• Active & Green

4 locations to visit in winter

Winter is not just about sports you can do in the snow, it is also the time when nature reveals its fairytale heart.

Why not fall in love with these four unforgettable adventures to enjoy in Lombardy this winter.

 

Discover the enchantment of a magical path through the woods, where, together with the younger members of the family, you can meet fantastic creatures, leaving the doors wide open to your imagination or exploring the astounding illuminated caves of Miniera della Bagnada and getting a look at the mining past of Valmalenco and the men who worked the rock faces for decades. 
Challenge yourself and the children on an adrenaline-rush adventure that you won’t forget, visiting Via Mala and its immobile falls, a fairytale location for the bold and the fearless, who love the wild, untamable side of nature. Discover the story of this traditional old road and admire the spectacular ice that stops time and the water in silent falls that wrap around the trail If you are an animal lover, then - in winter - Parco del Mincio can reveal one of its treasures to you: here, birdwatching is an activity that is encouraged, so why not try spotting one of the many marvellous species that make their home here?

 

Woodland Trail in Canzo 
Just a stone’s throw from Como is an ideal trail for families, one that is magical above all for smaller children: the Sentiero dello Spirito del Bosco in Canzo, from Prim’Alpe to Terz’Alpe, accompanying adventurous visitors on their discovery of the fantastic characters hidden in the woods. Once at Canzo, near to Fonti Gajum, a mule track will take you up to a wood of beech trees and chestnuts. At this point, you can set out on the simple walk, following the wooden signposts showing the entrance to the woods, and continuing past a stream without particular difficulty, and alternating descents, walkways and small bridges. 
Along the route, you can have fun identifying the gnomes, imps and other fantastic creatures, hidden among the trees, and along a small maze: they are Gnogno Gnome, Salamander, the Woodland Sage, the Singing Sprites, and the Homo Salvadego, all ready to leave your children open-mouthed with amazement. This fantastic population can be found in the woods, thanks to Alessandro Cortinovis, wood sculptor, and to many other sculptors and carvers, who have worked the wood to bring marvellous sculptures out from the bark and branches, making this excursion unique. 
Once at the agritourism, Terz’Alpe you can enjoy home-cooked food and nature all around you, until you return to the start, which is possible either along the Sentiero dello Spirito del Bosco, on the mule track, or alternatively, along the geological trail to Gajum.

 

Bagnada Mine in Valmalenco
Don’t miss the chance for an exceptional visit to the Bagnada mine, which covers nine levels going down underground. The purpose of the Bagnada Museum is to preserve a historical setting that was the main feature of the Valmalenco area for over two centuries: discover the tunnels, the shafts and the explosives storage area, on the four levels open to the public
Admire Camerone, with its high arched ceilings, which can host concerts and musical events creating a truly unique experience; you can look at the tools of the mining trade, including a hydraulic lathe dating in part to the 18th century and lose yourselves among the photographs showing the miners at work. 
There is no shortage of special events, such as an evening visit to the mine and the possibility to enjoy, once the tour is over, a dinner with a full menu of typical produce from Valmalenco; or even a guided tour inside the working mine Brusada Ponticelli Valbrutta. Doubtless, the most exciting experience is the lighting up of the acetylene lamps, whose light is reflected by the bright white rock faces inside the mine. For people who suffer from claustrophobia, it is useful to know that the tunnels through the mine are wide and never cramped. 

 

 

Ice Kingdom in Via Mala di Scalve
Time stands still on a visit to Via Mala in winter: Val di Scalve has a hidden treasure of ice, a world of stalactites and frozen, fairytale waterfalls. The Via Mala trail has existed for several centuries, originally linking the Val di Scalve and Val Camonica along the Valle del Dezzo and thus it was used a great deal by the local populace, even though it overlooks deep, frozen precipices. From the 1950s, however, the Via Mala fell into disuse, replaced by the modern-day tunnels, and only later was the area recovered, thanks to a project developed by local municipalities and the province, working with a team of architects.
Today, the Via Mala is no longer a mountain path, but even if it needs no trekking equipment to pass, the adrenaline rush is guaranteed and the utmost caution is required. The route is some three km long, and is an authentic precipice over ravines with vertical walls, but above all, a chance to experience nature like never before. There are various telescopes and inscriptions along the route to allow you to note and understand the geological features of the area, creating a learning opportunity for more adventurous children. 
The first part of the route is quite protected by a parapet, while further on, you will be more exposed, but you will also be able to admire a unique view, surrounded by the rock faces on one side of the trail and by the icefall on the other. After passing some steep steps, you will come to the seemingly endless waterfall over a precipice.  

 
Parco del Mincio (MN)
Among the oak woods and plains, rolling hills of vineyards and 16000 hectares of nature, Parco del Mincio is the perfect environment for animals, especially birds, which thrill birdwatchers in every season. In winter, in particular, the animals enjoy the quieter environment of the park and this silence makes it easier to watch the birds from a respectful distance. 
In the park, some 229 bird species have been recorded, excluding those brought in from captivity or belonging to other ecosystems. Of these, 92 species are present or pass the winter here. If you are passionate about birdwatching, the park often organises events for this purpose, in conjunction with experts from GRAM, the Mantua Avifauna Research Group.
Among the reeds and ponds in the natural reserves of Vallazza and Valli del Mincio, you can see Cormorants, the rare Pygmy Cormorant, which are plentiful here, and Great Egrets

On the same topic

Visconti park

The medieval splendor come alive in today's Pavia.
  • Active & Green
Visconti Park

The unforgettable experience of a mountain hut holiday

Mountain huts in Lombardy: discovering the secrets of the mountains
  • Active & Green
L’indimenticabile esperienza di una vacanza in rifugio

Eight Ideas for a Creative Easter Monday

Easter Monday is a day to spend in company, focusing on discovering original springtime destinations in Lombardy.
  • Active & Green
Ph: I Mille

The Salt Route

From Varzi to the sea
  • Active & Green
Via del Sale

A holiday in the heart of the Alps: Valmalenco

Holidays in nature and culture, hiking in the high mountains, right up to the glaciers where the deep silence lets you listen to the voice of the mountains
  • Active & Green
Una vacanza nel cuore delle Alpi: la Valmalenco

Cool summer escapes

Between all its lakes and rivers, summer in Lombardy flows slowly, with enchanting landscapes to relax and cool off.
  • Active & Green
Val di Mello @inLombardia

Resegone and Piani d’Erna

A real mountain holiday. Chilling and fun for the whole family. Piani d'Erna and the most extreme climbs on the vertical rock walls of Manzoni's mountain
  • Active & Green
Il Resegone e i Piani d’Erna

Valchiavenna and Valle Spluga

High mountain pastures, lakes, rivers and a varied network of hiking trails through nature and mountain villages where time seems to have stood still
  • Active & Green
La Valchiavenna e la Valle Spluga

Between lake and mountains the 10 most beautiful trees in the Province of Como

From the neoclassical villas to the wildest forests, the landscapes of the Lake Como region and the trees they contain enchant with their variety.
  • Active & Green
Between lake and mountains the 10 most beautiful trees in the Province of Como

Dicovering Monte Lesima

Trekking in the province of Pavia
  • Active & Green
Dicovering Monte Lesima

Suzzara forest

An urban forest in the Municipality of Suzzara, created to recreate an environment typical of the Po Valley of the past.
  • Active & Green
Suzzara Forest

Lake Iseo

Visit Lake Iseo between art and nature.
  • Active & Green
Lake Iseo

Bergamo Valle Imagna, a jewel just waiting to be discovered

A tiny natural jewel that still today preserves all the spirit of life in the mountains and the good flavours of food
  • Active & Green
Bergamo Valle Imagna, un tesoro tutto da scoprire

The High Route of Valmalenco – 1st stage

Torre Santa Maria (frazione Ciappanico) - Alpe Piasci - Rif. Cometti (1720 m) - Arcoglio sup (2123 m) - Cima Bianca (2490 m) - Rif. Bosio (2086 m)
  • Active & Green
The High Route of Valmalenco – 1st stage

Where to harvest chestnuts in Lombardy

Forests, hills, panoramic viewpoints and plays of light: discover where and when to collect chestnuts in Lombardy, as well as other useful tips
  • Active & Green
La raccolta delle castagne - Parco Regionale del Campo dei Fiori (VA)

From the metropolis to the province: Milan's top 10 monumental trees

In an area as rich in history as the Metropolitan City of Milan, there is no shortage of valuable green monuments.
  • Active & Green
From the metropolis to the province: Milan's top 10 monumental trees

Brabbia Marsh

Brabbia Nature Reserve: the most important wetland in Lombardy.
  • Active & Green
Palude Brabbia: a protected area

Fly Fishing in Lombardy

  • Active & Green
Fly Fishing in Lombardy

The high route of Valmalenco - presentation

The high route of Valmalenco is a trekking of 8 stage, around 110 km.
  • Active & Green
The high route of Valmalenco - presentation

Snowshoeing in Valmalenco

Alpe Oro - Alpe Entova - Alpe Palù - Alpe Musella - Alpe Prabello - Lago di Chiesa
  • Active & Green
Ciaspolare presso l'Alpe Campagneda