Valle Intelvi: 4 excursions in the land between two lakes

We head to the heart of the Lombardian Prealps to discover a destination popular among casual climbers wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Nestled between Lake Como and Lake Lugano is an enchanting location divided between dense woodland and charming terraces, packed with incredible views and dotted with little ancient villages surrounded by nature.

We are in the Val d’Intelvi, a mid-mountain destination approximate an hour away from Milan, and a location that is certain to pleasantly surprise anyone in search of peace and beauty and who, at least for the span of a weekend, want to heal their soul by immersing themselves in the bounty of nature.

A stretch of the Earth where artists from the Renaissance and Baroque periods have left their mark in the shining examples of period architecture scattered across historic towns and where in every village craftsmanship is expressed in real works of arts.

Perfect for walking and cycling excursions, the Val d’Intelvi offers visitors some truly incredible walking routes that, on top of being suitable for all, invite you to discover the uniqueness of a region that, while considered to be the “Little Sister” of Lombardy’s valleys, has nothing with which to envy its more impressive and resonant neighbours when it comes to resources and passion.

With a mix of art, nature and magic, here are 4 walking routes that are absolutely worth exploring.

1. The Trail of Expressions — Accessible from the centre of Schignano by following signs to the hamlet of Posa (840m) where, after parking your car, you can continue on foot towards Alpe Nava, this extraordinarily beautiful first path, invites us to discover works of art made with bark and tree trunks by skilled woodcarvers. A special place where the tree trunks express the most diverse emotions of the soul and the woodland seems to come to life thanks to these expressive forms with a human face.

Read more

2. The bridle path to Erbonne — Starting in the heart of the Val d’Intelvi in the town of La Bolla, this relaxing path, which is entirely flat and takes about 90 minutes, goes from Casasco d’Intelvi, crossing a bridle path and opening out into a stunning view of Lago di Como and Monte San Zeno, before leading to the charming village of Erbonne, part of the Municipality of San Fedele di Intelvi.

Read more

3. Following the trenches on Monte Generoso — Our third route, which takes 4.5 hours on foot, gives us the chance to explore some First World War-era fortifications by following the trench line through the Monte Generoso Forest. We are in the Municipality of Pellio Intelvi, in the Province of Como on the border with Switzerland: here Monte Generoso (1701m), as the highest peak in the valley, played a crucially important role in the defence of Italy during the First World War, more specifically, the area under the control of the Northern Frontier Advanced Occupation Command, Responsible for the construction of these defensive line.

Read more

4. Lanzo - Sighignola — Suitable for both cyclists and those on foot, our final hike starts in the town of Lanzo which, following a slightly winding road built at the end of the First World War as part of the “Northern Frontier” (the Italian defensive system facing Switzerland, known as the Cadorna Line) will lead you to the so-called “Balcone d’Italia”.

Read more

Iron bridges, man-made constructions

Iron bridges, bold testimonies to the early 20th century

Active & Green

Ten Snowshoeing Treks in Lombardy

Choose a route through the woods or try out a panoramic trail on your snowshoeing trek!

Active & Green

Lago d'Iseo - Best trails

Discover Lake Iseo's best trails with the new trekking guide!

Active & Green

Sporting Landmarks in Lombardy

A selection of iconic sporting venues to take us through the history of sport in the Region as we move towards the Milano Cortina games.

Active & Green

Brabbia Marsh

Brabbia Nature Reserve: the most important wetland in Lombardy.

Active & Green

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)

Active & Green

9 places surrounded by nature

If you want to spend a day in contact with nature, we recommend these really special destinations.

Active & Green

Train & Bike Valtellina

Discover Valtellina with the Train& Bike offer!

Active & Green

Visconti park

The medieval splendor come alive in today's Pavia.

Active & Green

Discover Sporty!

The Lombardy Region App dedicated to mountain sports and tourism enthusiasts

Active & Green

Visit to Val Gerola

Active & Green

Ice Skating

Ice skating enthusiasts will find three tracks in the area around Sondrio and in Valmalenco

Active & Green

Bergamo Valle Imagna, a jewel just waiting to be discovered

A tiny natural jewel that still today preserves all the spirit of life in the mountains and the good flavours of food

Active & Green

Virtual trip to Lecco: nature and art

An online tour, through green landscapes and culture

Active & Green

Bergamo Valle Seriana and the Presolana

The Valle Seriana Mountains are a wonderful tourist destination, perfect for discovering on foot, mountain bike or with fun off-road quad rides.

Active & Green

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.

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

Active & Green

Four Panoramic Walks by Lake Como

Active & Green

Po, a river to experience.

The italian longest river offers you unforgettable moments.

Active & Green

Foppe di trezzo

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

Active & Green