Parco Valentino

On the Piani Resinelli plateau, at the foot of Mount Grignetta, Parco Valentino combines the tranquillity of the woods with sweeping views of one of the most photographed landscapes in the Lecco area.

Established in 1961, following a donation to the Touring Club Italiano, the park is home to the Villa Gerosa House Museum and extends as far as the Belvedere, where a suspended walkway overlooks Lecco and Lake Como.

In autumn Valentino Park is even more picturesque, thanks to the warm hues of its trees. By following a circular route, which starts from Via degli Escursionisti in Abbadia Lariana and takes about an hour, with a modest elevation gain of 171 metres, you can uncover the full beauty of this landscape. A wide, gently ascending path will take you to the park entrance and then to Villa Gerosa, the house museum that tells the story of the Grigne mountain environment and history.

Beyond the villa, passing through a wood of ash and beech trees, you come to a fork in the path: to the left, the circular route continues with a short climb; to the right, a flat stretch is the easiest option for those with young children. Once past the short steep section, the path winds down through the trees until the woodland thins out and gives way to a view.

In just a few minutes you reach the Belvedere with views stretching from the Brianza and the Briantei Lakes all the way to the Alps. In autumn, from here you can appreciate the contrast between the forest canopy and the vastness of the panorama. The return route follows the flat section, where there are a few stations on a fitness trail, and leads back to the fork. Just before the villa, a short descent leads to a view of Mount Grignetta, then you return to your starting point along the same route you took earlier.

You can reach Piani Resinelli by car: there are limited bus services from Lecco, so it’s best to check the timetables before setting off. The most convenient place to park is near the skyscraper and the campsite, just a short walk from Via degli Escursionisti and the entrance to Parco Valentino.