Valchiavenna

Located between the Retic and Lepontine Alps and the Como Lake basin - on the border between Italy and Switzerland - the Valchiavenna (in the Sondrio province) is characterised by a wonderful and wild nature, and offers visitors countless natural gems but also important historical evidence, such as the ancient hamlet of Chiavenna, with its Renaissance historic centre characterised by narrow streets, noble palaces and small squares embellished by steatite fountains, as well as historical monuments such as Palazzo Vertemate – Franchi, the main Renaissance masterpiece of the Sondrio Province, the ancient Bottonera Mill, a rare example of industrial architecture. The Valchiavenna is rich in important natural parks, including the Riserva delle Marmitte dei Giganti (Preserve of the cooking pots of the Giants), the waterfalls of Acquafraggia and the natural preserve of Pian di Spagna, it offers visitors unforgettable hiking, cultural and wine and food itineraries, to discover traditional fares and local wines.
Be sure not to miss a lunch and a dinner in the restaurants and in the “Crotti”, and a tasting of the excellent wines produced locally, such as the Sforzato, the Valtellina Superiore, the Sassella. The Crotti are an institution for locals; they are natural ravines with a constant air current and a constant temperature, the ideal places to store and cure local produce, such as the bresaola, typical of this area, the “Violino”, made with goat meat, and Alpine cheeses.
The Via Spluga (Spluga Way) and the Via Bregaglia (Bregaglia Way) are cultural hiking trails that give an insight of two millennia of history of Alpine crossings. Arranged by stages and with logistic-informative materials, these paths develop in continuity between the ancient tracks and are full of historical, ethnographic and naturalistic information. Far away from road traffic, for centuries the hikes have been the main way for the Lombards to pass the Alps. Sport enthusiasts can also feel the thrill of canyoning, travel the Valchiavenna through the network of bicycle and pedestrian itineraries (about 50km), or climb the numerous natural cliffs spread all over the territory.
During winter, the Valchiavenna becomes a skier’s paradise, with 60km of slopes of the Skiarea Valchiavenna-Madesimo-Campodolcino. The slopes are snowed from November to almost the end of spring, and are equipped with very modern installations. The winter in Valchiavenna is also synonym with ice-skating, cross-country skiing, alpinism skiing, and snowshoeing.