Path of the Wayfarer is an itinerary that develops through the province of Lecco in Lombardy.
Introduction
The Path of the Wayfarer is an ancient road that, immersed in the great mountains that runs along the shores of Lake Como on the other, manages to guarantee an exceptional view at any time both on the stretch of water and on some of the most beautiful alpine reliefs. The whole route starts from the church of S. Martino di Abbadia Lariana and arrives up to Colico passing through several lanes divided into 6 paths that guide hikers on the right path. Today the Sentiero del Viandante starts from the ancient Roman village of Lierna, to get to Colico without interruptions, as the stretch of Abbadia was destroyed by the creation of the highway.
The Path of the Wayfarer in Lierna was also a place of great interest for world-famous personalities, including Leonardo da Vinci who used to walk there, it is believed that right in the Liernz path he was inspired by the shapes of the Mona Lisa, looking from the Path del Viandante in the locality of Lierna on the promontory of Bellagio. Attracted by the paths, the shores and the great peaks of Lake Como, many important minds from all over the world have come to visit these enchanting places from which they were inspired, including Carlo Amoretti, an important Italian naturalist who lived between the 18th and 19th centuries, geniuses such as inventor William Fox Talbot, theologian Romano Guardini, writer Mark Twain, poet William Wordsworth, writer and poet August Strindberg, painter JM William Turner, Nobel Prize winner for literature Herman Hesse, the designer Achille Castiglioni who created the Lierna Chair, and the sculptor Giannino Castiglioni, who created his own works of art in a studio in Lierna, including the Porta del Duomo in Milan.
Alessandro Manzoni is even talking to us about the Path of the Wayfarer when he tells us about his arrival from Germany of the Lanzichenecchi (German mercenary army composed of 28,000 men, bringer of destruction and plague) in the service of Emperor Ferdinand II of Habsburg directed, through the Duchy of Milan, at the siege of Mantua (during the Thirty Years' War, autumn 1629). Their passage through the lands of the Path is remembered at the end of chapter XXVIII of the Promessi Sposi:
“Colico was the first land of the duchy, which those demons invaded; then they threw themselves on Bellano; from there they entered and spread into Valsassina, from where they flowed into the territory of Lecco ".
Background
The Sentiero del Viandante is a path that could be partly traced back to a project dating back to 1606, drawn up by the engineer Tolomeo Rinaldi at the behest of the Duke of Fuentes; the project he clearly had in mind was to connect Milan with the Fort of Fuentes (just built near Colico); initially, given the numerous passages in those directions between main roads and lanes, it was not clear which of these to exploit. The engineer's decision seemed to be oriented on the longer one, since he considered the easiest one: it was the path that leads in the direction of the Valsassina. The works were no longer actually completed until a project with a similar purpose was taken up again only in the early 19th century, when it was actually started.
In 1809 the stretch that leads to it was well arranged Sondrio led to Colico and in 1822 completed the route between Colico, Chiavenna and Spluga. The really complex sector, among the lanes of the Lombard Alpine territory, was precisely the area that concerned the Riviera of the Lecco municipalities, that is the one that would later be founded with the name of the current Path of the Wayfarer. The project was originally born from the idea of the Brescian Carlo Donegani in 1817: it provided for a road with a width of about 3 m., Then widened to 4/5 m. Some sections were immediately built, for others it took longer.
The entire route corresponds to the current SP72.
According to some findings of ancient documents, Napoleon Bonaparte's collaboration in the construction of this work is recognized; in fact, in the maps we note the frequent presence of the reference to the name "Napoleonic", indicating the mule track between Lierna, Coria, Roslina, Fiumelatte and the rest of Varenna.
Between 1721 and 1728, thanks to the Austrian intervention in the Como area, a large network of lanes and paths were made public. In a vague number of documents, which date back to 1743, 1757 and 1767, we see the appearance of a via Ducale relating to the stretches of Lecco, Abbadia Lariana, Bellano.
In 1670 it was still preferred to go from Varenna to Dervio by boat; in fact, numerous papers of the Lario for these trips. The master builder of Gittana began in this period to measure the "Via Reggia et comune", the road that went up from Valvarrone to Introzzo and Tremenico. Each of these projects was withdrawn and the final solution can be seen through the reading of the artifact present since 1859 in Mandello and Abbadia, from which we can deduce the route that today constitutes the current Sentiero Del Viandante. That is, it concerned long stretches that extended between a "ups and downs" of high reliefs and ancient villages of countries.
The name of "Sentiero del Viandante" was established only in 1990 by the historian Angelo Borghi.
Flora and fauna
During an excursion on the Sentiero del Viandante it is easy to encounter a great variety of flora and fauna, with more frequent occurrences: foxes, roe deer, chamois, deer, hares and even some squirrels. While more difficultly and only in the distance, if you are lucky, you can see: marmots, badgers, weasels and stone martens, and even the birds, which consistently populate these territories and are present in various species: starting from the smallest (such as sparrows and robins) to the largest, such as: crows, pheasants, buzzards and owls. In particular, a vast presence of animal species are present in the Pian di Spagna Nature Reserve. As flora, the famous edelweiss, violets, bells, cyclamen and daisies.
When to do it
The path can be visited and accessible at any time of the year, as it is a public area. Surely the best seasons in which to follow it are summer and spring, when it is literally populated by travelers, tourists, experts and passers-by of the area; while winter and autumn are less recommended, as the greater cold is felt and the roads are more dangerous (given the season), however it must be admitted that even the winter and autumn charm has its own reason.
An event is also held annually which, bringing together all the wayfarers who wish, now retraces all the stretches of the Path of the Wayfarer as in the past, called "Sulle Orme del Viandante and surroundings". Another event is: "Trail del Viandante" "; which runs more or less the same stages as "Sulle Orme del Viandante and surroundings", it differs, however, because it is a real competition between the participants in the middle of these paths. Another difference is the subdivision into 3 routes: one short (for beginners), another a little longer (for amateurs and enthusiasts) and, finally, the longer one reserved exclusively for expert hikers.
How to do it
The main ways of getting around are: on foot or by bike. The use of mopeds is forbidden almost everywhere in the stretches of the Wayfarer, since everything is limited so that the protection of Flora and Fauna is guaranteed to the maximum. There is, however, an exception: for those who own land or toll booths in these places, with an agro-forestry-pastoral permit; this is completely limited within the borders of the country in which the property is owned, and outside it is therefore invalid.
What see
- Cattaverna. La Cattaverna is an ancient building on the Abbadia-Mandello stretch which at the time was a place of refreshment as was customary along the busiest roads.
- Strada dei Rastelli. This is a historical stretch along the path of the Sentiero del Viandante, located in Mandello, after the church of s. George.
- The River Trail. This is a very suggestive stretch that starts from the Rongio hamlet of Mandello del Lario and passes in the middle of two beautiful valleys: Val Mèria and Valle di Era and ends with the arrival at the Alpe di Era.
- Fiumelatte. It is a stream, considered the shortest river in Italy: the "Fiumelaccio", as Leonardo da Vinci called it, which crosses the Varennese hamlet of Fiumelatte, to which he gives the homonymous name. It is a great tourist attraction and you can see its roar and its characteristic white frothy color like fresh milk going upstream, passing along the SP 72, and then throwing itself into Lake Como.
- 1 Vezio Castle, Street of the castle - Perledo, ☎ 39 348 8242504, @[email protected].
4.00 full ticket except for reductions. It is an ancient castle of low medieval origin, located on the promontory of the Vezio hamlet of Varenna. It also houses in one part a small museum dedicated to the legend of the "Lariosaurus", known as Lierny which was found in Lierns in the Borgo di Grumo, is present in some Mickey Mouse comics. - Punt de la Nini. It rises in the Borgo Sornìco di Lierna. From here starts the Via di S. Michele, the main stretch of the Mandello-Lierna path. So called because it was the probable residence of Mrs. Nini, to whom local legends attributed magical powers, benefits and luck for a whole year for those who pass under the arch
- Mount Fopp (1079 m). Monte encountered from the stretch of Lierna in the Borghi Genico and Borgo Ortanella up to Vezio; characterized by the presence of "Fopp", ie from the local dialect doline.
- Cross of Brentalone (654 m). This is the best known and most photographed Wayfarer's cross, this guarantees a wonderful view over the whole village of Lierna and the eastern branch of Lake Como.
- Pian of Spain (200 m). It is a national park, a nature reserve, unique in the world for its biodiversity characteristics, on a flat area extending for 1600 hectares between the provinces of Sondrio and Como, thanks also to the intervention of the presbyter Don Guanella. On whose level lie 3 alpine groups: the Lepontine Alps, the Rhaetian Alps and the Orobie Alps.
4.00 full ticket except for reductions. It is an ancient castle of low medieval origin, located on the promontory of the Vezio hamlet of Varenna. It also houses in one part a small museum dedicated to the legend of the "Lariosaurus", known as Lierny which was found in Lierns in the Borgo di Grumo, is present in some Mickey Mouse comics.Paths of the Wayfarer
Path of the Wayfarer: full-screen map.Works for the restructuring of the driveway that led to Borbino-Sonvico also destroyed other short paths, making an alternative to this stretch impractical. In ancient times the alternative exceeded the customs wall above Caviate; some of its remains are still visible.The bastion of the mountain that supports the vast plateaus that descend detachedly towards the Piani dei Resinelli, also called Profile of Napoleon, is characterized by the view on Moregallo, observable from some parts of Lecco, where the ancient limestone quarries once stood. At one time there was a narrow road under Monte Borbino and reached the small church of S. Martino in Abbadia, where it still marks the start of the provincial road.
Borbino-San Giorgio
The stretch starts from the church of S. Martino, in Abbadia Lariana, where a metal indicator under a concrete ladder gives the official start to the Path of the Wayfarer. In the clearing there is an ancient fifteenth-century building with a cross vault, and where there are numerous remains of important paintings; next to where once once stood the ancient Cattaverna.The road continues along a dirt stretch to Monte di Borbino, which you cross by climbing a ladder and find yourself on another path that leads to the ancient core of the town. The most important view of this stretch is that which, shortly after the bottleneck, overlooks the northern prairies; then descend alongside the Zerbo stream, which comes out of the narrow gorge of Val Monastero; here a stone bridge crosses the gentle course and leads to the Molini farmyards. The mule track then resumes running up to the chapel of the Madonna di Caravaggio, where it stops and continues up to the Campelli, a second road leads back to Abbadia. Path proceeds along a road that leads to Crebbio, from here you can continue to get to the two hamlets of the Mandello area Maggiana and Rongio, then continue through the wide track of via Volta, followed by a piece of wood that ends on a nice stretch of paving, the one that for a few hundred meters leads to the railway. Through Pramagno you can reach the ancient center of Mandello. The ancient ducal road went in the direction of the Moto Guzzi workshops; it continued in Tonzanigo, arrived in Molina and then in Somana. Now for the subsequent urbanization the Path takes another direction that flanks the Guzzi and reaches Somana. Here ends the first stage with the cultural church of S. Giorgio.
San Giorgio-Lierna Sonvico
To continue in this stretch you have to take the Strada dei Rastelli, that is the cobbled street on the right, and then resume a dirt stretch of the ancient road of Viandanti, which leads to the next stretch: the carriageway and, after 200 meters on this distance, you arrives at the Maggiàna valley (a hamlet of Mandello). Bumping into the town, the ancient foundation of the village is noticed. At the end of the inhabited area the stretch with pebbles and gravel begins again, going forward you can reach the Masso. Going down to the Zucco di Portorella you arrive at Val Monastero and go up to the Piani dei Resinelli, under the Grignetta. The most interesting itinerary is the one that arrives at the Torre del Masso, from this point you can reach the Roccolo farmhouses through a wooded stretch; the path goes around the Val Cargogno and reaches Rongio, next to it stands the church of S. Ambrogio, rich in ancient and important paintings of the saint. From Rongio you go down to the bottom of the Val Méria and go up to Somana, then going back again you finally reach Sonvico, the highest hamlet of Mandello. An interesting tourist attraction of this stretch is the Val Meria characterized by the formation of ancient fossils and waterfalls of the gully of the area. From here the path of the river that leads to the Alpe di Era starts. Another passage that stands out leads to the Buco della Grigna, known by mountaineers as the path to Valsassina.
Lierna Sonvico-Lierna Genico (km 3.8 / h 1.40)
This is a very suggestive itinerary for the passage between some ancient churches dating back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; in particular that of S. Eufemia in Olcio and S. Michele in Lierna, others can be seen, however, well, but in the distance, such as that of S. Ambrogio (also in Lierna). Génico, you come across Lierna in Sornìco, the hamlet that precedes it. Sornìco has a noteworthy imprint of the '500 and' 600, fully detectable by passing under the characteristic "Punt de la Nini". From Gènico you have a wide view over the village and you can observe all the splendor of the peasant world, since it is this the highest and most isolated hamlet of Lierna.
Lierna Genico-Fiumelatte-Vezio (km 6 / h 2.30)
The stretch that starts from Gènico and, along the Via Ducale di Lierna, passes through Riva Bianca and then goes back to Giussana to resume its course between the mountainous course up to the Vezio castle is famous for its presence on the mouth of many famous people In particular, it refers to the town of Lierna. Here stands the house of the famous sculptor Giannino Castiglioni (1884-1971) and some of his works are erected in the town; in Bolchi's film "The Betrothed" the small village of Castello is highlighted, near Riva Bianca. The "Fiumelaccio" (the stream that crosses Fiumelatte) has always aroused great charm, in particular to well-known names such as Paolo Giovio, Spallanzani, Stenone and Stoppani.
Lierna Genico-Lierna Ortanella- Vézio (km 8 / h 3)
This route is characteristic for crossing some of the oldest and most beautiful churches and crosses in Lombardy.From a first start of the stretch you find yourself overlooking Mount Fopp (1079 m), so-called to be marked by numerous sinkholes. be the Croce di Brentalone, at an altitude of 654 m, visible shortly after walking back from Genico, which reveals the Lecco branch in all its splendor.The first of these ancient churches, moving from Genico towards Vezio, is the small church of S. Pietro, dating back to the early Middle Ages and rebuilt in Romanesque style which, from its 992 m, also catches the eye for the view overlooking the lake.Reaching the town of Esino you can find two other churches of seventeenth-century origin: that di S. Vittore and that of the Ss. Annunciata. Going up, you will also find the Croce del Fopp and the chapel of S. Carlo, before entering Vézio.
Vézio-Bellano (km 3,6 / h 2,5)
This path could also be defined as an entire historical-cultural heritage, so many works come close to it and among churches, relevant paintings, villas, companies, rivers are really many.The first on the way is the church of the Madonna di Campallo, in Vézio, in baroque style. In Perledo, as well as the characteristic village, there is the church of S. Martino, which was thought to have been of Theodelindean origin; a canvas by Filippo Bellati is also preserved here. Born in the early seventeenth century, it underwent interventions on dates up to the nineteenth century. In the middle of Régolo stands the baroque church of S. Giovanni Battista. Further on you can see some of the most beautiful twentieth-century villas. Below is the chapel of the Crucifix, drawn up in 1891. The Low Quarry, the extraction point of the black marble of Varenna, famous at the time when Maria Theresa of Austria was present, is of historical interest. In front there are: the church of S. Ambrogio, the church of S. Carlo and after a while the church of the Holy Family; the area that includes these three churches is known as Bosco delle Streghe. Little by little, there is the parish church of Gittana, next to the small church of the Grazie, in which there are some beautiful works, including paintings by Fumeo and Tagliaferri. Along this stretch there is also an old disused funicular dating back to 1858. There are three boulders with the inscriptions Perledo and Bellano carved next to a chapel. On the way you will come across the Fabbrica, an ancient building still used for different purposes. You continue to see churches frequently as we have seen and as there are others; if you are looking for a beautiful view of the lake, surely the fascinating Crotto del Mauro satisfies all expectations, an equally source of amazement is the Orrido, in the center of Bellano: a gorge to visit where the Pioverna river flows.
Vezio-Bellano- Dervio (km 5,5 / h 3)
This route, which reaches the upper part of Corenno-Plinio, crosses the entire hamlets of hamlets and hamlets, which are frequent along the way.The village of Vendrogno, a village on the border with Valsassina and overlooking the Pioverna, is the first meets. Second stop is Lèzzeno, where the path ends right where there is the famous sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna, beautiful also for the ancient foundation of the groups of houses. Then it also touches the ancient hamlets Pendaglio and Muggio. Further on stands the village of Verginate, the highest hamlet of Bellano, once home to the characteristic Bellanese wine: the straw wine. Through the Val Grande you enter Dervio, divided into many ancient hamlets; Camaiore is the most beautiful due to the active presence of flora and fauna; also interesting is the Castelvedro di Pianezzo, translated old castle, of early medieval foundation. In the area there are also some remains that make up the Borgo.The path continues with the two former quarries of Vestreno and Valvarrone, bypassing the ancient village of Castello. After that, continue straight up to the end of the pavement.
Corenno Plinio-Dorio- Posallo (km 5,2 / h 3)
This stretch is a suggestive medieval foundation. This means immediately seeing the ancient remains of the castle walls, the historic center and the narrow streets of Corenno. This is a very characteristic Dervian hamlet to visit, in particular the church of S. Tommaso, which houses some important paintings, and the sculptures on the small square outside. Subsequent stops are Dorio and Torchiedo, to visit is the ancient Filatoio in the latter mentioned town. After Dorio you pass through the small agglomeration of Mandonìco, from where, among other things, the beautiful panorama overlooks the piece that separates Piona from Lario. The continuation of the road bypasses the Legnoncino, in the territory of predators and animals; just above there is also the Fountain which has been the border of Colico since the Middle Ages. The destination is Posallo, a hamlet of Colico under the Legnone.
Posallo-Madonna di Val Pozzo (km 4.5 / h 2.30)
This is the last stretch, the one that takes us to the end: the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Val Pozzo. This piece of path develops in an environment with a fairytale landscape. It starts by crossing the Perlino stream, you can admire the splendid churches of S.Rocco and S.Sebastiano, overlooking the plain of Còlico. Continuing in front you can admire the beauty and the roaring of the Inganna stream; This can be easily ascertained from the fascinating Torre di Fontanedo. With the resumption of the course you reach the ancient town of Villàtico, further on you can access Alpe Scoggione and Mount Legnone. Then he plunges into Chiarello, with his gaze on the natural hills and attracted by the Fontana Vecchia. The protagonist of this route is, however, certainly the Piano di Spagna, an important environmental reserve with nineteenth-century origins and dating back to interventions by Don Guanella. Further on there is also another attraction: the Fort of Fuentes, an ancient protection of Colico together with the turrets, still whole.The last itinerary ends thus, like a story with a happy ending, with the arrival at the great church of the Madonna of Val Pozzo, while you are surrounded by the wide panorama of the Rhaetian Alps, which frame it.
Around
- 1 Moto Guzzi Museum (Via Parodi, 57, Mandello del Lario, 23826), ☎ 39 0341 709111, fax: 39 0341 709322, @[email protected]. free entry.
Every day except Saturday and Sunday from 15:00 to 16:00, in July the same days, but, from 14:30 to 16:30; while for the whole of August it is closed. This is the official Moto Guzzi museum, where it all started with the idea of Carlo Guzzi and where all the rarest and most exclusive pieces in the history of this great company are exhibited. Even in honor of this character it was established for the ninetieth year of its foundation.
Every day except Saturday and Sunday from 15:00 to 16:00, in July the same days, but, from 14:30 to 16:30; while for the whole of August it is closed. This is the official Moto Guzzi museum, where it all started with the idea of Carlo Guzzi and where all the rarest and most exclusive pieces in the history of this great company are exhibited. Even in honor of this character it was established for the ninetieth year of its foundation.- This museum is the ancient production plant that has guaranteed a job opportunity for many inhabitants of the area.
- Borgo di Castello (Lierna, 23827, Castello district, loc. White shore). It is an ancient village well notable from the lake, once you arrive in front of the seaside resort of the white shore (just from the border of Lierna with Varenna). This presents some stories and roles in different eras, here the Savoy dynasty arose, it seems, then, Queen Teodolinda also stayed there and for a certain period it was suspected that this was the house of Lucia in "The Betrothed" of A. Manzoni.
- Mugiasco
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