Holiday apartment in Lessona: viticulture, trails and historic sites

Lessona between vineyards and old trails

Lessona offers a local history closely connected with viticulture, sacred buildings and trails through the hilly landscape. Those choosing a holiday apartment in Lessona can shape their stay around historic sites, regional wine culture or active days outdoors.

A wine landscape with a long history

The northern and central parts of Lessona are characterised by long, sun-exposed hilly valleys. Their conditions have favoured the development of viticulture. Viticulture at al Tsöp has been documented since the 15th century; a written record from 1436 mentions the dello Zoppo vineyard. The Lessona wine route begins at Parco delle Cicogne and gives the subject a clear geographical focus.

Palazzo Sella also represents this connection between landscape, history and wine. The old country villa on Tsöp was built in 1834 by Giovanni Giacomo Antonio Sella to a design by Canon Serratrice. Palazzo Sella is one of the numerous stately country residences in Lessona that reflect the history of local viticulture. In 1976, Lessona received DOC designation; the production regulations for Lessona wine were established at that time.

Oratories, churches and traces along the way

Historic stops include San Vénts, a chapel dedicated to Saint Gaudenzio. It is considered Lessona’s first church and dates back to the 11th century. A fresco of Saint Christopher has been preserved on its southern side, welcoming travellers arriving along a section of the Via Lexonasca. The Oratorio di San Pietro was founded in the second half of the 17th century and belonged to the Santuario di Oropa in the following century. Its beautiful preserved inner courtyard with a fountain provides a distinctive feature.

San Basc-cian is an oratory dedicated to Saint Sebastian at the foot of Tsöp and is one of Lessona’s oldest oratories; it dates back to the 15th century. The hamlet of Castello is also home to the oratory, or church, of Saints Sebastian and Fabian. The parish church of Lessona, dedicated to Saint Lorenzo, probably has origins dating back to before the year 1000.

Trails for discovery and activity

The Stra da Mort hiking trail connects Géza and San Basc-cian. Another way to experience Lessona on foot is stage 37 of the GTB: it passes close to the ruins of the Prevostura di Lessona and runs near the Osterla stream, beside significant fossil-bearing outcrops from the Pliocene.

Mountain bike enthusiasts also have a dedicated focus here. Amici MTB Lessona promotes the area by organising the national MTB marathon “La Prevostura”. For more than twenty years, the organisation has also worked to enhance the rural heritage by restoring and maintaining old trails, making them accessible to mountain bikers and other interested visitors.

Parco delle Cicogne in the town centre

Parco delle Cicogne was created in 1993 as a large green space for recreation and play in the town centre.

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For the higher-level travel overview: Biella.