Verceia, a territory to discover

Verceia - Overlooking the shores of Lake Mezzola which joins, across the Black River, with Lake Como; Verceia is a charming village in the province of Sondrio in Valchiavenna. Suggestive mountains, wetlands and waterfalls are the perfect mix to attract tourists from all over the world; the spectacle of nature that opens before your eyes instills charm and tranquility.

The parish church of San Fedele built in 1724 on a pre-existing building; it developed following different construction phases, inside there is the altarpiece depicting the re-enactment of the victory of Goffredo over the French. Linked to the cult of the patron saint is the temple of San Fedelino dating back to the 10th century and is connected to the other side of the lake and can be reached by boat. The Mezzola lake hosts the headquarters of an important rowing association, which finds in the conditions of the lake the right place to practice training. There are numerous naturalistic and historical-cultural points of interest in the area, such as the natural area of Pian di Spagna, a humid area suitable for the nitidification of migratory alifauna. Of historical importance is the fountain where some Mazzinians tried to resist the return of the Austrians. The horse trail is an ancient path that connects the city to the lower Valtellina. The Mina tunnel, located on the border of the town, is a military defensive structure used in the First World War; excavated in 1971 is 200 meters long. The gallery is made up of 17 wells, the first was essential for collecting water and is 17 meters deep and draws water directly from the lake. The presence of water together with the explosive helps to give more power to the explosion for this reason all 17 meters long wells contained water and explosives. The natural area lends itself to trekking along suggestive stretches, particularly popular is the path of the tracciolino; a 10 km path that extends over 920 meters high and leads to the Moledana dam, a water collection basin. The dam is important for the yield of electricity, the structure is handmade externally with stones worked by stonecutters. The dam is fed by streams and underground channels. Among the most evocative routes, the most important are those that lead to the hamlets of Foppaccia and Fransedo. In the hamlet of Foppaccia there are characteristic houses, the place of worship is the church of Saints Anna and Gioacchino; on the façade of the church there is a painting of San Bernardo killing the dragon which, according to legend, infested the place. In Casten you can see the pretty huts that make up the town, where you can admire the natural refrigerators where the milk is stored. The hamlet of Fransedo is located 187 meters high, the village can only be reached on foot. Here still lives the tradition and love for nature that is respected. A small church with an elegant facade and gabled roof decorated with frescoes of saints is dedicated to the Madonna delle Nevi. Characteristic element of the area are the caves that populate the mountain, they are natural cellars formed by ancient landslides, they make the ideal environment for the preservation of food and for the maturation of wine. The local cuisine is based on natural ingredients, typical are: goat leg violin, chestnut, mushrooms, pizzoccheri and cheeses. The simplicity of these villages and the wonderful breathtaking views are just some of the reasons why it is worth visiting these lands.