Craveggia

Access

Access to Craveggia is mainly via the Val Vigezzo road network, which is connected to the Ossola valley floor by the road network that runs up the valley from Domodossola. The municipality is not directly served by the railway, but can be reached by a combination of train and bus thanks to the valley stations and local public transport services. For those coming from further afield, the main reference point is Domodossola, a railway junction with national and international connections. The airports of Milan and Turin are the nearest air gateways, from which one continues by train and then by road along the provincial road network

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Introduction

Craveggia is a mountain municipality in the upper Val Vigezzo, in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the north-western sector of Piedmont, close to the border with Canton Ticino and Canton Valais. The main settlement is located at around 890 metres above sea level on a sunny slope, overlooking the valley and framed by forests, alpine pastures and ridges exceeding 2,500 metres. Its position, close to the boundary line and set in a well-preserved environmental context, helps to define the identity of a village that has maintained a strong link with the mountains over time. The municipal territory is quite large in relation to the resident population and includes the hamlets of Prestinone and Vocogno, as well as an articulated system of alpine pastures historically linked to pastoralism and the agro-sylvo-pastoral economy.

Description

The Craveggia landscape clearly represents the characteristics of the inland mountains of the western Alpine arc. The territory stretches between about 750 and 2551 metres above sea level, including valley floors, wooded slopes and high altitude ridges. Broadleaf and coniferous forests occupy a significant part of the municipal area and gradually give way to alpine pastures, which give the landscape an imprint shaped by traditional mountain use. At high altitudes, near the Colma di Craveggia and the surrounding alpine pastures, there is a notable concentration of boulders engraved with cup-marks and gullies, evidence of ancient frequentations and possible pre-Christian cultic practices that add a widespread element of archaeological interest.
The origins of the village are rooted in rurality, as suggested by the place name Cravetia or Capretia, linked to the goat, an animal that also appears in the municipal coat of arms. The village developed thanks to a combination of agriculture, livestock farming and seasonal emigration, the latter being particularly significant between the 17th and 19th centuries, when many Vigezzo families found resources abroad and returned by investing in fine architecture. The historical centre preserves buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries with beola roofs, stone fireplaces, carved window sills and wrought-iron balconies, elements that give a compact and recognisable image within the villages of the Vigezzo Valley. The hamlets, in particular Vocogno and Prestinone, maintain oratories, small historic nuclei and numerous votive artefacts documenting the religious and social stratification of the valley.
For a long time, the local economy was based on cattle and goat breeding, the seasonal management of mountain pastures and a craftsmanship linked to wood, stone and dairy products. Since the 20th century, a growing vocation for tourism has been established, initially linked to summer holidays and the thermal baths at Bagni di Craveggia, favoured by the village's panoramic position and sunny exposure. Today, the economy integrates permanent residences, second homes, artisan activities, services and a tourism that focuses mainly on hiking and the enhancement of the cultural heritage and landscape. The local gastronomy is influenced by the Ossola alpine tradition, with dishes based on polenta, alpine cheeses and sausages, while handicrafts, once mainly functional to rural life, are now also declined in productions aimed at excursionists and visitors.
Hiking is one of the most representative aspects of the Craveggio area. A dense network of paths connects the valley floor to the alpine pastures and border ridges, offering routes through forests, clearings and panoramic ridges. Of particular interest is the route that from the Colma pastures allows you to explore a vast pastureland area, characterised by the presence of the "coppellati" boulders, known locally as "lightning stones", the interpretation of which remains a matter of debate. In the direction of Bocchetta di Sant'Antonio and Bagni di Craveggia, the trails alternate between more closed sections on the Swiss side and open views towards the Vigezzo Valley. The Bagni di Craveggia, located at the far end of the municipal territory, are an element of great historical interest: the thermal springs, known for many centuries, fed for a long time a small spa, now largely abandoned but still open to visitors. The site continues to attract hikers interested in the history of the place and the relationship between thermalism and the mountains. During the winter, the ridge areas and some of the accessible slopes become snowshoe trails, further extending the seasonal use of the area.

Information

Area: 36.44 km²
Altitude: 889m
Maximum elevation: 2,551 - Pizzo di Modei
Number of inhabitants: 783 as of 31.07.2026
Name in dialect: Cravegia
Inhabitants: craveggiesi
Patron Saint:San Giacomo , celebrated on 25 July and San Cristoforo
Neighbouring municipalities: Malesco, Onsernone, Re, Santa Maria Maggiore, Toceno, Villette
Internet site: www.comune.craveggia.vb.it