• 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

In between the lake and the sky

Episode 2
  • Active & Green

Yoga in Parco Sempione

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

The Rusca trail

Sondrio, Ponchiera, Arquino, Valdone, Il Prato, Tornadù, Torre Santa Maria, S.Anna, Basci, Vassalini a Chiesa Valmalenco - ritorno a Sondrio
  • Active & Green

Gema promenade - source of the Frascesca

Easy route and especially suitable for families with children
Source Frascesca
  • Active & Green

Ciclovia del Po

It stretches from the confluence of the Ticino and Po rivers to Parpanese harbour in Arena Po. The track is suitable for both walkers and cyclists with sections through Oltrepò river bank towns and others along the Po itself.
Fiume Po
  • Active & Green

Lombardy, land of spring waters

Fountains and springs, the natural oases of Lower Lombardy
Lombardy, land of spring waters
  • Active & Green

Discovering Lombardy with Va' Sentiero along the Italy Trail

Admiring the view from Pizzo Scalino, Valtellina, Lombardy
  • Active & Green

Il caloggio

Visit the WWF Oasis Il Caloggio in the town of Bollate and you will be amazed by the rich and rare biodiversity present.
Il Caloggio
  • Active & Green

Discover Sporty!

The Lombardy Region App dedicated to mountain sports and tourism enthusiasts
Snow hiking in Bormio
  • Active & Green

Adrenaline and Rafting on the Ticino

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

Il sentiero di Leonardo

Un percorso a piedi di 540 Km sui luoghi leonardeschi
Il sentiero di Leonardo
  • Active & Green

12 blooms to see in Lombardy

With the arrival of spring, Lombardy is tinged with beautiful blooms. All to discover the most beautiful ones!
Blooms in Lombardy
  • Active & Green

Under the ground, to discover the caves of Lombardy

On a trip to the caves of Lombardy
Under the ground, to discover the caves of Lombardy
  • Active & Green

The 10 most spectacular monumental trees in the province of Brescia

In Lombardy's largest province, very special tree monuments grow in very different environments.
  • Active & Green

Birdwatching in Lombardy

Parks, nature reserves and oases where you can take a glimpse into the secret lives of birds
Birdwatching in Lombardy
  • 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

Bergamo three small natural jewels: Val Vertova, Val Sedornia and Val Sanguigno

Off the beaten tourist track, but close to the Valle Seriana, there are three small valleys, just waiting to be discovered, either on foot or mountain bike
Bergamo tre piccoli gioielli naturali: Val Vertova, Val Sedornia e Val Sanguigno
  • 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.
  • Active & Green

A summer at the summit

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

Dicovering Monte Lesima

Trekking in the province of Pavia
  • Active & Green