MOUNT SANGIANO
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This site of community importance or SCI offers us the opportunity to observe wonderful landscapes, overlooking the seven lakes of the Province of Varese, in a scenario characterized by the presence of grassy clearings and limestone rocks.
The SCI, identified by the code IT2010018, covers an area of about 195 hectares, houses the municipalities of Sangiano, Mombello Laveno, Cittiglio and Caravate, not far from Maggiore Lake, and is characterized by the presence of meadows, today unfortunately with substantially discontinuous distribution, located on arid slopes with numerous debris, resulting from collapses and degradation of the dominant rock walls.
The main outcrop of majolica reaches 528 m of altitude and is called San Clemente. It offers fantastic views of Maggiore Lake, the Gulf of Laveno and the plain below.
The most interesting naturalistic aspect is represented by the grasslands on rocky slopes, characterized by a marked biodiversity not only botanical but also faunal with a rich and diverse community of Lepidoptera (butterflies). The local fauna that lives in this protected habitat is of great interest, in addition to the lepidoptera there are birds such as the honey buzzard, the black kite, the peregrine falcon and the small shrike.
From a morphological point of view, some elements of clear karst origin are particularly relevant, which peek out in a particular and rare vegetation, where it is possible to see protected species such as the "Ophrys apifera" orchid. The woodland vegetation present on Mount Sangiano is mainly thermophilic and is represented by Chestnut, Orniello, Greater Ash, Robinia, Roverella and Cerro.
In this area there is a single cave not used for tourism, located south of Monte Sangiano and a rocky wall equipped for sport climbing.
Mount Sangiano has a characteristic spur of rock that the locals call Picuz whose summit is easy to reach. From the summit of Picuz you will enjoy a splendid view of Laveno bay and the entire Maggiore Lake. Various legends have arisen around the origin of the Picuz, the most famous one reported by locals narrates that this rock is what remains of the stake set to destroy the castle of a beautiful but cruel princess who was leading the local youth to death. Her evil deeds, according to the story, were interrupted by the knight Giano who with his faithful companions managed to defeat the evil woman and free the territory.