What to see and what to do in Castelletto Ticino

The town of Castelletto sopra Ticino is located in the high eastern Novara plain and overlooks Lake Maggiore in its south-western part.

Its origins go back to pre-Roman civilization, to continue with the settlements of the Gauls and the Romans, up to the Duchy of Milan. Its ancient port allowed the transport of goods and people towards Lake Maggiore, along the Ticino river, and vice versa up to the Po Valley.

In the early nineteenth century, with the construction of the Via del Sempione, a new economy was born that replaced the river transport in progress until then. Also from the same period are the important archaeological discoveries of some necropolises in “Località Golasecca” by the scholar Giovanni Battista Giani (1788-1857).

What should be seen and visited in Castelletto Ticino

Archeological area

Located in the public park "Giovanni Sibilia", it groups together some original testimonies of the Culture of Golasecca, including three reconstructed "cromlech" funerary enclosures, a stone caisson tomb and two relief steles unearthed in 1997 placed at the beginning of via Beati.

The “Giani” Collection

Currently located in the municipal premises at the headquarters of the Library, the Giani Collection consists of 4 ceramic artifacts: two biconical urns, a truncated cone-shaped bowl-lid and a rare example of a rectangular bowl cup, dating back to the Iron Age.

Ars Moriendi chapel

It dates back to the end of the seventeenth century and is located in the church of S. Maria d’Egro. It was built to serve as a charnel house; the octagonal windows and some original frescoes can be admired, including a divine judgment on the ceiling.

The “Visconteo” Castle with the park

Dating back to the 12th century, this castle is currently used as a private residence and cannot be visited, exceptionally open for FAI days.

Strazza Silk Mill

Since the sixteenth century, the Lombard territory has had documented activity linked to silk: from the breeding of silkworms, to spinning, from twisting to weaving. The origins of this silk factory date back to the last century when the silk was processed with artisanal means.

The building is still well preserved but cannot be visited.

Natural Park of the Lagoni di Mercurago

This park includes a peat bog area, some pastures dedicated to the breeding of thoroughbred horses and a strip of forest and was established in 1980.

It can be reached starting from Mercurago, at the headquarters and visitor center, and is equipped with a dense network of paths, from which to admire an interesting series of ecosystems: the forest, the moor, the pond, the swamp and the pasture.

The “Visconti” Castle of San Vito in Somma Lombardo

Dating back to the 13th century and initially inhabited by the Visconti, it was renovated in the 1600s and embellished with frescoes attributed to the Procaccini school. 

It preserves various and curious collections including a collection of shaving plates and an ornithological collection with 360 stuffed birds, in addition to the collection of artifacts from the Golasecca civilization.

Villa Soranzo in Varallo Pombia

Built after the mid-seventeenth century, it is now used as the Town Hall, the Civic Library, the Archaeological Museum and the Pinacoteca.

Inside, you can admire the grand staircase in pink granite, and four statues from the eighteenth century representing the four seasons, as well as a series of splendid rooms with painted coffered ceilings.

The archaeological museum collects finds dating back to the Golasecca and Roman civilizations, coming from local excavations, while the garden is full of camellias and azaleas and rhododendrons.

Badia of Dulzago in Bellinzago Novarese

Founded by the canons regular in the 12th century as a place of worship, in the 15th century it was transformed from a religious community into an important agricultural center. It was originally organized as a real monastic complex that included the church, the residence of the abbot and the canons, the sharecroppers' houses with their families and the cemetery. In 1845 it was given to the Borromeo family.

The church can be visited on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, while the internal courtyards and the privately owned abbey building are not open to visitors.

What to do in and around Castelletto Ticino 

• pedal along the cycle path: the opening of a new cycle path is planned that will connect the city center to the locality of Cimilin with access to the cycle path of the Ticino Valley Natural Park. The route will be about 890m long

Tips about where to stay in Castelletto Ticino

These are just some of the accommodation facilities in Castelletto Ticino. You can find all the hotels, B & Bs and campsites where you can spend a stay or a holiday in Castelletto Ticino on Lake Maggiore here.

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How to get to Castelletto Ticino

You can reach Castelletto Ticino by car:

• from Milan / Malpensa Airport: from the A8 motorway, exit at Sesto Calende / Vergiate and follow towards Sesto Calende. Take the SS33 and continue towards Castelletto Sopra Ticino
• from Domodossola Sempione: take the E62 / SS33 state road towards Milan, continue on the A26 / E62 motorway towards Milan, exit at Castelletto Ticino and continue towards Castelletto. Take the SS33 and continue towards Castelletto Sopra Ticino