in the world, which can reproduce a word of eleven syllables such as “precipitevolissimamente”.

Lunch in a typical restaurant.

Address: Graglia, Biella, Italy.

Sordevolo

In the afternoon, the itinerary continues in Sordevolo for a visit to the Museum of the Passion, the historical representation held every 5 years and which for more than two centuries has involved the local population and attracted a vast audience. Walk in the village and dinner in a typical restaurant.

Address: Sordevolo, Biella, Italy.

Roots Laboratory

A day dedicated to archival research and genealogical reconstructions.

The research will be conducted together with a specialist in the field, who will accompany you to the chosen municipal archive. The research will continue at the archives of the relevant parish, where we will try to complete the information for the composition of a family tree.

After a typical lunch, the experience will end in the early afternoon with a visit to the municipal cemetery.

Address: to be chosen from the municipalities of Camburzano, Donato, Graglia, Magnano, Mongrando, Muzzano, Netro, Occhieppo Inferiore, Occhieppo Superiore, Pollone, Sala Biellese, Sordevolo, Torrazzo, Zimone, Zubiena.

Burcina Park – Pollone

The itinerary will continue with a walk to the Burcina Park, for a relaxing afternoon in contact with nature and to discover the extraordinary botanical species that characterize the park. Don’t miss the view of the Biella area and the mountains.

Dinner in a typical restaurant.

Address: Pollone, Biella, Italy.

Oropa

The morning will begin with a guided tour of the Sanctuary of Oropa, dedicated to the Black Madonna, nestled in the heart of the Biella Alps, and will continue with the Monumental Cemetery.

At the end, transfer to the Trappa di Sordevolo along the Tracciolino, the “balcony on the Alps”.

Address: Oropa, Biella, Italy.

La Trappa - Sordevolo

After a lunch with typical products of the upper Elvo Valley, guided tour of the Trappa, a former Trappist monastery that, over the years, has become a symbol of harmonious and sustainable care of the territory, also thanks to the Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance.

Transfer to Biella for dinner in a typical restaurant.

Address: Sordevolo, Biella, Italy.

From the Museum of the Territory to the State Archives

The visit to the city will start from the Museum of the Biella Territory, located in the Cloister of San Sebastiano, which houses an archaeological section and an art-historical section of particular value, in which each work on display expresses a strong link with the territory.

At the end, the experience will continue in the nearby State Archives, where it will be possible to consult historical photos, testimony to the identity of the textile district.

Lunch in a restaurant.

Address: Biella, Italy.

Flat connecting rod and Piazzo connecting rod

In the afternoon, guided tour of the historic center and the main points of interest including the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the church of San Sebastiano. The visit will continue with the ascent to the village of Piazzo via the characteristic funicular. The medieval village is characterized by low arcades and narrow, cobbled streets. The walk along the cobbled alleys, among the medieval houses decorated in terracotta and the ancient stately homes is suggestive.

Address: Biella, Italy.

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