Bannio Anzino

Bannio seen from Alpe Cingora

Photo: Enzo Volpone

About Bannio Anzino

Bannio Anzino is a commune of the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola (VCO) in the Italian region of Piemonte (Piedmont). They are two quite separate small towns, each one visible across the valley from the other. Diverting from the main road up from Piedimulera at Pontegrande and crossing the river Anza which runs along the Anzasca Valley, they are reached by a road which splits halfway up. Each town is situated on its own plateau.

Legend has it that Bannio was originally going to arise in the area of Pontegrande Gabi, a little way below and closer to the Anza. But whilst people began to work on building this town, they noticed a bird chirping every day around them. They saw that the bird picked up twigs and carried them into the dense forests, into the middle of a charming plateau. The Montanari then decided to follow the path of the bird and they built a church where the bird dropped its pile of twigs.

Walking along the old narrow streets through the typical mountain town houses in the centre of Bannio is like a walk back several centuries.