The village was founded by Walser settlers from the Swiss valleys, some were of Alemannic origin, others Scandinavian. In the 13th century the migrants crossed the mountain passes at over 2,000 m.a.s.l and, where they found mountain pasture at the foot of the Monte Rosa rock and ice wall, they created Macugnaga.

The village is at the top of the Anzasca valley, circa 60 kilometres from Verbania and, over the centuries, the Walsers characterized it with their typical architecture; the Dorf, the centre of the village, consisted of stone and wooden buildings. Their vibrant traditional costumes, customs, and legends in the Titsch language, transformed it into the ‘pearl of the Monte Rosa’. Some dwellings date back to the sixteenth century, there is also a fourteenth-century church and a linden tree, typical symbol of the Walser community, which is several centuries old.

Walking through the streets of Macugnaga, it is impossible to miss the impressive views of the surrounding peaks, and the magnificent Monte Rosa which looms over the village with its majestic ‘Himalayan’ east face, unique in the Alpine system, 2600 metres high and circa three kilometres wide.

Tourists are extremely well catered for with winter sports activities, downhill skiing, alpine skiing and, naturally, a variety of extensive snowshoeing tracks. In summer, the numerous trekking and hiking trails are particularly well-trodden, and there are opportunities for climbing and exploring the high pastures with qualified alpine guides.