This mysterious place of workshop, named after the Saint patron of Ireland, looks like a fortress, perched on a scenic spur overlooking the Seriana Valley.

La cornice delle Grigne, per un Parco dalle tante risorse naturali e bellezze artistiche

Approximately 10 minutes from the city centre, and reachable also by foot, a monastery with thousands years of history is nestled among the green Parco dei Colli Bergamaschi.

Discover Parre, a terrace over the magnificent valleys

The Stelvio Pass is one of those destinations that the Motorcyclist absolutely must do at least once in a lifetime. For travel lovers, it is an itinerary not to be missed, not only for its captivating route, but above all for the indescribable charm of landscapes of rare beauty, with breathtaking peaks that characterize an unspoiled wilderness.The Stelvio by motorcycle represents a challenge absolutely worth doing, not only for the pleasure of riding but simply to say, "I did it!" At an elevation of 2. 758 meters, it is the pass, the highest in Italy and the second highest in Europe. The landscape is typical of great heights: peaks, forests, and glaciers fill the scenery.It was Francis II of Habsburg who commissioned in the early 19th century a new road that could connect the Vinschgau Valley with Milan (then Austrian territory), via Valtellina. The task was entrusted to the head of the province of Sondrio, Carlo Donegani, an engineering expert who had previously been responsible for designing the Spluga Pass road. Climbing from the Lombard side starting in Bormio, one travels 42 hairpin bends on a fairly wide road and makes about 22 km in half an hour. A few stops along the way are really "obligatory" to enjoy the view and take a few photos; the route offers spots and areas where you can stop safely. The Stelvio Pass is normally open from the end of May to October, but it is always advisable to document yourself before setting out. Do not underestimate the climate, especially if you decide to cross Passo dello Stelvio by motorcycle, which is generally cool even in summer. Let's not forget that we are over 2,700 meters above sea level so temperatures stay cold most of the time the pass is open. So the advice is to dress onions, because if it is hot it is easy to get uncovered, but on the contrary it will be difficult to withstand the cold. To be safe, it is good to bring a backpack with heavy clothing. Just a few clouds and at the top the temperature drops very quickly. Not to mention that, in the high mountains, the weather changes rapidly and it is not uncommon for snowflakes to fall even in July and August. Checking the forecast before setting out is therefore essential. The Stelvio Pass is not a goal that can be reached at speed, but it is a route that must be mastered with technique, concentration and control. A way of going is essential, depending on your vehicle, so that it allows you to be as smooth as possible. There are hairpins that are difficult to ride at 20 km/h, while other sections are rideable at 40-50 km/h, but not so much because of speed limits, but more because of the physical limits dictated by the road. If you decide to have lunch at the Stelvio Pass there are many restaurants and taverns, where you can enjoy a typical Valtellina dish. Among the most typical dishes of the valley are, gnocchi, canderli, strudel and sweets, spatzle cream and speck, but also meat-based. Famous are apples and honey, as are speck and schnapps. The wines are of excellent quality and come from grape varieties: Lagrein and Gewürztraminer.

The Via Priula is a path of high historical value, retracing the route of the ancient trade road built in 1593. It was started by the Venetian podestà of Bergamo Alvise Priuli to connect the Po Valley with the Valtellina, Valchiavenna and the transalpine, without passing through the Duchy of Milan, then under Spanish rule with its attendant impositions of transit duties. The road was traveled by intense traffic, especially after Venice had entered into a treaty of alliance with the Three Leagues in September 1603. On the basis of this treaty, the Serenissima granted, in fact, exemption from duties both to goods produced in Italy and exported through the San Marco Pass, and to those from Valtellina and Graubünden exported to Venice. This path was therefore traveled by merchants, couriers, mercenary soldiers and cargoes of goods: wools, irons, salt, grapes, cheese and the saltpeter. The rather wide road was passable along some sections by two-wheeled wagons and in the section of the San Marco Pass allowed passage with fully loaded pack animals. Today, from the upper Brembana Valley in the Orobic Alps one reaches Chiavenna through the Bitto Valley of Albaredo, lower Valtellina, and the Chiavenna Plain. From Chiavenna the path connects to the great transalpine trails of the Via Septimer and Via Spluga. One approaches an area rich in monuments, cultures, gastronomic specialties, inns and hotels. The route, especially in the mountainous part, runs along the ancient mule track. In the valley bottoms, country roads, bicycle and pedestrian paths and other trails were favored. It covers about 80 km in 4 days of travel, touching, at the San Marco Pass, the maximum altitude of 1982 meters. - Ph Ig: @vale2389

In the smallest town of Italy, a small architectural and food&wine treasure

Borgoratto Mormorolo, a hilly municipality in the Valle Coppa of Oltrepò Pavese, reflects in its name two ancient and distinct settlement realities: the village, located in the current area of the municipality, and Mormorola, a name that from the 13th century refers to the pieve, the successor of the much older agricultural estate of Memoriola in Bobbio. The ancient pieve, corresponding to the current parish church of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, stands isolated above the village, along the road that leads to the hamlet of Inveriaghi and then to Costa Cavalieri and Valverde, in the municipal territory of Fortunago. Regarding the origin of the toponym, Borgoratto could refer to its steep terrain (ratto = steep) or, more likely, derive from burgulus, which would refer to small settlements or villages. Currently, the municipality of Borgoratto Mormorolo includes the hamlets of Inveriaghi, Femminico, Zebedo, Braglia, Ca’ Bernocchi, Ca’ Facchini, Gabbione, Boiolo, and Illibardi, inhabited places whose origins date back at least in part to the late antiquity and early medieval periods. SIGHTS Church of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian The Parish Church of Borgoratto Mormorolo corresponds to the medieval pieve of Mormorola, on which the agricultural estate of the Lombard monastery of San Colombano in Bobbio was developed. Over the centuries, the building has undergone reconstructions and expansions that have altered its original features, although it still retains some elements that indicate its Romanesque origin. Completely restored in the 20th century, it features a portal rebuilt in Romanesque style and has preserved the capitals that belonged to the 12th-century construction. On the side of the bell tower facing north, there is a small white marble head from a Roman statue. The church has a single nave, and inside, visitors can admire frescoes from 1920 by the painter Rodolfo Gambini of Alessandria. A 17th-century wooden statue is preserved there, and on the southern wall of the modern parish, some small fragments of the ancient Romanesque church can be seen embedded in the wall. IN THE SURROUNDINGS…Not far from Borgoratto, on the heights of the Strana Valley, a portion of a region covered with junipers called Costa Pelata, a naturalistic trail rich in butterflies can be explored.

Visit the WWF nature reserve of Valpredina.

Two days MTB biking in the Orobie Alps and one night sleeping in Rifugio

Aprica, happy holidays in the mountains in winter and summer.