This village has an antique and noble history. In 962, Ottone I° landed in this place, once a craftsmen and fishers village, working for Counts Mandelli. Here he refuged himself. As token of gratitude, Panorama visto da Orascio, frazione di Maccagnohe allowed the independence of the feud and the right to mint. Maccagno was a little free state, in a district of vassals. The autonomy went on for centuries until The Family of Borromeo. The humanist Domenico della Bella, called "Il Macaneo", was born in Maccagno.
The village was divided in two small villages administratively self-governing. Nowadays the physic difference of the urban development is remarkable. The lower village is characterised by houses, attached one to the other, and alleys, dominated by an imperial tower and by the little sanctuary Madonnina della Punta, supported by powerful arcades and as a looking onto the lake balcony. The built up area of the upper part of Maccagno, Il Vecchio Portothe most modern, seat of Town Hall, shows, in the most antique centre, perspectives of relief.
It is worth visiting Casa Branca, with its yards and arcades. Maccagno, as an administrative unit is very little, but has a wide territory. Its villages are scattered from the alluvial plain of the torrent Giona to the mountains of Valveddasca and Lago Delio, 1000 m. height, an artificial lake and on Sunday destination for the sun lovers.
From Maccagno you can also have a beautiful sight of Canton Ticino Il Santuario visto dal nuovo porto delle barchepeaks and Borromean Gulf. The beach, formed by the river Giona, is very wide and large: it is one of the most privileged places among the tourist centres. Every year about a thousand of tourists arrive at Maccagno to admire its beauties; they are accommodated in hotels, two campings and houses. Culturally attractive, the new museum, built over the river, shows a modern art collection. Among the recurring entertaining events, there is, in Carnival time,"il risotto con luganega" (rice with sausage). Maccagno, land of chefs, famous all around the world, renews the excellence of their knowledge.
