Surroundings

Surroundings

The Piedmont region is not yet overrun by hordes of tourists, making a stay in this area very special. Here you can taste the Italian cuisine, carefully prepared by the restaurants using local ingredients to create a delicious meal. Exploring the rolling hills of the Piedmont vineyards can give wine connoisseurs a tantalizing experience, allowing them to take part in a wine-tasting journey. It will become apparent that it is difficult to choose from these fine wines. Viverone Lake is definitely worth a visit. If only to experience the Italian atmosphere. The authentic villages and castles in the area are also well worth a visit. In the country house there is enough information about possible excursions. Read more about this on the link activities.

Nature

The surroundings are truly stunning and offer something for everyone. Are you looking for peace and quiet? You can enjoy cycling or walking through the expansive landscapes, hills and wooded nature. What is special is that the world-famous “Sentiero walking route” is connected to Magnano.
Do you want to combine your visit with a city trip? In that case, Turin, Aosta, and Milan are within driving distance. The beautiful Lake of Viverone is also accessible. Here you can swim, sail, water ski or fish.
particular piece of Italian culture is visiting ‘Santuario d’Oropa’ – a unique and historic pilgrimage site – and definitely worth the trip.
Other activities in the area: a culinary tour of Piedmont, golfing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, swimming (Ondaland Aqua Park) and skiing.

Magnano

Magnano is located in the north of Piedmont and is situated at an altitude of 600 meters against the Biellese Alps. The old center of Magnano has existed since the twelfth century and in the old center, ïl Ricetto, the workers who worked in the area around Magnano lived. These houses were also used for storing grains and wines. Some of the cottages are still in their original state. Others have been renovated and modernized.
Additionally, there are a few old churches which have already been partially restored. These churches are the setting for the summer music festival ‘Musica Antica’. Magnano covers about ten square kilometers and consists of many small cascinas, or village parts. Tamagno is one of them. Previously, Magagnano was a large municipality of approximately 2500 to 3000 inhabitants. Nowadays, many houses are empty or used only as holiday homes. The official number of inhabitants is now 387. Click here for a map of Magnano: http://en.comuni-italiani.it/096/030/mappa.html

Tamagno

Tamagno is one of the villages in Magnano, located at an altitude of around 600 meters. Surrounding Tamagno are many meadows, grasslands and forests. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, some of these forests were planted with grapevines, which at the time was one of the largest sources of income. After the war, many families moved to the big city and/or abroad and there was no one left to maintain the vineyards. Gradually, the environment of Magnano and Tamagno changed into a very forested area where the timber industry now thrives. Casa Joop’s premises have historically been a farm with fields around it. It belonged to the Tamagno family for a long time, and since August 2008 it has been ours.

Biella

Biella is an ancient city with a historic center, many churches and beautiful buildings. The oldest part of Biella is located above the center and you can take a train here to go up and down (the funicolare). The price is €0.80 and for a return ticket you pay €1.50.
For the sporty types there are several hiking routes.
Near Biella is the well-known Santuario d’Oropa. This pilgrimage site is located in the mountains at an altitude of 1800 meters. It consists of a cathedral and a large monastery. There is a painting of a Black Madonna. According to legend, it was painted by the evangelist Luke and was brought to Oropa in the 4th century by Bishop Eusebius of Vercelli. Definitely worth a visit. Right above the pilgrimage site there is also a lift that will take you up to 2500 meters, where you can find many walking routes. For experienced hikers, there is a route ending at a viewpoint on the Monte Rosa mountain range, with many well-known peaks.

Ivrea

Ivrea is an ancient medieval town, surrounded by many lakes created in the Ice Age. There are many historical buildings, such as the cathedral and great castle in Ivrea. Nowadays Ivrea is mostly known for the big market held on Friday mornings.

Viverone Lake

Viverone Lake is located approximately 20 minutes from Magnano. This is a small lake in comparison to the large lakes in Italy, surrounded by beautiful hills and with a subtropical climate. You can enjoy the lake here, which has a pleasant temperature in the summer. You can go sailing, water skiing, rent a pedalo or jet ski, it’s all possible! You can walk along the cozy boulevard. There is also a boat tour and you can eat delicious food in various restaurants by the water. Hotel Marina has an excellent kitchen and a beautiful terrace. Around the lake there are magnificent large houses and villas.