A green week in Valtellina

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Adrenaline and Rafting on the Ticino

Active holiday in the province of Pavia

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Bruschera Oasis

On the shore of Lake Maggiore, it is a small paradise, a place of passage and nesting of various species of birds.

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Family Tourism Lombardy

Lombardy ... also for "child"

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A green escape in Milan

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Lombardy on the road..

Lombardy: wonderful views to see on the road.

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Foppe di trezzo

Trip outside the town of Trezzo d'Adda to discover a small but very suggestive WWF oasis.

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Sesto Calende

Sesto Calende: between history and nature.

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Sempione park

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Where to do Horseback Riding in Lombardy

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The Soapstone trail

A short loop trail that allows hikers to visit the ancient places where the renown soapstone of Pirlo used to be quarried and worked.

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Motorcycle touring in Lombardy

Motorcycle routes, getting to know Lombardy with the thrill of two wheels

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Teglio - Santa Maria - La Piana Promenade

Medium-easy route that winds from fields and chestnut forests to coniferous forests and pastures.

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Valle Intelvi: 4 excursions in the land between two lakes

The Val d’Intelvi offers visitors some unmissable walking routes that are suitable for everyone to explore on foot or by bike

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The Wayfarer's Path in Varenna

From Varenna walk along the The Wayfarer's Path and discover this ancient route connecting Lake Como and Valtellina

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The High Route of Valmalenco – 4th stage

Chiareggio (1612 m) - Rif. Longoni (2450 m) - A. Sasso nero (2304 m) - Rif. Lago Palù (1947 m)

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Teglio walk - San Silvestro - Frascesca spring

Medium-difficulty itinerary that, through scenic routes, leads to the coolness of the Frascesca spring.

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The high route of Valmalenco - presentation

The high route of Valmalenco is a trekking of 8 stage, around 110 km.

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The High Route of Valmalenco – 8th stage

Rif. Cristina (2227 m) - A. Acquanera (2116 m) - Piazzo Cavalli (1710 m) - Caspoggio (1098 m) - Torre di Santa Maria (772 m)

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Parks and gardens to explore online

Green virtual tours in Lombardy

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Learn from nature in the lowlands of the Po Valley

Take a lesson, and much more, from the educational farms on the Lombardy Plains, learning about the environmental and cultural wealth of our countryside.

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