Verbania: D3 … Cannobio

Cannobio, our next stop, was just about 4 miles from Cannero Riviera. Here we had to go around the parking lot a couple of times before we were able to snag a spot to leave the car for a couple of hours.

Following an alley, we came to the main road where we found the Collegiate Church of San Vittore … the earliest version of which was built in 1076. The current church, which has an elliptical dome and cupola, was consecrated in 1749. The sacred rib — the story of which I will relate later in this footprint — is kept in a chapel in this church.

On our way down to the lakefront piazza overlooking Lago Maggiore, we detoured to have a late lunch at Antica Stallera … known for serving homemade specialties. Despite the threat of rain, we opted to sit in the garden, protected by an oversized umbrella. I ordered pasta; Mui ordered fish … and we shared the two dishes. We skipped dessert in lieu of getting gelato somewhere in town.

A light rain was falling when we left the restaurant. Putting on our rain jackets, we strolled toward the lakefront, found a gelateria en route for a sweet treat, and continued to the piazza named for King Victor Emmanuel III. Despite the rain, the scenery with the colored buildings overlooking Lago Maggiore was charming. Unlike Cannero Riviera, Cannobio was buzzing with activity, the restaurants and shops doing brisk business. No one seemed to mind the rain.

Walking past the small marina, we continued toward the far end of the waterfront. Seeing the door to the Sanctuary of the Santissima Pietà open, we went inside. The construction of the church was commissioned by San Carlo Borromeo around 1578 … over an earlier church, which stood on the spot where the Miracle of the Holy Pity is said to have occurred in 1522.

The miracle involves a painting of Christ standing with Mary and St John. According to the story, the figure of Christ came alive and began to emit blood and tears, while a fragment of a human rib protruded from his wounded side. The original painting is in a niche of the main altar. A replica of the painting was displayed on an easel off to the side for ease of viewing. The rib, which I mentioned above as being kept in the Church of San Vittore, is carried to the Sanctuary once a year on 7 January … illuminated only by the candles and lanterns placed on windowsills and along the streets.

The rain had ended by the time we left the church. Reversing our course, we strolled back to the piazza and beyond, and found an alternate route back to the car via the waterfront. Perfect timing, as we missed the heavy rain that started to fall as we left Cannobio to return to Verbania.

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For those interested in what we ate: The pasta dish was made with busiate (a type of pasta that originated in Sicily) prepared Nerano style with courgettes (including the flowers), Caciocavallo cheese, and a hint of Sorrento lemon scent. The fish was a sea bass fillet, served with fennel, carrots, citrus fruit, and lemon oil.Читать далее