An opportunity to learn about the natural environment of the province of Sondrio

Between history and art: from Valcuvia man to erratic boulders

Overlooking Bergamo from a natural balcony

Among the villages of Taleggio Valley

Arrampicata. Rafting. Lunghi trekking o passeggiate rilassanti. Il benessere delle terme. Scopri il lato Active & Green della Valtellina

Climbing aficionados will find many great spots in our area.

In a postcard landscape of the Oltrepò Pavese, there are Zavattarello and its castle, linked to the powerful Dal Verme family.

Among the most striking places in the Masino Valley is definitely the Preda Rossa plain, an alpine plateau surrounded by sharp rock walls of a typical reddish color and overlooked by the majestic peak of Mount Disgrazia of no less than 3,678 m. The area is traversed by several streams that create two large marshy areas set a few tens of meters apart. Connecting the two plains, the placid little rivers turn into frothy torrents, eventually flowing into the Duino River, which again pours calmly into the larger plain, drawing sinuous loops among the tufts of grass in the bog. Admiring from above the shimmering of this watercourse as it slowly flows through the meadows of Preda Rossa is truly a sight not to be missed. The proposed route can be hiked throughout the year; in winter, of course, a higher degree of caution is required in case of snow. The best time is undoubtedly autumn, from mid-October to early November the plain lights up with the warm hues typical of this season. The yellow and orange larch trees on the mountain slopes, reddish dry grass and snow-sprinkled rocky peaks create the perfect backdrop for those who want to enjoy a colorful mountain show. To reach Preda Rossa, one must drive to Val Masino (SO), until reaching the village of the same name. From the village, turn right and take the VASP road to Sasso Bisolo/Preda Rossa that leads to the plain. Access is limited to only 50 cars per day. To travel the road you must have a ticket that can be purchased on the official Val Masino website(https://valmasino.travel). The road is 12 km long, all paved and fairly well maintained. One must consider that the parking lot is located at an altitude of 2000 m and at that altitude the temperature could be much lower than in the village. Therefore, if you want to visit Presa Rossa in autumn/winter, it is recommended to use winter tires and have snow chains on board, so that you will not have problems in case of icy stretches or snowfall. To start the hike, you should take the trail marked by red and white trail markers, indicating Rifugio Ponti. The proposed trail is not numbered but the signs are very frequent and clear. As soon as you pass the first bend to the left, you begin to catch a glimpse of the beautiful snow-capped peak of Mount Disgrazia, which towers over the entire plain and will accompany the hiker throughout the walk. After a few minutes you reach a small wooden bridge located in a truly privileged position and allows you to cross the Diuno River to reach the beginning of the first plain; all this about 20 minutes from the start. Here the view opens up to an immense clearing of red grass, surrounded by a beautiful frame of larch trees. In the center of the bog, the river flows slowly, although from this position its beauty cannot be fully captured. The trail in this area forks: signs indicate to continue on the left, while on the right is a second, much wider and flatter section. Given the extreme simplicity of the hike, it is possible to visit both sides of the plain; however, should you choose, the advice is to continue along the left path, as it will then allow you to reach an extremely scenic spot.We now continue on an almost level path, interspersed now and then with small bridges and wooden footbridges that allow us to overcome the more swampy sections; in fact, although the immense expanse of grass looks like a giant dry meadow, in reality the area hides numerous muddy or stagnant water-filled areas. It is not recommended to leave the marked trail. When you reach about halfway through the first plain, a sign indicating a viewpoint on the left is clearly visible. This slight detour requires only 10 minutes of walking on a much steeper trail than the one taken so far. As you ascend you quickly gain many meters of elevation gain and upon reaching the end of the section you come to a small wooden balcony with a couple of benches. From up here one becomes more aware of the size of the plateau and is finally able to distinguish in its entirety the beautiful course of the Duino River: a soft brushstroke of turquoise blue that stretches, with wide curves, over a carpet of red grass. This is probably not the most striking point of the hike but, for the small effort required, it is absolutely worth it. Once down you continue along the main trail, which is always very flat and very easy to walk on. Upon reaching the end of the grassy area, the trail begins to climb quite steeply following the course of the river within a beautiful forest.At last the orange of the larches, which we could only see in the distance before, is at hand and the landscape changes accordingly. All along the ascent the grass gives way to large rocks, the calm flow of the river turns into a rushing torrent full of small waterfalls, and the snowy peaks are now hidden by tree branches.The ascent is not complex, in fact it is only 150 m of elevation gain, however, the section definitely turns into a classic mountain trail with a fairly uneven bottom and full of stones and roots sticking out. For the youngest or for those who are not used to it, the end of the first plain might therefore already be a good point to end the hike. For everyone else, however, the advice is to make this last effort to reach the second plateau of Preda Rossa. It continues through the forest at a fair gradient, tackling several very narrow switchbacks and climbing up several natural rock steps. The stream, although always close to the beaten path, never encroaches on the hike area, thus avoiding the risk of slippery areas. During the ascent, the advice is to turn continuously to be able to catch those glimpses that manage to give the best view of the plain just passed. In fact, there are several viewpoints along the trail where the vegetation becomes a little sparser and the view sweeps over the entire stretch just crossed and the flow of the river. The climb takes about 30 minutes, but the several breaks to admire the view could make it considerably longer.Once the ascent is completed, the trail becomes flat again, grass again becomes present over the entire area, albeit with a slightly darker color, and the riverbanks finally become easily accessible without the risk of sinking into the mud. The second plain is a bit smaller than the first, not walkable in its entirety, and the colors tend to fade a bit. However, the view of Disgrazia and the surrounding mountains improves incredibly: it almost seems as if you can quickly overcome those steep slopes and then touch the snow covering the sharp peaks surrounding the plateau. The advice is to roam freely throughout this area: there are several sections of trail that allow you to reach the banks of the various branches of the small rivers, a small wooden bridge that allows you to cross the widest section, and with each step new vistas open up of the surrounding mountains. In addition, in this area the grass is dry and there are several boulders on which to sit and have something to eat. The hike ends right on the second plain. In the area there are no resting places to eat or even drinking fountains. The nearest shelter is the Ponti, but throughout the fall and winter months it is closed. Therefore, in order to have a picnic, one must carry everything necessary in one's backpack. The descent is made along the same route as the outward journey. There are no dangers even along the steepest section, the only risk is to want to stop again, because of a view to admire, not seen during the ascent. In the case of very young children or those not used to walking, it is advisable to limit oneself to the tour of the first plain, avoiding the climb to the second one and to the viewpoint (1.2 km total and an elevation gain of only 50 m). For those who are more familiar with walking in the mountains, however, the two climbs will not be a problem at all and will add beauty to the hike. - Ph: Stefano Poma

This trail inaugurates a series of itineraries part of the Interreg project InTERRACED - net, a Switzerland-Italy collaboration created to enhance a landscape of great environmental value: the terracing. Among the various types of terracing it will be possible to admire, along this trail, that typical of the Rhaetian slope of Valtellina. These constructions are part of the mountain culture of the area and are evidence of traditional building techniques, the result of unparalleled technical and material knowledge and of the environmental and natural specificities of the place. Viticulture in Valtellina is precisely possible thanks to these ingenious solutions that soften prohibitive slopes and take vines to the limit of their vegetative possibilities, exploiting every available inch of mountain terrain for this crop. In Piazza Matteotti in Ardenno, a crossroads between the road leading to Val Masino and Via Duca D'Aosta leading to the center, the convenience of a public parking lot becomes the starting point of the layout. The Duca d'Aosta municipal street crosses on the left the Calchera street leading to the foot of the slope. Along this road, which climbs slightly, the first terraces can be glimpsed, many of them now engulfed by the forest. This commune is among those that in the past did not fall within the DOCG area, for this reason it is the territory that has lost vineyard area (over 70%) more than others. Along this street one can also admire olive groves that have replaced the vineyards and are responsible for keeping the terrace alive. Arriving at the intersection with Via Cavour, take the latter and ascend among the old nuclei with roofs made of poplar, and then take Via Magiasca, which you follow until you reach Via Cavallari, where the footpath part of the trail begins.The trail crosses the slope vertically, among old terraces planted with vines and olive trees and various fruits, which, intersecting old nuclei, reaches the Gaggio district located at 550 m/slm. It climbs another 150 meters in elevation, crosses the Gaggio stream and enters the municipal territory of Buglio in Monte. The direction of the trail points decidedly eastward and you cross the village of Buglio, located on a magnificent balcony overlooking the plain of the Adda valley. Among old hamlets, meadows and woods, you cross the Primaverta valley to enter the territory of Berbenno in Valtellina.Among ancient maggenghi and chestnut woods, after about 2 km, you arrive at the balcony of the Maroggia district. This is a typical and valuable old contrada, in a partially abandoned state, which gives its name to the subzone "Maroggia." Continue across the Vignone stream and after about 200 m you reach the terraced slope of Monastero. The areas under vines increase and you begin to breathe that air made up of ancient and current labors. After the contrada dei Piasci one continues eastward, among small old nuclei, cultivated spaces with meadows to reach the heart of the terraced area of Berbenno among ancient vineyards, some new plantings and olive trees. Still continuing east among fountains and wash-houses, we cross the old part of the hamlet of Regoledo and take the small road called Credee to begin the path that leads to the Finale stream, where the area of the ancient "Mills" appears, offering a glimpse of a not too distant past.The trail takes us back inside the old district of Polaggia. We continue toward Postalesio among meadows, new vineyards, blueberries and apple orchards and cross the Caldenno stream reaching the small village of Postalesio, then head toward Castione Andevenno. Just above the village of Postalesio you can admire the "pyramids of Postalesio. Castione together with the municipality of Sondrio, Montagna in Valtellina and Poggiridenti represent the heart of the Valtellina wine-growing area, where the best-known and well-known Sassella, Grumello and Inferno production areas are located. From Castione onward to Poggiridenti, one is completely immersed and enraptured by the beauty of the terraces, and the action of man, who has stolen from the rock to cultivate, is perceptible even to the eyes of the distracted. Terraces, old mills, rock carvings, suspension bridges, medieval castles, nothing is missing on this journey immersed in these three docg areas. In the municipality of Castione, and more precisely in the locality of Vendolo, it is possible to visit the "mill of the Rosina" recently restored and open to visitors. From Castione eastward, one travels through the hamlets until reaching the locality of Grigioni, and here begins the journey inside what is considered the most prized area of Valtellina wine production: Sassella. Breathtaking terraces overlooking the valley continue unabated. Before reaching Triasso, on the border between the two municipalities and at the intersection of Via Grigioni and Via Moroni, 200 meters to the west you can visit the "Archaeological Park among the terraced vineyards." The hamlet of Triasso, formerly in the municipality of Sondrio, is worth a visit as it is a village suspended in time, serving viticulture, surrounded by centuries-old chestnut groves and coming to life during the grape harvest in October. Continue along the Sasselle road to the lower part of the hamlet of Sant'Anna. We are in the heart of Sassella and here the panorama enraptures the traveler. We then continue northward reaching the hamlet of Mossini. From 2021, thanks to the construction of the "footbridge over the cassandras" of the Mallero stream, it is possible to reach the locality Ponchiera and find oneself on the vineyards of the "Dossi Salati" in the heart of the Grumello appellation. The new "Tibetan" bridge has become in a short time an attraction destination for tourists who, thanks to the footbridge, have discovered unknown places and corners of vineyards. The "Sassina" inter-farm road crosses the upper part of the Grumello appellation diagonally. The view from the top allows you to see the church of St. Anthony and the famous Grumello Castle. A visit to the castle also allows you to admire the lower part of the Grumello appellation overlooking the Adda valley. Continuing the walk, one arrives in the municipality of Poggiridenti home of the Inferno appellation, which stretches out at the traveler's feet in all its verticality. The border between Poggiridenti and Tresivio is not perceptible because the two municipalities embrace each other, and it is precisely on the border of the two municipalities that the "Santa Casa Lauretana" appears in all its majesty, a church that seems almost "out of tune" for the magnificence and charm it emits. The journey continues through the historic center of Tresivio and, just after the town, the traveler is struck by the intense green of the apple orchards. We are, in fact, traveling to the town of Ponte in Valtellina, a village that first transformed its conoid from meadow to apple orchards in the 1950s, giving birth to the Valtellina apple also known as Melavi.The trail keeps high on the Ponte conoid, through apple orchards and vineyards, and allows a view all the way to the border with Chiuro of the serpentine poplar roofs that characterize this village with its ancient history. A visit to the historic center of Ponte is mandatory. The Val Fontana stream obliges one to travel along provincial road 21, as far as the hamlet of Castionetto di Chiuro, for about 500 meters. Chiuro has always been the wine capital of the valley. The largest wine cellars are concentrated in this area (over 60% of the entire wine production) finds its production here.Just upstream from the village of Castionetto, the "Castionetto Tower", which belonged to the Ghibelline Quadrio family and dates from between the 12th and 15th centuries, is worth a visit.From the hamlet of Castionetto we descend to the Church of San Bartolomeo where our journey through the history and beauty of unique vineyards ends.

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