The Torre di Buccione, symbol of the proud independence of the San Giulio Riviera, is an excellent destination if you want to have a panoramic view of Lake Orta.

The Torre di Buccione with its 23.20 m. in height dominates Lake Orta from the top of a hill.

Information - The Torre di Buccione can be reached on foot starting from the Bolzano Novarese car park. The path starts from here and in about ten minutes of walking, immersed in the woods, you arrive at the Tower. A longer route to reach the Torre di Buccione involves starting from the square in Orta. The route is about 5 km, not all flat, certainly easy, but not suitable for those who don't like walking The advice of the holiday home on Lake Orta is to reach the Torre di Buccione on foot, with a walk that also includes passing through the small village of Corconio.
This stage is part of the blue ring of Lake Orta. In total it is almost 13 km.
No entry tickets

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Geographical description – The castle of Buccione also known as Torre di Buccione stands on the top of a hill, on the border between the territories of Orta San Giulio and Gozzano. The fortress, like the hill on which it stands, takes its name from Buccione, a hamlet in the municipality of Gozzano. The hilly area is rich in vegetation, in fact it is entirely covered in chestnut and oak woods. In the area you can still glimpse the cracks left due to the extraction of porphyry.
The Torre di Buccione has dominated the southern part of Lake Orta for centuries and reminds us of a fascinating medieval past, still giving us splendid views of the crown of the Alps. From its twenty-three meter height, a little superb and a little reassuring , the ancient Torre di Buccione constitutes the oldest sentinel of the lake.
Crossing the forest, which belongs to a protected natural area, you climb for about fifteen minutes to the summit: the panorama that reveals itself to your eyes is truly wonderful, it embraces the entire coast of Lake Orta, with the island of San Giulio in the middle and the majestic Monte Rosa in the background.


A bit of history - The Torre di Buccione, symbol of the independence of the San Giulio Riviera, stands in a very strong position, which allows it to dominate the lake and the entire Novara plain (the church of San Gaudenzio of Novara itself is visible ).
A suggestive and intriguing place due to the splendid panorama which can be enjoyed from the terrace, the Torre di Buccione was originally a real castrum and as such is cited in various documents starting from the thirteenth century. It is a central tower (keep) with a square plan, 23.20 m high, made of square blocks of various sizes, and internally divided into five floors with wooden scaffolding and a covered crenelated cell.
The fortification was completed by a curtain wall with a square plan and a service building with a rectangular plan. Next is the second curtain wall, now disappeared, built in an unspecified period.
The first mention of the tower dates back to a document from 1200 and it is an agreement stipulated in the presence of the bishop of Novara Pietro IV between the local lords of the Crusinallo Castle and the Municipality of Novara.
In 1205 it was mentioned as a bishop's residence and in a document from 1235 its ownership was attributed to the bishop of Novara. The statutes of the community of the Riviera of San Giulio ordered that all able-bodied men flock to arms at the ringing of the bell of the Torre di Buccione.
The bell of the Torre di Buccione, although broken, rang again on 4 November 1918 to announce the end of the First World War. Since then it was played every year, on the occasion of the anniversary, until the outbreak of the Second World War, when it was moved to the garden of Villa Bossi, municipality of Orta, for fear of possible theft. The bell was repositioned on the tower in 2005, at the end of important restoration work.

What to see - If you followed the advice of the holiday home on Lake Orta and reached the Torre di Buccione on foot, you will have been enchanted by the small village of Corconio.
Two steps through the ancient village give us a beautiful view of the Torre di Buccione, the island of San Giulio and Orta dominated by Monte Rosa in an unparalleled view.
In Corconio you can admire the tiny church of Santo Stefano, the Villa Bonola which takes its name from the family that owned it since 1600. The villa cannot be visited inside, but it is splendid, with large frescoed halls. All with a fantastic view of Lake Orta and Monte Rosa. The villa is surrounded by a romantic garden full of camellias and a large plot of land with an orchard. Walking through Corconio, then, you will find other splendid villas, ancient streets and a small, very panoramic cemetery.
All immersed in the lush vegetation of Lake Orta.