- Active & Green
A cool refuge in the shade
Nature, culture and somewhere to enjoy shade, silence and relief from the summer heat.
When the summer heat becomes intense, then the search for somewhere cooler within village walls or in natural shelters is an excellent way to see a whole new side of Lombardy
In August you can stroll through mountain woods, rest alongside a roaring waterfall, visit an abbey in the shade of its porticoes, or enjoy the silence of a natural cave. This is the season when Lombardy’s provinces reveal hidden spots where you can get away from the city and the heat for a few hours while enjoying a more direct contact with the region’s landscapes and culture. Because summer is also about relaxing, about immersing yourself in silent, secluded surroundings.
Forest bathing (MN, MB, BS)
Just a few kilometres from Mantua, the Bosco Fontana Nature Reserve in Marmirolo is home to a rare expanse of lowland forest, with karst springs and straight avenues opening onto clearings immersed in greenery. In Brianza, Monza Park is a treasure well worth exploring in the shade of its trees, with plenty of paths, small lakes, and ancient natural shelters, such as the Bello Wood, with its oaks and hornbeams. In the Val di Canè, near Ponte di Legno, the alpine larch forest is a natural treasure worth discovering along the route to Cortebona. Here, sections of woodland alternate with meadows and views out over the Stelvio National Park.
Where water meets rock (LC, CO, VA)
At Abbadia Lariana, in the province of Lecco, you can cool down by the Cenghen Waterfall, some fifty metres high, set in the rocks of the Grigne mountains. On the Como side, however, the Buco del Piombo, a massive cave in Valle Bova will surprise you with its monumental entrance and nearby waterfall into the Bova river. Then, there is Custera Park in Lurate Caccivio, which offers a refreshing water therapy path, as you walk between the water and the stones. Be captivated by the Fermona or Ferrera Waterfall in the province of Varese, which forms a lovely body of water, framed by vegetation.
Shelter within the walls (MI, PV, CR, LO)
Enjoy the ancient sense of peace and the cool air in the clay brick naves of Morimondo Abbey, about an hour from Milan. Similarly, the Charterhouse of Pavia will captivate you with its beauty, welcoming you into the terracotta-decorated porticoes of its Small and Grand cloisters. If you are spending any time around Cremona, take a walk along the walls of Pizzighettone and visit the casemates, arched enclosures created inside fortifications. In the Lodi area Cerreto Abbey is a silent refuge that sits in its quiet countryside setting, as if suspended in time.
In the stone village streets (BG, BS, SO)
A trip into Val Brembana can take you to Cornello dei Tasso a beautiful mediaeval village, which you can visit as you enjoy the shade of its stone arches and its glorious natural vistas. Surrounded by the green of the Valle Camonica, Bienno is a village crossed by a man-made canal, the Vaso Re. It flows between the houses and narrow streets, re-evoking the ancient link between water and the ancient forges in the village. In Val Bregaglia, in the province of Sondrio, you can travel the old mule track to the ghost village of Savogno which, in the shade of its chestnut trees, will envelop you in its timeless mountain atmosphere.
Into the heart of the earth (CO, BG)
Around half an hour from Menaggio are the seven Caves of Rescia, a spectacular cave complex, naturally excavated in the tuff rock. The route passes underground waterfalls, and ends at an opening that overlooks the waterfall known as the Orrido di Santa Giulia. In Val Brembana, the old mine tunnels of Dossena take you down into the heart of the mountain, underground on an authentic journey into history. Also in the Bergamo area, the Valle Imagna is home to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Cornabusa, well worth seeing because it sits in a large natural cave, where water, light and rock together create a unique, peaceful place of worship.
