WHERE WE ARE

Casa Bastucchi is a typical Walser house built in the highest village of the Valsesia, Rima (1417m), in the early 19th century. It lies deep in a fairytale spot in the Alta Valsesia nature reserve, overlooked by the Mount Tagliaferro (2964m), like a gem set amidst the untouched valley, in an unspoiled natural and architectural landscape. Rima was founded around 1300 by Walser settlers coming from the Swiss Valais: architecture, costumes and traditions of this ancient population have been preserved by its inhabitants and the vestiges of their centenarian, fascinating culture can be seen in every corner of the village.

The Walser settlement of Rima was important especially for the craftsmanship. They created and developed the faux marbling technique, which was used to decorate the buildings of the most important European capital cities and it still can be seen in Rima’s lab and museum. The Pietro Della Vedova Plaster Cast Museum, that has collected more than 170 works of the nineteenth-century sculptor, the S. Giovanni Battista parish church (1635) and the Beata Vergine delle Grazie oratory (1480) are excellent examples of Valsesian art and deserve a visit. Rima is a tiny village with a great history, a peaceful island in today’s world.

HOW TO GET TO RIMA

Rima is the highest village of the Valsesia, 1417 metres on the sea level. You easily can get here by car or by bus from Varallo Sesia (see ATAP); you can get here by walk, too, from the Alagna Valsesia valley (Mud pass, Piglimò pass -CAI path n.96), from the Carcoforo valley (Colle del Termo – CAI path n.93) and from the Macugnaga valley (Bottigia pass, Piccolo Altare pass - CAI path n.91-92).

By car from Milan:
Take the A8 until the A26 junction, then take the A26 towards Gravellona Toce and take the first exit, Ghemme Romagnano Sesia. Take the SP299, towards Alagna Valsesia and drive across Borgosesia and Varallo Sesia. Near Balmuccia take the SP10 and drive across Boccioleto, Fervento, Rimasco and S. Giuseppe until you get to Rima S. Giuseppe.

By car from Turin:
Take the A4 towards Milan until the A26 junction, then take the A26 towards Gravellona Toce and take the first exit, Ghemme Romagnano Sesia. Take the SP299, towards Alagna Valsesia and drive across Borgosesia and Varallo Sesia. Near Balmuccia take the SP10 and drive across Boccioleto, Fervento, Rimasco and S. Giuseppe until you get to Rima S. Giuseppe.

By plane:
The closest airports are Malpensa e Linate (MI) and Caselle (TO).

By train:
The Valsesia is connected by local trains with Novara (NO), Arona (VCO) and Santhià (TO), but the last stop is Varallo Sesia.

By bus:
The bus stop is in square opposite of Varallo Sesia’s railway station (see autobus di linea fino a Rima). It runs twice a day.