Discover Candia Canavese: Lake, Village and Nature

Candia Canavese combines nature observation with short distances, traces of history and local art.

Lake and protected landscape

The Parco Naturale Lago di Candia is home to numerous waterfowl and species-rich hygrophilous, that is, moisture-loving flora. Some species that have since become rare are also found here. Lago di Candia and the adjacent marshland belong to the Sites of Community Importance under the European Union Habitats Directive. Anyone interested in birdlife, wetlands and a landscape with a distinctive ecological character will find a clearly defined nature theme here.

The “Variante del Parco Naturale del Lago di Candia” leads into the protected area and provides access to all park paths within the marshland. Vivere i Parchi also offers nature excursions on foot in the Parco Naturale del Lago di Candia. For wheelchair users, Vivere i Parchi’s electric boat is accessible via a certified ramp.

Walks between the Lido, lake and village

SPB Route 01 begins on the western shore of Lago di Candia in the Lido area. There, the equipped municipal area provides water and public toilets. The Centro Storico - Santo Stefano loop is a short walk from Via Castiglione to Chiesa di Santo Stefano del Monte.

Another short walk is the Lago - Centro loop from Lago di Candia to the center of the village. Along the way, it passes photographs from the “Fotografie Candia Ieri..” project. The Percorso Poetico di Candia also adds a cultural touch, with a terracotta totem and eight terracotta tiles engraved with verses by local poets. The area of this Percorso Poetico is accessible to people with disabilities.

The Area Attrezzata Lago di Candia is a green park on the lakeshore. Picnic tables, children’s play equipment and a large sunbathing lawn make this place a destination in its own right for a break by the water.

Traces of history and views

The Castello is a 19th-century reconstruction of the old castle that dominated the village of Candia. Medieval wall remains of the Castello can still be seen in the houses on Via Cesare Battisti. The private Castello is not accessible without the owners’ permission, but it can be seen in its entirety while climbing to Chiesa Romanica di Santo Stefano al Monte.

The Centro Storico - Santo Stefano loop reaches the Belvedere, a viewpoint from which Candia can be seen from above. During the climb to Chiesa Romanica di Santo Stefano al Monte, the private Vigna Colombaio can also be seen in its entirety. The crypt of Chiesa Romanica di Santo Stefano al Monte contains reused stone columns and capitals from the Lombard period.

The Palazzo Comunale contains a mural depicting the Nativity, probably dating from the first decades of the 16th century. Next to the Palazzo Comunale is the ancient ice house: a round well several metres deep that fishermen filled with ice in winter to preserve fish caught in the lake during the warm season.

Art, winegrowing and the history of the lake

Piazza d’Arti Depaoli is a small private square decorated with photographs and sculptures by the artist Gianni Depaoli, who comes from Candia. Together with the photographs along the Lago - Centro loop, it creates a connection to local art based not on large museum spaces, but on concrete works integrated into the townscape.

At Vigna Colombaio, the Erbaluce grape variety is cultivated using the traditional “pergola canavesana” training system. The history of fishing is also part of the local character: tench and pike from Lago di Candia had been prized at the markets of nearby towns since the 18th century.

Orientation for your stay

Candia Canavese railway station is located on the Turin–Chivasso–Aosta railway line. Lago di Candia is also home to the Canottieri Candia rowing club. The town’s themes therefore range from railway connections and historic walks to nature, the lake and rowing, without restricting a stay to just one type of travel.

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To the higher-level travel overview: Turin.