Coassolo: Sacred Art and Alpine Trails

Coassolo: Sacred Art and Alpine Trails

Coassolo combines sacred art, short walks, mills and mountain trails. Alongside the sacred artworks, there are forests, riverside spots, alpine pastures and viewpoints.

Frescoes, Chapels and Local History

Coassolo has historic frescoes in churches and chapels dating from the late 15th century. The Cappella della Grata is a round chapel with an easily accessible walkway around it and numerous votive paintings. In the Cappella di San Sebastiano, frescoes depict the Virgin Mary with the Child, as well as Sebastian, John, Roch and Anthony the Abbot. The Chiesa Parrocchiale S. Nicolao stands on the site of a smaller church dating back to the mid-16th century and contains an altarpiece attributed to Giovenone entitled “Madonna con Bambino”.

The Feast of San Rocco in the hamlet of Castiglione includes lunch and games for children. During the chapel festivals, the Priori buy bread which, through the priest’s blessing during Mass, becomes “carità” and is distributed to participants with a small refreshment. There were 13 important artificial irrigation channels in the Coassolo area, known as “roye”. On paths through Coassolo, you can discover remains of rural alpine life, including masonry, tools and traditional crafts.

Trails Through Changing Landscapes

The Ponte Casassa–Coassolo San Pietro walking trail is an easy route of about 2 kilometres, offering views of Turin, the Canavese and the mountains of the Valli di Lanzo. The Cappella della Grata–Mulini Barot e Amoun loop leads to two mills on the Torrente Tesso. At the “Turcin” mill, the water wheel, millstones and water channel are visible; the mill has been restored and fitted out for a commercial operation. The Sentiero del Pilone del Merlo runs through impressive beech and birch forests.

Alpine Pastures, Viewpoints and Summit Trails

The Anello Castagno–Fuere–Bric di Coppo–Banche loop takes about three hours and follows a scenic track through nature. It leads to Piano di Coppo, with a panorama over the Po Valley. From Leitisetto, you can continue exclusively on foot for about three hours to the Cialma alpine pastures and the summit of Vaccarezza. The Cialma alpine pasture offers views of the surrounding plain, the mountains and the valleys.

The path from Saccona to Prato Rosso leads to a viewpoint reached on foot via an unpaved track. The Vaccarezza–Angiolino ascent passes through the Cialma, Vaccarezza Inferiore and Vaccarezza Superiore alpine pastures before reaching the ridge connecting Vaccarezza with the summit of Angiolino. The Sentiero della roggia di Bogno is a level forest path with a walking time of about 40 minutes. It ends at a beautiful riverside spot with a stretch of water where you can sunbathe and cool off.

Getting There and Choosing a Location

You can reach Coassolo by road from Lanzo Torinese by turning right after crossing the Torrente Tesso. When choosing accommodation in Coassolo, you can focus on different priorities: the churches and chapels in the village, the Ponte Casassa–Coassolo San Pietro walking trail, forest paths such as the Sentiero del Pilone del Merlo, or the alpine ascents via Cialma and Vaccarezza. The different distances and walking times help you plan your own travel pace realistically.

More places for travel planning: Germagnano, Didiero, San Didero, Gassino Torinese, Carignano, Balangero, Bruino, Monti

For the higher-level travel overview: Turin.