Montorfano, meaning orphaned mountain, sits astride a floodplain near to Lago Maggiore and Lago Mergozzo, almost equidistant between the two steep sides of the valley. As its charms are well-hidden amongst the trees, most people driving up Val d'Ossola and heading towards the Alps, don't give the craggy isolated mountain more than a second glance. But for such a small geographical feature, Montorfano offers plenty of interesting sites.  In addition, there is the bonus of easy access. 

 

So, step back in time and drive or walk up to the secret little village, also called Montorfano, totally hidden from sight on a ledge amongst woodland.

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Montorfano was built by quarrymen working at the local quarry and so everything conceivable is made from local stone: apart from the houses, roof tiles and alleyways, also gutters, drainage channels and even posts and pergolas.

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The diminutive village is most famous however for its stunning church, San Giovanni, a rare perfectly preserved Romanesque building dating back to the XI century. Look out for the early Christian baptistery.

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Have a wander round the tiny car free village and then continue uphill, take the first left and you will come to a dramatic viewing point overlooking Lago Maggiore and the place where the Toce river flows into the lake. If you continue straight on, you will soon arrive at a sort of donkey sanctuary. Every so often the owner organises donkey safaris for children.

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Near to the famous Romanesque church, you will notice a second more modern church, one more than you might expect in such a small community. It was built as a Protestant place of worship, apparently by a local tycoon who took umbrage with the Catholic church for some reason or other. Predictably, the church did not thrive, the congregation dwindled away and the building was deconsecrated. It is now used by scouts.

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It used to be possible to wander over to the quarry and gaze down at the workers but the area has now been fenced off.

 

World war one fortifications

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And now for the mountain's main draw: its incredible First World War fortifications, which are still largely intact. These can be reached by following the signs up from Montorfano village to the top of the mountain at 794 metres above sea level. There, you will find partially overgrown fortifications worthy of a James Bond film: an impressive underground network of gun emplacements.

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There are also two other more arduous, but fascinating routes up to the summit both of which start from the valley bottom at Pra Michelaccio on the opposite side of the mountain to the village. The first one involves a very steep climb which zigzags up to the summit and takes you past a cave where bear bones were found. The most interesting route however is the unsurfaced road built during the First World War by General Cadorna in preparation for a German push south through Switzerland.

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On the way up, you will come across a treasure-trove of fascinating military buildings, including barracks, ammunition dumps, forts and gun emplacements. Incredibly, most are still intact, testimony to the workmanship of the time. Naturally, most buildings are in stone.

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Montorfano can also be reached on foot from Mergozzo along a delightful ancient path which runs through the woods parallel to the lakeside.