Santa Maria Maggiore
Santa Maria Maggiore
Italy can still surprise even those who feel they have seen it all. While millions of visitors fill the shores of Lake Como and the squares of Milan, further north, among the Alpine landscapes of Piedmont, lies a very different world - Santa Maria Maggiore.
This small Alpine town in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola sits at around 816 metres above sea level, in the broad Valle Vigezzo between Domodossola and the Swiss border. The famous Vigezzina–Centovalli railway, connecting Domodossola with Locarno in Switzerland, runs through the valley. For the quality of its visitor experience and its commitment to preserving local heritage, Santa Maria Maggiore has been awarded the prestigious Bandiera Arancione (Orange Flag) by the Touring Club Italiano.
Valle Vigezzo is often known as the Valle dei Pittori (Valley of the Painters) and the Valle degli Spazzacamini (Valley of the Chimney Sweeps) - and both traditions are particularly well represented in Santa Maria Maggiore. Artists came here to capture the distinctive light of the Alpine valley on canvas, while generations of local people left these mountains to find work across Europe, many of them as chimney sweeps. The valley also has another unexpected story to tell: emigrants from Valle Vigezzo played an important role in the origins of the famous Acqua di Colonia - Eau de Cologne.
The town takes its name from the ancient church of Santa Maria, traditionally regarded as the first parish church in the valley. During the second half of the 16th century, the settlement grew in religious and civic importance, and Maggiore was added to its name. The history of the present municipality is also closely connected with neighbouring Crana and Buttogno: following a series of administrative changes, Crana became part of Santa Maria Maggiore, while Buttogno was definitively incorporated into the municipality in 1928.
For such a small Alpine town, Santa Maria Maggiore has a surprising concentration of cultural attractions: museums, an art school, a historic parish church, picturesque squares and green parks.
Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta
The history of Santa Maria Maggiore's main church stretches deep into the Middle Ages, although the building has been altered several times and its present appearance developed over the centuries. Behind its relatively restrained exterior lies a much more elaborate interior, with Baroque decoration and frescoes by local artists. More than simply the town's principal church, it is one of the places where the centuries-old artistic tradition of Valle Vigezzo can still be clearly felt.
Chimney Sweep Museum (Museo dello Spazzacamino)
This is perhaps the most unusual and moving museum in Santa Maria Maggiore. Set in the grounds of Villa Antonia, its exhibition explores the lives of the chimney sweeps of Valle Vigezzo and the long history of labour migration from these Alpine communities.
Particular attention is given to the young assistants known as rusca, children whose small size meant they were sent into narrow chimneys to clean them. Through documents, historic objects and multimedia displays, the museum presents not a romanticised legend, but the difficult human story behind a profession that became an important part of the valley's cultural memory.
Casa del Profumo Feminis-Farina
The story of the famous Acqua di Colonia unexpectedly leads from Cologne back to this small Alpine valley in Piedmont. Santa Maria Maggiore is associated with Giovanni Paolo Feminis and Giovanni Maria Farina, natives of Valle Vigezzo who played an important role in the history of the celebrated fragrance.
Casa del Profumo tells their story through documents, multimedia installations and, naturally, scents. Visitors can discover the aromatic ingredients traditionally used in perfumery, learn how fragrances and recipes evolved over time, and understand how the history of one of Europe's best-known perfumes became connected with Valle Vigezzo.
Scuola di Belle Arti Rossetti Valentini
If the Museo dello Spazzacamino explains one of Valle Vigezzo's nicknames, the Scuola di Belle Arti Rossetti Valentini helps explain the other - the “Valley of the Painters”. Founded in the 19th century, the art school became an important centre for training local artists and, over time, one of the symbols of the valley's cultural life. Its collection includes works by artists associated with Valle Vigezzo, while the school itself remains active today, preserving a living artistic tradition that is remarkable for such a small Alpine town.
Santa Maria Maggiore is particularly atmospheric in autumn, when a journey on the Vigezzina–Centovalli railway becomes a panoramic ride through Alpine slopes coloured in shades of gold and red. In early December, the town changes character once again, as its historic centre hosts the Mercatini di Natale di Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Piedmont's largest and best-known Christmas markets.
How to get there?
The Ferrovia Vigezzina-Centovalli, an international narrow-gauge railway connecting Domodossola in Italy with Locarno in Switzerland, runs directly through Santa Maria Maggiore. Trains operate roughly every hour, every day and throughout the year, with around 9–11 services in each direction daily. The journey itself is part of the experience, passing through forests, dramatic gorges and small Alpine villages.
The line is served by several types of trains: the panoramic Vigezzo Vision trains (marked PE in the timetable), the classic Centovalli Express, and regular regional services (marked RE or R). Tickets can be purchased online, at the ticket office in Domodossola or at Santa Maria Maggiore station; when the ticket office is closed, tickets for journeys on the Italian section can also be purchased on board. Travellers planning to explore the entire route between Domodossola and Locarno can use a special tourist ticket valid for two days, which allows intermediate stops along the way. Santa Maria Maggiore is an excellent place to break the journey for a few hours.
If you are travelling from Milan or Turin, the easiest option without a car is to take a train to Domodossola and change there for the Vigezzina-Centovalli railway.
Buses of Line 046 (Druogno - Santa Maria Maggiore - Craveggia) and Line 043 (Druogno - S.M. Maggiore - Cursolo) Autoservizi Comazzi company pass through Santa Maria Maggiore, as well as Prontobus routes that connect the towns of the valley.
For visitors, however, the train is usually the most convenient option: it runs frequently, brings you directly into the centre of town and offers spectacular Alpine scenery along the way.
Where to park?
The main public parking areas are Parcheggio Mercato and Parcheggio della Pineta. Less crowded free parking can also be found along Via I Giorgis Pittori, on the eastern side of town, Via de Magistris and Via Vocogno Prestinone. A paid option is Parcheggio Suto.
Keep in mind that the historic centre is subject to a ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato), with access monitored by automatic cameras. Traffic restrictions apply to several streets and squares in the historic centre, including Piazza Risorgimento, Via Rossetti Valentini, Via Benefattori, Via Cadorna and Via Cavalli.
During major events - such as the International Chimney Sweep Gathering in September or the Christmas Markets in December - central parking areas can fill up very quickly. On these days, it is worth arriving early or leaving your car in Domodossola and travelling to Santa Maria Maggiore on the panoramic train.
What to see nearby
What tourist routes are nearby.
- Malesco to Santa Maria Maggiore. Easy linear walking route, approximately 4.6 km, 154 m elevation difference, around 1 hour 47 minutes one way. An ideal and relatively easy route for families and leisurely walks. The trail follows historic mule tracks through mature pine and beech forests, linking two picturesque mountain towns. It is particularly attractive in autumn, when the woods of Valle Vigezzo are transformed by colourful foliage. For an easy day trip, you can walk in one direction and return to your starting point on the panoramic Centovalli Railway.
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Statue to the Spallone (the traditional Alpine smuggler) near Bocchetta di Muino - Colma di Toceno – Piana di Vigezzo. Moderate route, approximately 5 km, 700 m elevation gain, around 3 hours 5 minutes. The trail starts in Toceno, just a few minutes from Santa Maria Maggiore, and climbs along an old pastoral path through coniferous woodland towards Colma di Toceno before continuing to Piana di Vigezzo. Once above the forest, the route opens onto broad views across Valle Vigezzo, the mountains of Val Grande, Swiss Ticino and the peaks of the canton of Valais. The walk follows clearly visible paths and old mulattiere (mule tracks); summer and autumn are the best seasons for this hike.
- Alpe Motti – Lago Panelatte. Moderate route, approximately 4.5 km, 860 m elevation gain, around 3 hours one way. One of the classic hikes in Valle Vigezzo begins at Arvogno, which can be reached from Santa Maria Maggiore via Toceno. The trail largely follows a historic mulattiera towards Passo di Fontanalba, climbing through Alpine pastures to the small Lago Panelatte. Along the way, hikers encounter an unusual boulder associated with local legends about the witches of Valle Vigezzo. Summer is the recommended season for this route.
- Piana di Vigezzo – Laghetti di Muino – Alpe Ruggia. Moderate out-and-back route, approximately 6.4 km, 269 m elevation gain, around 4 hours. After reaching Piana di Vigezzo from Santa Maria Maggiore, the route follows trail M25 towards Bocchetta di Muino and a group of small mountain lakes. One of the most interesting points is Bocchetta di Muino, at an altitude of around 1,970 metres, where a sculpture commemorates the spalloni — smugglers who for centuries crossed the mountain border between Italy and Switzerland.
Festivals & Concerts.
Fuori di Zucca 2026
Fuori di Zucca is Santa Maria Maggiore’s colourful autumn festival dedicated to pumpkins, seasonal flavours and local traditions. The historic centre turns orange with themed decorations, markets, music, street entertainment and tastings inspired by the produce of Valle Vigezzo.
Mercatini di Natale di Santa Maria Maggiore 2026
Mercatini di Natale di Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the most atmospheric Christmas markets in Piedmont. More than 200 stalls and festive stands fill the streets and squares of this Alpine village with artisan products, Christmas decorations and local gastronomic specialties.
Other useful information.
The weekly market in Santa Maria Maggiore takes place every Monday morning, approximately from 08:00 to 13:00. Market stalls traditionally fill Piazza del Mercato and Piazza Risorgimento.