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](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Arco_alpino_lombardo_IT-WV1.png/300px-Arco_alpino_lombardo_IT-WV1.png)
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:
- 1 Bergamo-Orio al Serio Airport (the Caravaggio), Via Aeroporto 13, Orio al Serio, ☎ 39 035 326323.
- 2 Brescia-Montichiari Airport (Gabriele D'Annunzio), Via Aeroporto, 34, Montichiari (BS), ☎ 39 030 9656599, fax: 39 030 9656514. Charter only
- 3 Milan-Malpensa Airport (MXP), Ferno. The airport has two terminals (T1 and T2), the second is used for low cost flights. The bus service Motorway connects the airport with Milan central station in about 50 minutes, while the Malpensa Express it connects Terminal 1 with Cadorna station (red and green line underground) in 40 minutes. The buses of the Sadem is Motorway reach the city of Turin (2 hours), while the company Foxes make a few trips for Genoa (3 hours).
- 4 Milan-Linate airport, Viale Enrico Forlanini, ☎ 39 02 232323.
By car
- there
of the Tonal and of the Mendola which connects the Camonica Valley with Brescia is Bergamo and, passing through the Val di Sole and the Val di Non, to Bolzano is Trento.
On the train
The two main railway lines in the region are:
- Tirano-Sondrio-Lecco which connects Lecco with Valtellina and a Chiavenna;
- Brescia-Iseo-Edolo which connects Brescia to Val Camonica;
A map[link not working] 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
![]() | To learn more, see: Cycle tourism in Lombardy. |
What see
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Rosa_camuna_e_antropomorfi_R24_-_Foppe_-_Nadro.jpg/220px-Rosa_camuna_e_antropomorfi_R24_-_Foppe_-_Nadro.jpg)
- 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
- From Tirano part there Bernina railway leading up to Sankt Moriz, in Switzerland. The railway, which offers breathtaking views in all seasons, has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
- Lombard Alpine Arch is part of the Road of Wine and Flavors of Valtellina, a path of food and wine tourism promotion, about 200 kilometers long and recognized by the Lombardy Region, which winds through Valtellina Sondriese on a territory of 78 municipalities, including: Montespluga, Madesimo, Chiavenna, Colico, Lecco, Morbegno, Ardenno, Postalesio, Church in Valmalenco, Teglio, Aprica, Tirano, Grosio, Sondrio is Livigno.
- Lombardy Refuges
What to do
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Lagobarbellino3.jpg/200px-Lagobarbellino3.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Adamello_2.jpg/200px-Adamello_2.jpg)
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).
Edelweiss
Gentians
A marmot
Porcino or Boletus Edulis
At the table
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Pizzochero.jpg/220px-Pizzochero.jpg)
- 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.