Val Vigezzo – Piedmont: painted forests, panoramic railways and villages suspended between Italy and Switzerland. The Vigezzo Valley, also known as the "valley of painters", is located in the north-eastern part of Piedmont, on the border with the Canton of Ticino. This open and bright alpine valley combines art, nature and tradition in a landscape designed by woods, bell towers and atmospheres of yesteryear. 🚂 Views from the window and ancient trade routes: Crossed by the picturesque Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway, the valley offers extraordinary views of gorges, streams and perched villages. This connection between Domodossola and Locarno offers a slow and scenic journey through forests and suspension bridges. 👉 Tip: Get on board in autumn, when the colours of the larch and beech trees transform the valley into an open-air picture. 🎨 Mountain art and painters: Val Vigezzo has been a land of artists since the eighteenth century. In villages such as Santa Maria Maggiore and Druogno there are museums, workshops and traces of the ancient school of painting. The serene and inspiring environment has attracted, and continues to attract, painters and photographers. 👉 Tip: Visit the Chimney Sweep Museum in Santa Maria Maggiore, which tells an intense and little-known page of local history. 🏞️ Nature and accessible trails: The landscape is gentle and varied, with coniferous forests, clearings, small alpine lakes and well-marked paths. The paths connect the hamlets and lead to the side valleys or the Swiss borders, offering panoramic views and quiet environments. 👉 Tip: Explore the Chimney Sweeps' Path, easy and also suitable for families, to get to know the valley by walking through villages and meadows. 🛖 Well-kept villages and mountain architecture: Each village in the valley retains a strong identity: houses with stone roofs, flowered balconies, sculpted portals and quiet squares. The votive chapels and community ovens testify to a rural past that can still be read in the present. 👉 Tip: In Craveggia admire the stately residences with frescoes and decorations, unique in the Piedmontese alpine context. 🥧 Typical flavors and local products: Vigezzo cuisine combines simple ingredients and traditional techniques: artisanal cured meats, alpine cheeses, polenta, honey, dry desserts and herbal liqueurs. In the local markets you can find genuine products linked to seasonality. 👉 Tip: Don't miss the Sweet Fair in Malesco or the days dedicated to the tasting of gnoch da la chigiàa, a typical dish made with potatoes and flour. Val Vigezzo is an open and bright valley, where art meets the mountains and each village preserves a fragment of beauty and memory.