For our drive back from the Swiss lakes to Milan Malpensa airport, I had puzzled out a route via the Centovalli and Domodossola. This is a lovely drive, twisting and turning but nothing too bad. About halfway we were perplexed by the sight of an enormous church complex: the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sangue in Re. It was built in 1894 for the 400th anniversary of the 'miracle of the blood'. Wow! So exuberant that it almost looks like an orthodox monastic complex.

Domodossola turned out to be quite a large city. Nowhere could we find signs pointing to 'Sacri Monte' or 'Calvaria'. We had to get out of the car in the city center and ask around and look at the city maps posted there. We finally found the Sacri Monti located next to the main road to Milan, beyond the Domodossola town borders. From there it is signposted (if you look well enough, the signs are very small).

Of course, a Calvary has to be located uphill. I left my mother, who refused to go on via the tiny winding roads, at the foot of the hill. I sped up in the car, giving new meaning to the term 'ticking off WHS': I didn't want to leave my mother for too long by the side of the road, but also just had to grasp the feel of The Sacro Monte and Calvary of Domodossola.

It's a large complex, even a bus full of tourists or pilgrims had arrived. I quickly did my rounds, enjoying the location with Alpine views and checking out the chapels, church and remains of a castle. I wasn't as moved here as with the other two Calvaries that I have visited in Slovakia and Poland, but that could have been provoked by the rush I was in. This site in Domodossola is certainly worth a visit.