From Ornavasso, the street markets in Santa Maria, Christmas in the Tourist District of the Lakes

From the Ossola Valleys, with their typical alpine villages, which are white with snow, to the charming towns that overlook Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta and Lake Mergozzo, this year too, the historic villages of the Tourist District of the Lakes are ready to host the numerous Christmas markets and events.

There are many opportunities to experience the festive atmosphere during this time of the year. Here are just a few: in Ornavasso, you can visit Santa Claus’s grotto; in Verbania, you can go ice-skating, with Verbania on Ice; in Arona, there are a number of events scheduled, dedicated to Christmas creativity, and in Macugnaga, you can meet the Ice Queen; on Lake Orta, Christmas light projections have been scheduled, and in Santa Maria Maggiore, the traditional Christmas markets are returning.

The events will enable visitors to discover the most fascinating craft traditions of the area: from food and wine specialities to small nativity scenes, hand-created by skilled, local artists, from the typical flavours of a gastronomic culture that is deeply rooted in the Alpine area, to elegant items of furniture and Christmas decorations, from the meeting with Santa in the mountain villages to the arrival of the Befana from the lake, not leaving out the New Year’s Eve celebrations, of course.

The full calendar of events