Alagna Valsesia
Alagna Valsesia
Alagna Valsesia, the province of Vercelli in the Piedmont. This is the place where the road ends. Beyond here, there are only the Alps, mountain valleys, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and the sky.
As of 2023, only 694 people lived in the municipality of Alagna Valsesia. It is one of the two municipalities (the other being Macugnaga) at the foot of the southern slope of the Monte Rosa massif (4638 m), the second highest peak in the Alps after Mont Blanc. It is located at an altitude of 1191 m above sea level in the northwest of the province of Vercelli.
A large part of the municipality's territory is occupied by the Alta Val Sesia and Alta Val Strona Natural Park, which is the highest-altitude park in Europe, as its area stretches up to an elevation of 4559 m.
From here to Monte Rosa, it is only about 10 km in a straight line, and as the road leading to Alagna Valsesia aligns with the direction of Monte Rosa, as you approach the town, the towering 3.5 km mountain range will already be visible.
The town is located in a valley, along the Sesia River, and is surrounded by mountain peaks such as Corno Bianco (3320 m), Corno d'Olden (2556 m), Punta Grober (3497 m), Monte Tagliaferro (2964 m), and Cima Carnera (2741 m).
Walser Culture
The territory of Alagna Valsesia has been inhabited since the 13th century by the Walser, a people of Germanic origin who emigrated from the Swiss canton of Valais. The Walser were engaged in farming, agricultural production, and livestock breeding. Today, the Walser continue to live in 20 municipalities in Italy, mainly in northern Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta, and in 7 of these, they still speak their traditional language, which is very different from Italian and is a variant of the southern German dialect.
A characteristic feature of Walser architecture is their wooden houses made of larch, where they live at altitudes over a thousand meters. The first floor was used as living quarters and a stable, while the second floor served as a barn or storage area for grains, providing better ventilation. External balconies, protected by a large roof overhang, and wooden lofts surrounding the house were used for drying agricultural produce. Sometimes, the foundation and the first floor were built from stone, and the roofs of these houses were covered with stone slabs.
To prevent rats and mice from entering, horizontal stone slabs made of slate or granite were sometimes placed on the vertical foundation columns, with surfaces so smooth that rodents could not grip the underside.
To enjoy a mountain holiday, many people from different countries come here: trekking, mountain biking, freeriding, mountaineering, hydrospeed, rafting, canyoning, sports fishing, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, and ski mountaineering enthusiasts.
From here, at an altitude of 1,191 m, you can take 3 ski lifts
- Alagna Valsesia - Pianalunga, elevation gain of +834 m;
- Pianalunga - Passo Salati, elevation gain of +925 m;
- Passo Salati - Indren, length of 1,569 m, elevation gain of +313 m)
to the base of the Valsesia wall on the southern and southeastern slopes of Monte Rosa, up to an altitude of 3,275 m, where the Indren glacier begins. For skiing enthusiasts, there are about 300 km of ski slopes available (almost all with artificial snow), from the easiest to the most technically challenging (28 blue runs, 73 red runs, and 11 black runs), as well as 52 ski lifts. The altitude, good technical support, and maintenance ensure a guaranteed snow cover on 95% of the slopes, even in the absence of snowfall.
Municipal shuttles run through Alagna, with their schedule available here.
You can download a mobile app where you’ll find a lot of useful information to organize your vacation in Alagna Valsesia.
How to get there?
If you plan to stay at a hotel, you can arrange airport transfers with the help of the hotel staff or this service. Buses come here from Varallo (companies Baranzelli and Atap), and there is also a direct line from Milan (Baranzelli Milano-Alagna line).
Where to park?
There aren't many free spaces in the public parking lot. Some paid parking areas have a few free spots where you can park for 1 hour.
What else to see?
- Walser Culture Museum (opening hours).
- Alta Val Sesia Nature Park.
- Here you’ll find leisure options in the Valsesia Valley in summer.
- Here you’ll find leisure options in the Valsesia Valley in winter.
What to see nearby
What tourist routes are nearby.
- Villages of Alagna Valsesia. A medium-difficulty circular walking or cycling route, 6 km long, with an average duration of 2 hours and 9 minutes and an elevation gain of 316 m. This is a pleasant route that passes through many ancient villages around Alagna. It’s a beautiful, enjoyable excursion with no particular challenges. The route takes you through diverse surroundings: cool forests, a beautiful waterfall, picturesque mountain villages, and magnificent views.
- Cascata dell'Acqua Bianca - Cascata del Sesia. A medium-difficulty route, round trip, 12.9 km long, with an average duration of 4 hours and an elevation gain of 488 m. This is a wonderful excursion in the Pre-Alps by bike or on foot, at the foot of the Monte Rosa massif. The route starts from Riva Valdobbia and leads to the Acqua Bianca waterfall, sparkling with its 30-meter height, one of the lesser-known corners of the Valle Sabbia. Most of the route follows the Sesia River, passing through picturesque mountain villages. The route continues to the scenic point of the Cascata del Sesia, one of the most famous waterfalls in Italy. This route is ideal for hiking, trekking, and biking.
- Tour of Monte Rosa, Stage 5: Alagna, Rifugio Pastore - Macugnaga, Staffa. A challenging point-to-point hiking route, 21.7 km long, with an average duration of 8 hours and 46 minutes and an elevation gain of 1,282 m. The Monte Rosa Tour (TMR): a nine-stage official route circling the Monte Rosa massif in Italy and Switzerland. The TMR crosses the Passo del Theodul and Passo del Monte, crossing the Saas Valley. The route typically begins in Zermatt, Switzerland, but you can choose to make stops from various starting points. Here is the official list of all 9 stages.
- On the AllTrails website, you can find several routes of varying difficulty starting from around Alagna Valsesia.
- On the website www.alagna.it you can find hiking trails for trekking enthusiasts.
- Fatmap offers several additional hiking route options of varying difficulty. Fatmap предлагает еще несколько вариантов пешеходных маршрутов различной сложности.
- Here you will find many more different routes.
Festivals & Concerts.
Fiera di San Michele 2026
A traditional Alpine fair featuring livestock, local products, and rural traditions.
Rosario Fiorito 2026
A traditional religious event featuring floral decorations and a procession in an Alpine village.
Carnevale di Alagna 2027
A traditional Alpine carnival featuring Walser culture, costumes, and folk rituals.
