Holiday apartment in Locana: mountains, culture and distinctive trails

Mountain landscape between the Orco and Gran Paradiso

Above the Orco, the northern part of the Locana area between the villages of Perebecche and Prà, including the Valsoera and Piantonetto valleys, belongs to Gran Paradiso National Park. The central mountain area combines small hamlets with a rugged character and centuries-old chestnut forests. From there, views extend across large parts of the municipality. The Vallone di Piantonetto is also characterised by a diverse protected flora and fauna.

From short walks to trekking

Locana offers several clearly distinct options for different day plans. The Anello la Cà, Lucenti e Orti circular trail is considered an easy, short route and is suitable for an afternoon excursion. The Alta Via del Canavese, or A.V.C. for short, is designated as an important route in Locana and enables multi-day trekking tours with accommodation along the stages, mountain refuges and bivouacs. Another Alpine route leads from Località Carello to Punta Cia, passes the huts of Alpe Cialma and Lago Cimur, and reaches a summit with views of the Gran Paradiso massif.

Località Carello itself is also associated with a special mountain experience: the new chairlift, inaugurated in 2023, leads from there at an altitude of 1,416 metres to Alpe Cialma at almost 1,800 metres. Those choosing a holiday apartment in Locana can therefore first decide whether to focus on a short afternoon circuit, a longer trekking plan or an excursion into the high Alpine landscape.

Alpine work and technical insights

The “Locana: Antichi e nuovi mestieri” visitor centre recreates a traditional Alpine domestic setting in which freshly milked milk was processed into butter and cheese. An animated play tells the story of the chimney sweeps’ hard life. A model also explains how the dam system and hydroelectric power station in the Vallone di Piantonetto work. In Locana, Gran Paradiso National Park dedicates a visitor centre to the traditional craft of chimney sweeping in the Valle Orco and Val di Rhêmes.

Church architecture with Romanesque and Baroque traces

The Parrocchiale di San Pietro in Vincoli was completed in 1681 and consecrated by Monsignor Trucchi. Its bell tower preserves Romanesque traces in the form of bifora windows made of local mica schist, dating from around 1300. The church has a three-nave layout; its façade and interior furnishings clearly display the Baroque style of the 17th century.

Further experiences and regional connections

At the Le Vie del Lupo adventure park, elevated platforms, Tibetan bridges, moving walkways and zip lines are set in a woodland area. For regional travel planning, bus route 5137 connects Rivarolo, Pont and Ceresole. Further places to include in your travel plans are Vinovo, Pavone Canavese, Montalenghe, Andezeno, Quincinetto, Albiano D’ivrea, San Maurizio Canavese and Cambiano.

For the overarching travel overview: Turin.