Val di Mello

Val di Mello, in the heart of the Rhaetian Alps, has often been compared to Yosemite National Park in California on account of its imposing granite walls, spectacular waterfalls and green meadows dotted with wild flowers.  

Val di Mello is in the province of Sondrio, at the end of Val Masino. It can be reached along the SS 36 road to Colico, then continuing towards Sondrio, then to the municipality of Val Masino. Park in San Martino, purchase a pass at the Info Point and pay for the car park. Alternatively, you can get there by train, getting off at the station of Morbegno before continuing to Val di Mello by bus.

The valley is suitable for families, thanks to the wide, practically flat trail. An uncontaminated atmosphere and the breathtaking panoramas are the ideal backdrop for a walk that takes about one and a half hours. Take care not to miss the Bidet della Contessa, a little Alpine lake with crystal clear waters; Qualido Lake, and Cascata di ferro, a spectacular waterfall in spring, when the waters are more abundant. There is no shortage of trattorias and refuges, where you can eat or spend the night. If you love climbing, Val di Mello has no tooled itineraries but it is a natural rock gym that attracts many rock climbing enthusiasts.

A dive between the granite giants
Before reaching San Martino, the River Masino flows along the valley bottom between Cataeggio and Filorera, across a landscape of meadows overlooked by Sasso Remenno. Near Filorera, it creates the Laghetto del Moss, a small pool of ice-cold water surrounded by rocks and plants. It has a natural rocky beach where you can stop and sunbathe on the granite rocks, or take a refreshing dip in the clear water. In this area, you will find carved faces among the rock folds, These are the work of artist Angelo Gabriele Fierro, who has transformed the granite rocks of the lake into sinuous, evocative figures.
At San Martino the River Mello runs into the Masino, after crossing the valley of the same name. From this point, following the Val di Mello, water is a constant presence along the way, alternating livelier and meandering sections, where it slows down, forming transparent pools. And against the backdrop of this stunning landscape, you will come to Laghetto Qualido and the Bidet della Contessa, two of the most recognisable locations in the area.
Laghetto Qualido is a charming little pool that formed along the Mello in 2009, following a landslide. Its clear waters reveal a stone bottom, turning different colours according to the light, from green to turquoise, and reflecting the imposing rock walls of Mount Qualido. A little further on, the Bidet della Contessa is a crystalline pool set between the valley's granite giants, alongside the imposing Scoglio del Bùrgùn rock.
These places offer the possibility to stop off and enjoy a few hours on a little alpine beach, among rocks and meadows, bathing in the ice-cold waters to enjoy refreshment during a walk.