A town with an ancient history, surrounded by the rugged scenery of the Val Grande National Park and enhanced by the age-old traditions of the Eco-museum: welcome to Malesco!
Malesco, an absolutely charming town in the Vigezzo Valley that has been awarded the Touring Club Italiano Orange Flag, originates from very long ago, probably prehistoric times; it is also the gateway to the Val Grande National Park, the largest and wildest nature reserve in Europe, reachable through the Valle Loana.
The Church dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul stands in the main square of the town. Another very interesting Church is the Chiesa del Gabbio, built in the 18th century on the site of an older chapel built as a votive offering to the Virgin Mary after the plague of 1513.
The pride of Malesco is certainly its regional Eco-museum of Soapstone and Stone Masons (ed Leuzerie e di Scherpelit, in local dialect), opened in 2007.
The Eco-museum preserves local cultural, environmental and traditional heritage and includes points of interest scattered about the area, in addition to three museum structures: a wash-house with a permanent exhibition, dedicated to Giovan Maria Salati, born in Malesco, the first man to swim across the English Channel; a historical watermill located in Zornasco; and the Archaeological Museum, run in partnership with the Val Grande National Park.
