The east face of Monte Rosa
At the head of the Valle Anzasca, at about 1,300 metres, Macugnaga is a Walser village set at the foot of one of the most impressive mountain walls in the Alps: the east face of Monte Rosa, a gigantic wall of rock and ice about 2,400 metres high, rising from the glacier up to the peaks of over 4,500 metres, the highest wall in the Alps, often compared to the faces of the Himalaya for its size. Climbed for the first time in 1872, it remains a legendary goal for mountaineers, while for visitors it is an unforgettable sight, especially at sunset, when the ice turns pink.
The village preserves the traditions of the Walser settlers, with the typical wooden houses, the Old Church of the thirteenth century in the hamlet of Dorf, and next to it the Old Lime Tree, the "Vecchio Tiglio", a monumental tree that, according to tradition, was planted by the first Walser settlers in the thirteenth century, under which the community met. A cable car climbs to the Passo del Monte Moro, at about 2,800 metres, on the border with Switzerland, where a large golden statue of the Madonna overlooks the valley and the views of Monte Rosa are breathtaking. Another lift climbs to the Belvedere, near the glacier, a starting point for easy walks. Macugnaga also has a former gold mine, the Miniera della Guia, which can be visited with guided tours.
Tip: the walk from the Belvedere to the Zamboni Zappa refuge offers the closest views of the east face; in summer the gold mine is a good option on rainy days.
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