The Village Where All Houses Are An Explosion Of Colors: Claino, “The Painted Hamlet”
© Lakeside
Our passion for the tiny ancient villages of our region is well known to those who know us. Often these villages are a handful of houses clinging to the mountain slope, a couple of cobbled alleys, an old church, and panoramic spots that ask only for contemplation and silence.
Only a hasty observer can say these timeless hamlets are all the same: it’s not true at all, and we’ll never tire of repeating it. Each village has its history, its iconic houses, its magical corners, its inhabitants who often become legend: attentive and receptive eyes are needed to know and love all this. The desire for authenticity is not for everyone.
Source: www.clainoconostenoturismo.it
Today we take you to a particularly special village, and you will soon find out why: Claino con Osteno, on Lake Lugano. We are in Valle Intelvi, less than 30 minutes by car from Menaggio.
This village will win you over with its poetry made of colors and stories of the past. Shall we bet?
© Lakeside
The painted village
What’s so unique about this village? Well, in 2015 Claino decided to “rebel” against the depopulation that was taking place in the area, and chose to respond with art: artists from all over the world were invited to paint the facades of the houses, transforming the historic center in a precious open-air museum.
© Lakeside
With this brave project, the village has begun to populate again, especially in summer, and has revalued itself: a virtuous example of how little is enough to enhance the charm of an old hamlet!
To date there are 63 paintings: the various works mostly tell scenes of local life of the past.
In the center of the village you can find an orientation map.
What’s more: the Church of San Vincenzo, the graffiti, the Oratory of Santa Giulia, the waterfall, the endless sunsets
Once you have explored and photographed all of Claino's wonderful paintings, there are still some treasures to discover:
The church of San Vincenzo Martire, with its beautiful altar in scagliola (as you may know, scagliola was the specialty of Maestri Comacini artists)
The exceptional cycle of graffiti on the facades of the historic center: don’t miss the one in via alla Fontana 4 (a very rare case of Trionfi del Petrarca, 1535) and the one in via Ponna 4 (allegorical cycle of the theological virtues, 1535/1540).
The mule track that leads from the center of the village to the magnificent Oratory of Santa Giulia. The road is mostly flat, and in less than 30 minutes you'll reach an incredible natural terrace overlooking Lake Lugano! Furthermore, along the mule track you can admire a beautiful waterfall, just like in any self-respecting storybook forest.
Advice from incurable romantics as we are: go at sunset and bring something good to drink. It’s always worth to toast to such a surreal scenery.
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