• Active & Green
    • Mountains

A green week in Valtellina

from IN-LOMBARDIA.IT

Wide-open spaces, the smell of forests, breath-taking views, natural food, refreshing waterfalls and stunning peaks.

We are in Valtellina, a lush green valley at the heart of the Lombardy Alps. Easily accessible from major cities, the valley spans 120 km, from Lake Como to Passo Aprica: a location so inviting and boasting such diverse beauty, it is perfect for laid back exploring, even during warmer periods. Ideal for unwinding and living the good life for a weekend getaway or a more drawn-out touring holiday.  

A trekking, wellness and skiing paradise (with the skiing regions of Livigno and Bormio), Valtellina gets more days of sunshine than Pantelleria, while a good half of the area is a natural park or nature reserve. Such figures would suffice to elevate it to the status of much better known and more visited mountain resorts, which it is on par with both in terms of its landscape and its hospitality. 

Revealed to be a key feature of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in an effort to ensure the region's infrastructure avoids having an overly negative environmental impact, this micro-region of Lombardy has also recently helped boost mountain eco-tourism development, breathing life into a genuine green Renaissance in the area.   

Things to see in Valtellina
If you want to find out about the must-see places for a green getaway in Valtellina, follow our itinerary. Adrenaline-filled adventures await with suspended bridges, lush green cycle and walking trails, fairy-tale trains through the heart of the Alps, and medieval towers against a backdrop of azure skies.

1. Cycling the Valtellina Trail
We’re starting with the Valtellina Trail, a 114-kilometre cycle and walking path starting at Lake Como, following the Adda river across the valley floor and ending in Bormio. A full-blown family-friendly greenway featuring moderate gradients and well-signed cycle routes in both directions, making it easy to navigate on two wheels.

Read more
2. Bernina Express
For the second leg of our Alpine tour, we’re climbing aboard the Bernina Express: a spectacular adventure to experience at least once in your life, whether for one day or for an entire weekend. Considered one of the most beautiful railway lines in the world, the Bernina Express was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2018: a scenic ride that guarantees all-round panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, even more captivating in summer with open-air carriages overlooking the dramatic landscape of the Alps.

Read more
3. Highest Tibetan Bridge in Europe
No trip to the Valtellina wilderness can be complete without experiencing the heart-pounding Ponte del Cielo, or Sky Bridge: a high-altitude Tibetan bridge 140 metres high that broke the European record for highest bridge in Europe (of those without stabilising side cables). This daring project launched in 2016 was the brainchild of a group of mountaineers. Modelled on previous Austrian and Swiss builds, it was carried out by the Consorzio Pustarèsc with substantial manual and economic efforts as well as the firm resolve that this huge undertaking would ensure the Valtellina alpine valley would not be left to fend for itself.

Read more
4. Fraele Towers
The Torri di Fraele, or Fraele Towers, share their name with the mountain pass in which they are found (also known as the Passo delle Scale, or the Stairway Passage). Standing 1,930 metres above sea level, they can be seen from the road that goes from Bormio to Livigno. Dating back to the end of the 14th century, these two four-sided towers were built in 1391 at the height of the Viscount epoch and would have been part of a much larger fortress, since destroyed. Their dual purpose was to defend the Bormio territory from attacks from the north and to exercise control extending from Livigno to the Val Viola.

Read more

On the same topic

Show all

Lake Iseo

Visit Lake Iseo between art and nature.
Trekking sul Lago d'Iseo
  • Active & Green

Picnics in Lombardy

8 easy picnic places in Lombardy: On the beaches of our lakes, in the cool of the woods, or in the company of dinosaurs!
panorama sondrio
  • Active & Green

Valchiavenna and Valle Spluga

High mountain pastures, lakes, rivers and a varied network of hiking trails through nature and mountain villages where time seems to have stood still
La Valchiavenna e la Valle Spluga
  • Active & Green

Legnone, Pizzo Tre Signori and Valvarrone

Narrow, wild and dominated by the peak of Legnone, Valvarrone seems tailor-made for those who like their mountains harsh
Legnone, Pizzo Tre Signori e Valvarrone
  • Active & Green

Brabbia Marsh

Brabbia Nature Reserve: the most important wetland in Lombardy.
Palude Brabbia: a protected area
  • Active & Green

Four curious places that enchant in Lombardy

Surprise yourself with authentic and singular places surrounded by fabulous views
Adobe stock Gaudi Grosio
  • Active & Green

Teglio walk - Verida - Palama - Ravarola - Teglio

Simple walk through the characteristic rural mid-mountain environment, where cultivated fields, meadows, vineyards and orchards alternate. Depending on the season, typical tellin crops of potatoes, barley, rye and buckwheat can be seen.
  • Active & Green

Bergamo Valle di Scalve, nature, peace and quiet

Bergamo Valle di Scalve, tra natura e tranquillità
  • Active & Green

Yoga in Parco Sempione

A green oasis in Milan.
Yoga in Parco Sempione
  • Active & Green

Adrenaline and Rafting on the Ticino

Active holiday in the province of Pavia
Active vacations in Pavia
  • Active & Green

Eight Ideas for a Creative Easter Monday

Easter Monday is a day to spend in company, focusing on discovering original springtime destinations in Lombardy.
Ph: I Mille
  • Active & Green

Spring in Lombardy

Spring has arrived ... all to discover the beauties of Lombardy!
Spring in Lombardy: where to go and what to do
  • Active & Green

A summer at the summit

Backpack and discover the best treks and outdoor activities #inLombardia
Trekking in Lombardy
  • Active & Green

Spring in Valcamonica

4 ideas to enjoy the most sparkling season of the year in Val Camonica.
Signs of Spring at a Unesco Site
  • Active & Green

A green week in Valtellina

Escape to the mountains just a two-hour drive from Milan for a rural retreat with trekking, typical pizzoccheri pasta and towns that are absolute hidden gems
A green week in Valtellina
  • Active & Green

Hiking with kids in Lombardy - Trails for tourists and athletes

Hiking is an excellent way to enjoy exercise, and Lombardy has some amazing trails for kids and adults to explore in winter. Find out more.
  • Active & Green

Routes for Walkers of All Levels

Besides many shelters of Valmalenco, easily attainable from families and who approaches to the world of hiking for the first time, we signal some simple itineraries suitable for all. 
  • Active & Green

The trail of memories and labours

This trail was dedicated to the memory of the inhabitants of Castione who, in the past generations, walked along this path carrying heavy pack baskets. The path linked the highest part of the town to the valley floor and allowed people to carry out farm works.
  • Active & Green

Brescia Nature, taste and traditions: Val Sabbia

From multiple-day treks with night-breaks at mountain huts, to shorter walks open to all: a charming valley for all tastes set against the background of the little lake Idro
  • Active & Green

In Morbegno on the Bridge in the Sky

In Val Tartano, the highest Tibetan Bridge in Europe.
ph. Facebok page Bridge in the Sky
  • Active & Green