The Mercurago lakes and the San Carlone: peat bogs, woods and the colossus of Arona

An hour from Milan there is a park of peat bogs and small lakes with Bronze Age pile dwellings, oak woods that turn copper in November and, above, the tallest statue in Europe before the Statue of Liberty: the San Carlone of Arona. An easy walk full of things to see.

The route

We start from Dormelletto and enter the Lagoni di Mercurago Park: flat trails among ponds, bogs and woods. We exit towards Mercurago and climb gently to the San Carlone hill, with its 35-metre copper colossus and views over Lake Maggiore and the Rocca di Angera.

Packed lunch at the foot of the statue or at a trattoria, then down to Arona along the lake, with time for a coffee on the promenade.

Who it's for

• families with children: you can climb inside the San Carlone
• anyone who wants flat walking with plenty to see
• dog owners

Good to know

Climbing inside the statue costs extra and has reduced autumn hours: we check the week before. Back to Dormelletto by train, a ticket of a few euros.

Getting there

Dormelletto is an hour from Milan on the A26, Castelletto Ticino exit, and fifty minutes by train from Milano Centrale on the Domodossola line. The return from Arona to Dormelletto is by train, one stop.