Lombard Alps - Arco alpino lombardo

Lombard Alps
Valchiavenna
State
Region

Lombard Alps is one of the four tourist areas into which the Lombardy.

To know

Among the alpine valleys the Valchiavenna, the Valtellina traveled by the Adda and the Val Camonica, one of the largest; the main urban centers are Chiavenna, key for communication with the other side of the Alps; Sondrio, main administrative center; important tourist resorts and ski resorts are Madesimo, Bormio, Wooden bridge, Santa Caterina Valfurva.

Geographical notes

The area occupies a portion to the north of Lombardy.


Territories and tourist destinations

Map divided by regions
      Chiavennasco - The Val di Chiavenna runs through the whole Chiavennasco, from the meeting point with the Valtellina at the Spluga pass. From time immemorial this whole area of ​​high alpine peaks was an obligatory route for commercial traffic and for the migrations of ancient peoples or the passage of armies, and still today constitutes one of the most important routes of traffic to Switzerland.
      Sondriese ValtellinaSondrio is the largest city, and is located almost in the center of this territory bordered to the west by Morbegno and east from Tirano. Furrowed entirely by the Adda, the area is a bit marginal in the life of the Lombardy region, and has never managed to break its particular condition of not belonging also underlined by its orography enclosed in itself, despite its attendance by both summer and winter tourists reaches very considerable figures.
      Upper ValtellinaBormio, at the limits of Stelvio National Park, Livigno is Santa Caterina Valfurva they are three well-known names in the panorama of the Alpine centers of summer and above all winter tourism; equipped ski resorts, attract tourists in large numbers. Livigno also attracts many visitors thanks to its status as free port regarding the taxation of goods which make it convenient to go there for purchases.
      Alto BergamascoClusone it is the most consistent center of the area with interesting works of art. Piazza Brembana, Foppolo, Valbondione, Lizzola, Gromo, Dezzo are all small towns scattered in the Bergamo Orobie Alps Park that embraces this mountain area of ​​unmissable views and experienced winter and summer tourist services.
      Val Camonica - Long glacial valley, Val Camonica is scattered with many small, but suggestive villages such as Bienno is Borno and more than three hundred thousand rock engravings dating back to the end of the Paleolithic. These engravings were declared by UNESCO World Heritage in 1979.

Urban centers

  • Bormio - At the mouth of the Valfurva, where the Frodolo that descends from its mountains merges with the Adda, Bormio was an ancient center of trade between Milanese, Veneto and Germanic nations. To this he now adds the tourist activity, summer and winter, which makes it a center of solid economy and even more solid reputation.
  • Breno - town in the center of Val Camonica, important for the Roman sanctuary of Minerva and its castle dating back to the XII century.
  • Chiavenna - Crossed by the Mera, the city aligns on its banks ancient loggia houses, noble palaces, churches, fountains, forming a set of severe nobility like the high mountains that surround it.
  • Clusone - the most populous center of the Alto Bergamasco, the town of Val Seriana is often remembered for the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Baroque style and for the triumph over death and for the macabre dance contained in the Oratory of the Disciplini. The clock tower, considered a symbol of Clusone, also deserves a special mention. The clock still shows the astral movements, of the earth, of the sun and of the moon with great precision.
  • Edolo - It is the main center of the high Valcamonica, from which starts the road connection that through the Aprica pass connects all this immense valley with the equally immense Valtellina.
  • Livigno - northernmost town in Lombardy, it is a renowned ski and holiday resort. "Daily" tourism is also developed as the municipality has a statute extra-customs (the goods are exempt from most taxes and therefore cheaper).
  • Wooden bridge - rises where the streams Frigidolfo is Narcanello merge giving rise to the Oglio river which will flow throughout the Val Camonica and then merge into Lake Iseo and, after a long journey, into the Po. Ponte di Legno is an important ski resort near the Passo del Tonale.
  • Sondrio - In the long run Valtellina crossed by the Adda Sondrio it seems to belong only to itself and to its fascinating mountains, far from the big cities and the noisy and polluting industrial districts of the plain. Main administrative center of the Lombard Alps, it still betrays a vague hint Swiss which left it the domination of over two and a half centuries of the Swiss Grisons.

Thermal centers

  • Corner Baths - In Val di Scalve, in the territory of Valcamonica, its thermal baths [1] they have sulphate-bicarbonate-alkaline-earthy waters.
  • Masino baths - located at 1172 m. above sea level, the thermal properties of its waters are already known in the fifteenth century, and exploited since the sixteenth century above all by the Lombard nobility who combined thermal treatments [2] and summer stay in this wonderful part of Valtellina.
  • Boario Terme - It is a lively center of the municipality of Darfo Boario Terme. Its thermal waters [3], in the territory that revolves around the Valcamonica they were already used in the sixteenth century; they had a great sponsor in Alessandro Manzoni who praised them, making them so famous far beyond the local borders.
  • Bormio - Its thermal springs are numerous in its surroundings; the Baths [4] take advantage of the city's conspicuous summer and winter tourist attendance.
  • San Pellegrino Terme - InAlto Bergamasco, the Terme di San Pellegrino had their consecration between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when the development as a place of thermal treatment led to a notable urban transformation.
  • Sant’Omobono Imagna - Another thermal center of theAlto Bergamasco, enjoys less fame than the better known San Pellegrino. The first spa building [5] dates back to the 1920s - 1930s.

Other destinations

  • Madesimo - It is a well-equipped and very popular resort for winter sports, in a valley full of coniferous forests.
  • Montespluga - At 1908 meters above sea level on the lake of the same name, the last stage in the valley (3 km.) Of the Spluga Pass -2115 meters above sea level- which enters the Swiss valley that leads to the Swiss center of Splügen (1457 m.).
  • Morbegno - Commercial and industrial center at the entrance to the Valtellina, it was a thriving trading post with the Republic of Venice.
  • Stelvio National Park
  • Tirano - It lies on both banks of the Adda. It was the city where the popular movement of revolt against the Swiss Grisons began in 1620 during the religious struggles between Catholics and Reformed people.


How to get

By plane

There are no airports in the region, however the closest ones are:

By car

On the train

The two main railway lines in the region are:

A map complete of the lines is available on the site trenord.it.

By bus

The two railway lines are connected by the line A61Tirano-Aprica-Edolo. For information on timetables visit the website Autoservizi Gelmi.

How to get around

By bike

Exquisite-kfind.pngTo learn more, see: Cycle tourism in Lombardy.


What see

Rosa camuna is an anthropomorphic (so-called "astronaut"). Area Foppe, Natural Reserve Rock engravings of Ceto, Cimbergo and Paspardo
  • Rock engravings, Val Camonica. Throughout the Val Camonica there are more than 20,000 engravings made between 8,000 years ago and the Iron Age. The main parks are located in Darfo Boario Terme is Capo di Ponte. Among these engravings there is also the Camuna rose, which has become a symbol of the region Lombardy.

Itineraries

Bernina railway


What to do

Lake Barbellino, in the upper Bergamo area
Glaciers of the Adamello group, in Val Camonica

It is possible to do all over the Lombard Alps Mountain hiking and enjoy amazing landscapes often uncontaminated by man such as alpine lakes, pine forests or glaciers. During these excursions it is also possible to admire alpine flora and fauna such as edelweiss (Leontopodium), gentians is marmots. In this region it is also possible (upon payment of a daily, monthly or seasonal permit) the collection of mushrooms, although in some areas it is difficult to find due to the high number of mushroom hunters. For those who have doubts about the edibility of the mushrooms, during the summer they are open in many common mycology centers where you can have your crop checked (eat a Amanita phalloides would be somewhat unpleasant).


At the table

Pizzoccheri At Valtellinese
  • Typical Valtellinese dish are the pizzoccheri with potatoes, cabbage and Casera (a type of local cheese).
  • In Val Camonica and inAlto Bergamasco are very popular i casoncelli (stuffed pasta), however, there is no single recipe as each country has its own variant.


Safety


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