• Active & Green
    • Mountains
    • Food & Wine

The unforgettable experience of a mountain hut holiday

If the journey to your destination is just as important to you as arriving, opting for the mountains means embarking on an adventure full of excitement from the very start.

The Lombardy mountains, magnificent in winter with their snow-covered peaks and slopes, boast equally stunning views in the summer. And above all, immediate relief from the heat of the plain. So go on up: you just need to decide where. Over 40% of the Region of Lombardy is made up of mountainous areas. More than 200 mountain huts, nestling in their natural surroundings, await you to explore the infinite network of trails, trekking and mountain-bike routes, the best areas for rock climbing, breathing the pure air. 

 

Fun and adventure on your way to the hut
Hospitality in the mountains has a new look these days, with so much to discover: the huts in Lombardy provide excellent bases for trekking, biking, horseriding and rock climbing. Many also have wonderful restaurants, where you can savour the authentic local specialities. There are family-run establishments, small and compact, as well as larger huts, suitable for long stays, huts that you can reach on foot, by cable car or chairlift... Almost all huts have their own website and can be found on the Rifugi di Lombardia portal, run by the mountain hut association Assorifugi and the Region of Lombardy. 

 

A word of advice before you set off
Booking is required for all Lombardy mountain huts this summer, for both lunch and accommodation, and until 31 July, face masks are obligatory in enclosed spaces. There's no room for improvisation in the mountains: plan your visit and be prepared for a change in the weather, carefully packing your backpack accordingly. You will need to be adaptable: if you are spending the night in a hut, bring your sleeping bag or bedding... Respect the environment, do not waste water, pick up your litter and the mountains will love you back.

 

An hour and a half's walk to the hut
Would you like to walk to your hut on a route that's not too demanding? In the Grigna Settentrionale Regional Park you will find Rifugio Monza Bogani, the first hut to be built on the Grignone, in 1905, in a larch wood at an altitude of 1816m, on the north slope of the mountain. To reach it, you set off from Alpe Cainallo, just above Esino Lario (Lecco), and take the path to the Bocchetta di Prada pass. You can then walk on along the mountainside towards Alpe di Moncodeno or continue along the Piancaformia crest, towards Val Laghetto. You will be there within an hour and a half, having worked up an appetite to enjoy the traditional patole (large ravioli made with potatoes and filled with meat), pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta) or polenta served with mountain cheeses and braised meat. 
More Information
 

Going up by cable car
At an altitude of 1700m, at Piani di Artavaggio (Lecco), Rifugio Sora Casari was constructed in 1950 by Angelo Casari, famous for his participation in Nobile's 1928 expedition to the North Pole, on the airship Italia. The hut contains many items relating to this event, including a stuffed polar bear. You can reach the Sora Casari hut from Moggio, in Valsassina, by cable car, or on foot by following the 24 “Vallone” path, in 1 hour and 40 minutes.  You can also get to it from Barzio, taking the cable car to Piani di Bobbio, or if you prefer to walk, it will take you around 2 hours along the nearby track that climbs for 850m, suitable also for MTBikers. In summer, the hut is a great starting point for trekking, climbing and a lovely ring route, the Zuccone Campelli.  
More Information
 

Val Brembana: the height of fun
If you like active holidays - horse trekking, mountain bike climbing, Nordic walking, long walks and treks - but also relaxing in the evening with music and dancing, Rifugio Terrerosse in Val Carisone, in Alta Val Brembana, at 1815m, is the hut for you. Reached by chairlift from Carona (Bergamo) or on foot from Carona or Foppolo in 1 hour and 30 minutes, the hut has nice, comfortable rooms, local dishes, excellent wines and lots of fun, thanks to the numerous activities organised. And there's no need to worry about having the right equipment: you can hire everything from there.
More Information
 

Enjoyable holidays on the glacier
This is a magical place, in the Stelvio National Park, at an altitude of 2200m, where you can enjoy the wonderful views of the Forni glacier and enjoy the sporting activities available in the  Forni and Cedec valleys.  Rifugio Forni can be reached from S. Caterina Valfurva (Sondrio) by car, on foot (in 1 hour and 20 minutes) or by MTB (in 50 minutes). The hut, surrounded by the magnificent natural beauty of the Ortler Alps, also boasts an excellent restaurant. The local Valtellina dishes are prepared by chefs who add their own highly creative touches to the traditional recipes.  After a day among the peaks, enjoy the delicious flavours of gnocchi with chestnuts, rye flour ravioli, mountain herb soups, polenta and venison salmi, accompanied by the finest Valtellina wines. 
More Information
 

Just the place for climbing
In the heart of the  Bergamo Alps, Rifugio Salmurano, in Valgerola, is located in an area where climbers of various levels of experience can practice the sport of climbing, with the choice of equipped climbing walls with varying levels of difficulty, such as the Denti della Vecchia climbing area. Your can start your adventure from the valley, in Pescegallo (Gerola Alta, Sondrio), taking the chairlift, the tourist route or more challenging paths: route 108 from Cusio Lo Scioc and the GVO, which starts at Passo San Marco.  Departure from Gerola Alta for MTBikers. And awaiting you at the hut, you'll find the finest Valtellina cuisine.
More Information

-

Ph VISORE: rifugioterrerosse.it

On the same topic

Brescia Nature, taste and traditions: Val Sabbia

From multiple-day treks with night-breaks at mountain huts, to shorter walks open to all: a charming valley for all tastes set against the background of the little lake Idro
  • Active & Green
Brescia Nature, taste and traditions: Val Sabbia

When picnics become chic

Five elegant picnic ideas in Lombardy, with delightful scenery and elegant food and wine experiences.
  • Active & Green
When picnics become chic

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

Cycling from Col d'Anzana to Val Fontana

  • Active & Green
Cycling from Col d'Anzana to Val Fontana

Discovering the Big Benches in the province of Pavia

How to reconnect with childhood by rediscovering the landscape with the Big Benches!
  • Active & Green
Big Bench in provincia di Pavia

The project "Beega"

Cremona’s Bycicle Touring
  • Active & Green
The project

The ReGiS: Network of Historic Gardens.

A Network for the enhancement and proper management of historic gardens and parks open to the public in Lombardy
  • Active & Green
The ReGiS: Network of Historic Gardens.

Doing sports in Varese

From rowing on the lake to gliding. From cycling to trekking. From golf to horse riding. Tips for playing sports in Varese
  • Active & Green
Doing sports in Varese

Sports in Monza

Outdoor activities in the heart of Brianza
  • Active & Green
Sport a Monza

Il caloggio

Visit the WWF Oasis Il Caloggio in the town of Bollate and you will be amazed by the rich and rare biodiversity present.
  • Active & Green
Il Caloggio

On foot in Lombardy

8 itineraries to discover Lombardy on foot. From Lake Maggiore to Val Camonica, and from Pavia to the heart of Val Masino.
  • Active & Green
On foot in Lombardy

Unforgettable Experiences on Lake Maggiore

  • Active & Green
Unforgettable Experiences on Lake Maggiore

Gardens Sondrio

In the green heart of Lombardy, in parks and gardens a path among thousands of species of plants
  • Active & Green
Gardens Sondrio, the alluring face of Lombardy

Villoresi forest

Come and spend a nice day in the Bosco Villoresi oasis of Carugate!
  • Active & Green
Villoresi Forest

The trails of the Oltrepò Pavese

On foot, by bike, or on horseback to discover the Oltrepò Pavese
  • Active & Green
Comunità Montana Oltrepò Pavese

The Soapstone trail

A short loop trail that allows hikers to visit the ancient places where the renown soapstone of Pirlo used to be quarried and worked.
  • Active & Green
The Soapstone trail

Sempione park

  • Active & Green
Sempione Park

Bouldering in Spriana

Spriana is one of the towns of Valmalenco. This is the ideal place for bouldering in spring or fall and is also great for kids, thanks to the park close to the bouldering area.
  • Active & Green
Boulder a Spriana

Gardens in Lombardy

The botanical gardens of Lombardy are real jewels to visit, so come on, what are you waiting for?
  • Active & Green
Gardens in Lombardy, discover what to see

Concarena, Gavia and Mortirolo: adventures on foot and by bike

The wildest side of Valle Camonica: from gorges for experts to the uphill hairpin bends that have written the history of the Giro d’Italia
  • Active & Green
Concarena, Gavia e Mortirolo: avventure a piedi e in bici