- Active & Green
4 locations to visit in winter
Winter is not just about sports you can do in the snow, it is also the time when nature reveals its fairytale heart.
Why not fall in love with these four unforgettable adventures to enjoy in Lombardy this winter.
Discover the enchantment of a magical path through the woods, where, together with the younger members of the family, you can meet fantastic creatures, leaving the doors wide open to your imagination or exploring the astounding illuminated caves of Miniera della Bagnada and getting a look at the mining past of Valmalenco and the men who worked the rock faces for decades.
Challenge yourself and the children on an adrenaline-rush adventure that you won’t forget, visiting Via Mala and its immobile falls, a fairytale location for the bold and the fearless, who love the wild, untamable side of nature. Discover the story of this traditional old road and admire the spectacular ice that stops time and the water in silent falls that wrap around the trail If you are an animal lover, then - in winter - Parco del Mincio can reveal one of its treasures to you: here, birdwatching is an activity that is encouraged, so why not try spotting one of the many marvellous species that make their home here?
Woodland Trail in Canzo
Just a stone’s throw from Como is an ideal trail for families, one that is magical above all for smaller children: the Sentiero dello Spirito del Bosco in Canzo, from Prim’Alpe to Terz’Alpe, accompanying adventurous visitors on their discovery of the fantastic characters hidden in the woods. Once at Canzo, near to Fonti Gajum, a mule track will take you up to a wood of beech trees and chestnuts. At this point, you can set out on the simple walk, following the wooden signposts showing the entrance to the woods, and continuing past a stream without particular difficulty, and alternating descents, walkways and small bridges.
Along the route, you can have fun identifying the gnomes, imps and other fantastic creatures, hidden among the trees, and along a small maze: they are Gnogno Gnome, Salamander, the Woodland Sage, the Singing Sprites, and the Homo Salvadego, all ready to leave your children open-mouthed with amazement. This fantastic population can be found in the woods, thanks to Alessandro Cortinovis, wood sculptor, and to many other sculptors and carvers, who have worked the wood to bring marvellous sculptures out from the bark and branches, making this excursion unique.
Once at the agritourism, Terz’Alpe you can enjoy home-cooked food and nature all around you, until you return to the start, which is possible either along the Sentiero dello Spirito del Bosco, on the mule track, or alternatively, along the geological trail to Gajum.
Bagnada Mine in Valmalenco
Don’t miss the chance for an exceptional visit to the Bagnada mine, which covers nine levels going down underground. The purpose of the Bagnada Museum is to preserve a historical setting that was the main feature of the Valmalenco area for over two centuries: discover the tunnels, the shafts and the explosives storage area, on the four levels open to the public.
Admire Camerone, with its high arched ceilings, which can host concerts and musical events creating a truly unique experience; you can look at the tools of the mining trade, including a hydraulic lathe dating in part to the 18th century and lose yourselves among the photographs showing the miners at work.
There is no shortage of special events, such as an evening visit to the mine and the possibility to enjoy, once the tour is over, a dinner with a full menu of typical produce from Valmalenco; or even a guided tour inside the working mine Brusada Ponticelli Valbrutta. Doubtless, the most exciting experience is the lighting up of the acetylene lamps, whose light is reflected by the bright white rock faces inside the mine. For people who suffer from claustrophobia, it is useful to know that the tunnels through the mine are wide and never cramped.
Ice Kingdom in Via Mala di Scalve
Time stands still on a visit to Via Mala in winter: Val di Scalve has a hidden treasure of ice, a world of stalactites and frozen, fairytale waterfalls. The Via Mala trail has existed for several centuries, originally linking the Val di Scalve and Val Camonica along the Valle del Dezzo and thus it was used a great deal by the local populace, even though it overlooks deep, frozen precipices. From the 1950s, however, the Via Mala fell into disuse, replaced by the modern-day tunnels, and only later was the area recovered, thanks to a project developed by local municipalities and the province, working with a team of architects.
Today, the Via Mala is no longer a mountain path, but even if it needs no trekking equipment to pass, the adrenaline rush is guaranteed and the utmost caution is required. The route is some three km long, and is an authentic precipice over ravines with vertical walls, but above all, a chance to experience nature like never before. There are various telescopes and inscriptions along the route to allow you to note and understand the geological features of the area, creating a learning opportunity for more adventurous children.
The first part of the route is quite protected by a parapet, while further on, you will be more exposed, but you will also be able to admire a unique view, surrounded by the rock faces on one side of the trail and by the icefall on the other. After passing some steep steps, you will come to the seemingly endless waterfall over a precipice.
Parco del Mincio (MN)
Among the oak woods and plains, rolling hills of vineyards and 16000 hectares of nature, Parco del Mincio is the perfect environment for animals, especially birds, which thrill birdwatchers in every season. In winter, in particular, the animals enjoy the quieter environment of the park and this silence makes it easier to watch the birds from a respectful distance.
In the park, some 229 bird species have been recorded, excluding those brought in from captivity or belonging to other ecosystems. Of these, 92 species are present or pass the winter here. If you are passionate about birdwatching, the park often organises events for this purpose, in conjunction with experts from GRAM, the Mantua Avifauna Research Group.
Among the reeds and ponds in the natural reserves of Vallazza and Valli del Mincio, you can see Cormorants, the rare Pygmy Cormorant, which are plentiful here, and Great Egrets.
