Cerentino: Hiking Between Hamlets and History

Visitors looking to combine hiking and culture in Cerentino can plan their trip around its hamlets and historic traces. A white-and-red-marked hike, a full-day walking tour and routes to alpine destinations offer different ways to explore the area. Churches, old mills and rural settlements are also part of the town’s character.

Getting Here and Hiking

PostAuto route 331 serves the Chiesa and Paese stops in Cerentino, as well as several stops in Collinasca, and runs towards Cevio. The timetable is valid from 14 December 2025 to 12 December 2026; check the times before your trip.

The Linescio–Campo Vallemaggia hike is marked white and red and focuses on discovering local history and culture. It passes through Collinasca, Cerentino and Perdipiodi. Check the route details before setting off. The full-day walking tour requires a different time commitment: various paths connect the individual settlements and allow you to visit all the hamlets of Cerentino.

For a tour to alpine destinations, a mountain trail from Corzora–Corsopra leads to the Alps, Alpe Piégn Crösc and Pizzo Bombögn. The recommended route from Cerentino to Cimalmotto partly follows an old mule track and passes several chapels. One route description highlights the alpine destinations mentioned, while the other focuses on the historic route and its chapels. Check trail conditions locally.

Hamlets and Landscape

The traditional settlement pattern comprises eleven main settlements, not all of which are inhabited today. Most settlements are in scenic locations that also receive plenty of sunshine in winter. Cerentino lies at an altitude of about 977 metres above sea level. At elevations above 1,000 metres, there are centuries-old chestnut and walnut trees.

Corzora–Corsopra is Cerentino’s highest hamlet. The settlement has retained its rural character and lies among meadows. The municipality covers 2,010 hectares: 66.2 percent is covered by forest and woodland; a further 27.6 percent consists of unproductive land, mostly mountainous terrain. These figures give an impression of the wooded and alpine landscape that forms the setting for paths between the settlements.

History, Craft and Architecture

A former craft area stood by the river near Collinasca. Until the 19th century, it had eight water-powered facilities, including six mills and two sawmills. The former sawmill was housed in a large building that now accommodates an artisanal paper mill. If you plan to visit the paper mill, check access separately.

The buildings also reveal distinct layers of history. The rectory includes a granary dating from the 15th century; its façade features five frescoes depicting the Virgin Mary. The present parish church was built between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The ossuary contains 18th-century frescoes and remnants of a 16th-century painting. The patrician palace was built in 1866, away from the hamlets.

The Church of Beata Vergine delle Grazie in Cerentino features 19th-century fresco decorations by Giacomo Antonio Pedrazzi, who was born in Cerentino. Its high altar is in the Rococo style and dates to 1759. In the hamlet of Camanoglio, the Oratorio di Sant’Antonio da Padova was built as a votive chapel in 1602 and extensively remodelled in the 19th century. Its features include an ornate stucco altar and a statue of the patron saint from the early 17th century. Stone houses and old granaries characterise Pè dal Piod, a hamlet built on the hillside.

Discover more destinations: Linescio, Menzonio, Maggia, Avegno-Gordevio, Piano Di Peccia, Avegno Ti, Lavizzara, Lodano

For the broader travel overview: Vallemaggia.