Vercana: Churches, Mountain Trails and an Old Mill

Vercana combines sacred art and history with mountain trails and regional offerings centred around the mill and chestnut.

Churches and Religious History

The Chiesa parrocchiale San Salvatore is closely connected with the history of Vercana. The first documents proving its independence as a parish date from 1644. Inside, you can expect a Baroque setting with frescoes, canvas paintings, stucco and works of art by various artists from the 17th and 18th centuries. The church’s dedication is probably connected with the Byzantine influence in the Alto Lario region at that time.

Another historic stop is located in Vercana, in the Caino district: the Chiesa di San Sebastiano (Caino) enjoys a panoramic setting. It was built in 1644 on the site of a building dating from approximately 1400. The church also houses an organ by Giuseppe Alchisio dating from 1862. The Santuario Madonna della Neve was built in 1630 after the end of the plague, at the unanimous request of the survivors, as a sign of devotion to the Madonna and gratitude to God.

Mountain Trails and Regional Peaks

The Monti di Vercana route presents different types of terrain in direct succession. It follows paved roads to the Monti di Vercana, then continues along an unpaved mountain track and an old, partly paved path. For more sport-oriented days, there is also a challenging cross-country cycling route: a section of the Via dei Monti Lariani runs through the valleys, leading from the Monti di Vercana via Tabbiadello and Montalto to Fordeccia.

The wider regional surroundings of Vercana are also home to several notable peaks: Monte l'Usciolo, Monte La Nava and Sasso Canale are peaks in this wider area. Monte Legnone is a mountain in the vicinity of Vercana.

Culture in the Wider Area

Those wishing to combine their stay in Vercana with additional cultural destinations will find Castello Sasso Corbaro, a castle, and Museo Moto Guzzi, a museum, in the wider regional area. The Abbazia di San Pietro in Vallate, a church, is also located near Vercana. The Bellinzona monastery is a monastery in the wider regional surroundings of Vercana.

Mill and Chestnut at Runchee

At Azienda agricola Runchee in Vercana, a 30-minute educational tour of the old mill, including a demonstration of how it works, can be booked in advance for Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; at least two people must take part. From September to November, a one-hour tour of the chestnut’s life cycle, from harvesting to processing, can be booked there in advance every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; at least five people must take part. The two offerings therefore have different time and group-size requirements.

Discover More Places

If you would like to explore the region further, you can find more places here: Val Rezzo, Brunate, Mozzate, Erbonne, Maslianico, San Fedele Intelvi, Tremezzo, Luisago.

Back to the main travel overview: Como.