Oropa Way - Canavese route
Walking itineraries
Oropa Way - Canavese route
An alternative path
The western branch of the Oropa Way connects the territory of Canavese, in the province of Turin, with the Biella area, crossing an area of great scenic, naturalistic and cultural interest.
Compared to the Oropa Way - Serra route, which connects Santhià to Oropa, the Oropa Way - Canavese route is longer (about 85 km in 5 stages compared to 61 km in 4 stages of the main route) and more challenging: in addition to its length, because of the height differences and the lack of water and food supply points along the way.
It is an itinerary that we recommend to hikers with a minimum of experience in stage itineraries, and to those who have already traveled the Santhià-Oropa route and want to get to know a new piece of Piedmontese territory, equally beautiful and surprising.
Once in Oropa, it is possible to continue the journey along the Oriental Route, lengthening the trip by 3 days, following the signpost with black arrows on a yellow background.
The itinerary is also available on theSlowBI app, which can be downloaded for free from the stores.
In the winter months, some sections of the trail may present safety problems due to snow and ice. Caution: inquire at the host facilities about the condition of the trail before setting out.
Editor's note: Trail D1, which connects Favaro to the Oropa Sanctuary, is temporarily off-limits due to disruptions on the route caused by rainfall. We recommend taking the Tramway variant available on SlowBI, the official App of the Trail.
84.9 km
Divided into 5 stages, with increasing elevation gain.
Fully signposted
The route has very accurate signposting in both directions of travel (stickers and yellow paint arrows) in the direction of Oropa.
Difficulty: challenging
This is a more challenging path than the Oropa Way - Serra route.
Organized accommodation
Accommodation and affiliated restaurants in all the stage places, there is only one bar and one grocery store in Fiorano Canavese.
Reachable by public transportation
You arrive by bus at departure, return by bus+train from arrival.
Orientation with App
The official app works even without internet coverage.
How to get there
Valperga can be reached by GTT bus from Ivrea line 5143, or from Rivarolo Canavese train station, on the Turin-Ivrea line, by line 5137.
- From Turin
This is a route with a change in Rivarolo Canavese. Trenitalia trains leave from Turin every 30-45 minutes(find the schedule here), which arrive in Rivarolo after 50 minutes. The change in Rivarolo is most of the time a real coincidence where at the arrival station the coach waits for the arrival of the train from Turin(find the timetable of line 137 here). As a result, the user finds the bus at the same arrival location with a short time lag. The bus company is GTT and the suburban Formula U passes include the entire route.
Mostly it takes less than 1h10′ from Turin to Valperga. The bus line also has plenty of rides. - From Milan
Starting from Milan, it is not yet possible to easily reach Valperga, but it is possible to arrive comfortably in Cuorgné:
- Take the train from Milan and get off at Chivasso station
- Take the train to Ivrea(find the schedule here)
- Walk to the Movicentro (it is located next to Ivrea station) and take the bus that will take you to Cuorgné in just over an hour(find bus schedules here)
If you are forced to use your car we recommend that you park it in Ivrea, reach Valperga by bus, and once you arrive at the Sanctuary of Oropa return to Ivrea the train from Biella (with changes at Santhià and Chivasso).
Caselle to Valperga:
- Bus (line 268) to Turin PS + Train to Rivarolo C.se + bus to Valperga (about 2h 10′)
Malpensa to Valperga:
- Bus (highway) to Turin (Corso Bolzano) + Train from Turin PS to Rivarolo C.se + bus to Valperga (about 3h 40′)
Orio al Serio to Valperga:
- Bus to Milan C.le + Train to Turin PS + Train from Turin PS to Rivarolo C.se + Bus to Valperga (about 4h)
The Sanctuary of Oropa is connected to Biella San Paolo train station by a city bus, which leaves about every 2 hours. Tickets can be purchased at the Sanctuary's reception desk. Schedules and information at www.atapspa.it.
From Biella station continue by train to Rivarolo Canavese (about 3/4h, changing at Santhià and Torino P.Susa - also available on Sundays): schedule and information at www.trenitalia.com. You can purchase a return train+bus ticket directly from the Trenitalia website www.trenitalia.com indicating "Oropa Santuario" as the station of departure.
Valperga is connected to Rivarolo Canavese by bus, the timetable for which can be found updated as of 06/21/23 at this link.
Alternatively, you can rent a bike or an E-bike for the return trip from Oropa to Valperga. Contact the Booking Center for more information.
For more detailed information on the return of the Oropa Way Canavese route, please see the dedicated FAQ section.
HikerTips
How to appreciate the Oropa Way every season
During the hot season the first stage can be a bit more strenuous than you might think for mileage and elevation gain because it is largely in the sun. Also, there can be a lot of mosquitoes in the Serra forest, so on the second and third stages we recommend that you carry repellent to keep them away.
Useful Info
Plan your trip
APP AND OFFICIAL GUIDE
The signposting of the Way
CREDENTIAL AND TESTIMONIUM
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