Cantoira

Small and picturesque: this is how the municipality of Cantoira is described. Its alpine landscape (it ranges from 750 meters above sea level at its lowest point to 2,345 meters at Mount Bellavarda), rich in forests and streams, is its greatest attraction for hikers and mountain bikers.

Architecturally, historically and culturally, the Shrine of St. Christina is the town's main point of interest. Clinging to a cliff at an altitude of 1,350 meters, this scenic spot separates Val Grande from Val d'Ala. Precisely because of its location, it is visible from the center of the town as well as from all the surrounding peaks. Built beginning in 1440, its construction is highly stratified and was not completed until four hundred years later.

In addition to the shrine, the remains of a small castle dating back to the 16th century can also be seen in the locality of Casa Goffo. In this place, a certain Ippolito Berta, who legend has it was the illegitimate son of a prince of the House of Savoy, is said to have lived.

A delightful and hidden treasure of Cantoira is the small village of Vrù. Decorated with flowers and old objects, this timeless place, characterized by its many small fountains and narrow streets, has a magical atmosphere. An atmosphere to which the tales hung everywhere and made by the inhabitants contribute, telling the stories of those who once lived in the village. Another gem of Vrù is the mechanical nativity scene that can be visited all year round, created by Francesco Berta. Just outside the village, however, are also large reproductions of the Tower of Pisa and the Mole Antonelliana, two works also by Berta himself (also known as Cichin) and his son.

Vrù is just one of the two charming hamlets in the municipality ofCantoira that can be discovered thanks to theCantoira Alpine Villages Ring, where one walks on ancient mule tracks called "Viassi."

Cantoira is also traversed by some stage routes. For example:

• the Uja tour, a path in four stages, the first of which starts right from Cantoira, specifically from Borgata Trambiè;
• the Tre Vallate route, which crosses the Lanzo Valleys; the fourth stage involves the hamlets of Vrù and Lities, but also the summit of Mount Bellavarda;
• theAlta Via Canavesana, divided into twelve stages; it is number three, which leads from the Salvin Refuge to the Sanctuary Madonna di Ciavanis, to cross the territory of Cantoira.

On the other hand, if you are fond of mountain biking, we suggest the wonderful Val Grande Nature Trail. This is an itinerary with no particular difficulty that goes up the entire Val Grande di Lanzo, that is, the very valley where Cantoira is located, starting from Ceres and arriving at the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Loreto, in Forno Alpi Graie (in the municipality of Groscavallo). The tour runs along the Stura stream, along dirt roads that unravel through forests, meadow areas and pastures, but that in the final part allow to admire the rock walls of the Vallone di Sea, famous among lovers of traditional climbing, but also scenic and of great beauty.

Cantoira is about fifty minutes' drive from Turin, and there are no large population centers in its vicinity. Despite this, there is no shortage of places to visit in the surrounding area.

Not far away, in fact, is the quaint village of Ala di Stura. In addition to housing the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, lost in a coniferous forest, this locality is famous for being "the village of sundials and frescoes." In the small town and its hamlets, in fact, there are many buildings that display richly frescoed facades. Such as, for example, the Customs Tower, dating back to the 15th century. In addition to the frescoes, as many as seventy-six sundials, with different features from time to time, can be admired on the facades.

About a twenty-minute drive from Cantoira, then, is Lanzo Torinese. This is another picturesque village, whose distinctive feature is the Devil's Bridge; it is a bridge with a "donkey-back" shape that, as its name suggests, drags with it the burden of many ancient legends. In addition to the bridge, the Civic Tower, dating back to the 14th century, stands in the center of this town. Once equipped with a drawbridge and inserted into the medieval walls, the tower still proudly displays its protruding battlements.

Returning toward Cantoira, we find the Sanctuary of Sant'Ignazio, built in 1629 and perched in a dominant position on Mount Bastia, overlooking one of the three valleys of Lanzo; in addition to the exceptional view of the surrounding area, this place nestled in the quiet of coniferous forests provides a magical atmosphere.