Sacred Mountains of Piedmont: Oropa & Varallo
A three-day journey through northern Piemonte combining the UNESCO Sacred Mountains of Oropa and Varallo with local cuisine, Alpine landscapes and a selected wine tasting.
3 days / 2 nights • Oropa • Varallo • 2 lunches • 1 winery visit & tasting • Breakfast • Self-drive or private transfer
About This Oropa & Varallo Tour
This Oropa and Varallo tour explores two of northern Piemonte’s most remarkable sacred landscapes on a three-day journey through UNESCO heritage, local culture and Alpine scenery.
Oropa and Varallo belong to the UNESCO-listed Sacri Monti of Piemonte and Lombardia, a group of historic devotional complexes where chapels, architecture, art and mountain landscapes come together in a unique cultural setting.
The journey begins at Oropa, surrounded by the mountains above Biella, and continues through the landscapes and food traditions of the Biellese area before reaching Varallo and its extraordinary Sacred Mountain.
Two lunches are included during the journey, together with a selected winery visit and tasting introducing another aspect of northern Piemonte’s rural culture.
The programme includes two nights in selected hotels with breakfast and can be organised either self-drive or with private transfers for the complete route.
Bellia Experience coordinates the accommodation, visits, lunches, wine experience and logistics of the journey.
Highlights
- Two UNESCO Sacred Mountains: Discover Oropa and Varallo during the same journey.
- Three days and two nights: Travel through the mountain landscapes of northern Piemonte at a relaxed pace.
- Santuario di Oropa: Experience one of the most important Marian sanctuaries of the Alpine region.
- Sacro Monte di Varallo: Explore the oldest and most influential of the Sacri Monti.
- Two included lunches: Discover local and regional flavours during Days 2 and 3.
- Wine tasting: Visit a selected winery and enjoy a guided tasting during the journey.
- Two hotel nights: Accommodation with breakfast is included.
- Flexible transport: Travel self-drive or request private transfers for the complete itinerary.
Oropa and Varallo Tour: Two Sacred Mountains
The Sacri Monti were created between the late Renaissance and Baroque periods as monumental devotional itineraries in which architecture, sculpture, painting and landscape form a single experience.
Oropa rises in an Alpine basin above Biella, where the monumental sanctuary and Sacred Mountain are surrounded by forests and high peaks.
Varallo offers another interpretation of the same tradition: a complex of chapels, monumental spaces and life-size artistic scenes overlooking the historic town and the Sesia Valley.
Visiting both sites during one journey makes it possible to compare two different expressions of the same extraordinary cultural and spiritual phenomenon.
Itinerary
Day 1
Oropa & the Alpine Sanctuary
Arrival • Santuario di Oropa • Sacro Monte • Free evening • Overnight stay
Show Day 1 Details
Arrival in the Biellese area. Begin the journey in northern Piemonte and continue towards the mountains above Biella.
Santuario di Oropa. Discover the monumental sanctuary complex set in the Alpine basin of Oropa and explore its historic courtyards, churches and surrounding landscape.
Sacro Monte di Oropa. Continue to the Sacred Mountain and discover the devotional chapels situated in the natural landscape surrounding the sanctuary.
Free time. According to the final programme and season, enjoy additional time to explore the sanctuary area or take a short walk in the surrounding landscape.
Evening. Dinner is free, allowing you to choose where and how you would like to spend the evening.
Overnight stay in the selected hotel.
If you choose the private transfer formula, pick-up can be arranged from your hotel, home, railway station or another agreed location.
Day 2
Biellese Landscapes & Wine
Breakfast • Local territory • Included lunch • Winery visit & tasting • Overnight stay
Show Day 2 Details
Breakfast. Begin the day at the hotel before continuing through the landscapes of the Biellese and northern Piemonte.
Morning exploration. Discover a selected cultural, historic or landscape stop in the territory, chosen according to the final route and season.
Lunch. Enjoy the first included lunch of the journey, with a menu inspired by local and regional cuisine.
Afternoon winery experience. Visit a selected producer in northern Piemonte and discover the local wine territory through a guided visit and tasting.
Wine tasting. Taste a selected range of wines according to the producer and confirmed experience, providing an introduction to the viticultural traditions of this lesser-known part of Piemonte.
Evening. Dinner is free.
Overnight stay in the selected hotel, positioned according to the final route towards Varallo.
Day 3
Varallo & the Sacro Monte
Breakfast • Varallo • Sacro Monte • Included lunch • End of the journey
Show Day 3 Details
Breakfast and departure. Leave the hotel and continue towards Varallo and the Sesia Valley.
Varallo. Discover the historic town before continuing to the Sacro Monte overlooking the valley.
Sacro Monte di Varallo. Explore the monumental complex of chapels, churches, sculptures and painted scenes that developed from the end of the fifteenth century and became the model for the later Sacri Monti.
Included lunch. Enjoy the second included lunch of the journey, with dishes inspired by the cuisine of the Valsesia and northern Piemonte.
Free time. Depending on the confirmed timetable, enjoy additional time in Varallo before departure.
End of the tour. The organised programme concludes after the visit and lunch. Guests travelling with private transfers will continue to the agreed final drop-off location.
Accommodation
The journey includes two nights in selected hotels with breakfast.
Accommodation is selected according to the confirmed itinerary, availability and travel formula, with locations chosen to create a practical route between Oropa, the Biellese area and Varallo.
The final hotels and room arrangements will be confirmed in your personalised proposal.
Local Food & Wine
Two lunches are included during the journey, providing an introduction to the food traditions of northern Piemonte.
The experience also includes one selected winery visit and tasting, adding a wine element to a journey primarily dedicated to art, landscape, history and local culture.
The exact menus, winery and wines tasted will depend on the confirmed suppliers, requested dates and availability.
Please communicate allergies, intolerances and dietary requirements before booking so they can be checked with the selected suppliers.
Self-Drive or Private Transfer
Self-Drive
Follow the complete itinerary in your own vehicle. Hotel addresses, meeting points, winery details, restaurant locations and operational information will be provided in the confirmed programme.
Private Transfer
A private transfer service can be arranged for the complete three-day journey, including pick-up from your accommodation, home, railway station or another agreed location, transfers between all destinations and final drop-off.
✔ Included
- Two nights in selected hotels
- Breakfast on Days 2 and 3
- Two included lunches
- Visit to Oropa and its Sacred Mountain
- Visit to the Sacro Monte di Varallo
- One selected winery visit and tasting
- Complete three-day itinerary planning
- Bellia Experience organisation and assistance
- Private transfers when specifically included in the confirmed proposal
❌ Excluded
- Dinners
- Personal expenses
- Fuel, tolls and parking when travelling self-drive
- Private transfers unless included in the selected proposal
- Additional guided visits or entrance fees unless expressly included
- Anything not expressly listed under “Included”
Why Book This Piedmont Journey with Bellia Experience?
This journey explores a side of Piemonte that lies beyond the region’s best-known wine destinations, combining UNESCO heritage, Alpine landscapes, local cuisine and wine culture.
Oropa and Varallo are connected by the history of the Sacri Monti, yet each offers a completely different relationship between architecture, art, spirituality and landscape.
The addition of local lunches and a selected winery experience creates a more complete introduction to the territory without turning the journey into a conventional wine tour.
Bellia Experience coordinates accommodation, visits, restaurants, winery arrangements and logistics, with the flexibility to travel independently or request private transport.
From € 199 per person
3 days / 2 nights
Self-drive or private transfer available
Elia & Isabella
Certified Tour Leaders & Sommeliers
We’ll personally help you organise your journey through Oropa, northern Piemonte and Varallo.
Request Availability
Tell us your preferred dates, number of guests and whether you would like to travel self-drive or with private transfers. We’ll reply with availability and a complete proposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
The journey lasts three days and includes two overnight stays.
The programme includes the Sacro Monte di Oropa and the Sacro Monte di Varallo, both part of the UNESCO-listed Sacri Monti of Piemonte and Lombardia.
Yes. Two lunches are included, planned for Days 2 and 3. Dinners are free.
Yes. The programme includes one visit and tasting at a selected winery in northern Piemonte.
The programme includes two nights in selected hotels with breakfast.
Yes. The complete three-day itinerary can be followed using your own vehicle.
Yes. A private transfer can be organised for the complete journey, including pick-up, transfers between the destinations and final drop-off at an agreed location.
The itinerary is designed as a cultural and landscape journey. The Sacred Mountains have an important religious history, but the experience is also suitable for guests interested in art, architecture, UNESCO heritage, local culture and mountain landscapes.
More About This Trip
Italian
English
Portuguese
French
Spanish
The languages available during individual winery visits and other services will be confirmed at the time of booking.
Programme: final hotels, winery, restaurants, visit arrangements, timings and meeting points will be confirmed according to availability on your requested dates.
Walking: visits to the Sacred Mountains involve walking, slopes, steps and uneven surfaces. Comfortable footwear is recommended.
Weather: Oropa and Varallo are mountain destinations. Weather conditions can affect some outdoor parts of the programme.
Wine tasting: alcoholic beverages are intended for guests of legal drinking age.
Dietary requirements: allergies, intolerances and dietary preferences should be communicated before booking.
Sending an availability request does not constitute a confirmed booking.
The final proposal will confirm the selected dates, accommodation, visits, lunches, winery experience, transport formula, total price, payment schedule and applicable cancellation conditions.
A booking becomes confirmed after acceptance of the proposal and receipt of the required payment or deposit.
The itinerary can be adapted according to your preferred dates, interests and travel style. Optional arrangements may include:
- Private transport for the complete journey
- Private or specialist guided visits at Oropa or Varallo
- Additional cultural stops in the Biellese or Valsesia
- Additional winery or food experiences
- Upgraded hotel arrangements
- Additional nights before or after the journey
Additional services are subject to availability and will be quoted separately.
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