Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary

A mountain festival in the heart of the Anzasca Valley

The Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is one of those events that captures the most authentic soul of the Piedmontese mountains. It takes place in Docala (Drocala), an ancient hamlet in the municipality of Calasca-Castiglione, in the Anzasca Valley, within the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. Here, far from mass tourism and immersed in the silence of the Alps at the foot of Monte Rosa, a religious tradition is renewed every year, bringing together village residents, emigrants returning for the summer, and passing hikers.

Docala, the valley's original settlement

Docala is no ordinary hamlet: documents from the 13th century already cite it as the first ancient village of the Anzasca Valley, the core from which the nearby settlement of Castiglione later developed. Nestled at an altitude of about 940 meters, the village preserves ancient stone and wood architecture, ovens, mills, oratories, and small votive chapels scattered along the paths of the so-called Via del Pane (Bread Path). It is in this setting of terraces and mountain huts that the festival finds its natural backdrop, among the lower hamlets of Calasca-Castiglione.

Popular devotion and local products

The heart of the day is the religious celebration in honor of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, a moment when the community gathers around its oratory to pray and renew an ancient bond with the sacred. Alongside the liturgy is the distribution of local products: a convivial occasion to taste the flavors of the valley and share a moment of celebration in the open air, following the simple and welcoming spirit of Ossola village festivals.

An opportunity to discover the Anzasca mountains

Participating in the Visitation Feast of Docala also means discovering a little-known corner of the Alpine Piedmont. The hamlet can be reached on foot along the trails that climb from the center of Castiglione, passing through the ancient terraces and rural villages of the valley. For those who love to walk, the festival becomes the perfect excuse for a hike that weaves together nature, historical heritage, and popular traditions.