Tourist information: Valtellina

Historical Outline: Valtellina and outside

The Valtellina is a charming place for mountain-lovers, set at the centre of the alpine circle, and surrounded by mountain passes, breath taking mountain tops and extraordinarily fascinating small villages. It owes its fortune both to its position as a defensive rampart and to the communication routes offered by its mountain passes towards Northern Europe. The Valtellina has been inhabited since 2000 BC as revealed by the rock carvings of Chiuro and Teglio, and was occupied by the Romans in the 16th century BC. It then suffered a long series of occupations: firstly the Lombards, then the Franks, around the year 1000 it was under the rule of Como, and later it passed through the Visconti and Sforza families and finally to the Tre Leghe Grigie. After the Congress of Vienna it became part of the Lombard-Venetian kingdom, finally to become part of the Kingdom of Italy with the rest of Lombardyand then followed the destiny of Lombardy with which it became part of the Kingdom of Italy. Nowadays the area is one of the most loved for alpine tourism in Italy. In particular, Chiesa in Valmalenco distinguished stood out itself during the middle of the last century. Alpine activities were developed here following the discovery of its high mountain passes and natural beauties, of its climate and of the purity of its air.

Visit Valtellina

Whoever visits the Valtellina should not only expect natural beauties and walks. It is also rich in churches, sanctuaries, towers, castles and extraordinarily beautiful palaces. Of the churches, a visit to the Collegiata dei Santi Gervasio and Protasio is indispensable, one of the oldest in Valtellina with works by Ligari and Pallavicini. Still in Sondrio, it is possible to visit the 16th century Chiesa di San Rocco with its works by Valorosa, and the neoclassical Teatro Perdetti, the Palazzo del Governo and the Palazzo Quadrio with its archaeological and ethnographic section. In Chiesa in Valmalenco, you can visit the Parrocchiale, with its stations of the Via Crucis di Cesare and Vittoria Ligari and the Museo Storico Etnografico Naturalistico which has exhibits from the local area. Don't miss the Collegiata di San Giovanni Battista, the parish church of Morbegno and the most important Baroque monument in the province of Sondrio, and as well as the Collegiata di S. Lorenzo, founded probably in the 5th century and which became parish church in 1042 and basilica in 1098. It has been reconstructed several times but still has a part of the original perimeter walls in Romanesque style.

Events

Gli appuntamenti più interessanti tra quelli che si svolgono in Valtellina sono di tipo sportivo ed enogastronomico. Le manifestazioni sono numerose e si tengono in tutte le cittadine; per fare qualche esempio segnaliamo la Sagra dei funghi di Bema e quella del mirtillo di Rasura, la festa popolare Sunà da Mars di Aprica e la Festa dei pastori di Albaredo per San Marco. Le fiere poi sono numerosissime e si svolgono nell'arco di tutto l'anno. The most interesting events amongst those which take place in the Valtellina are those relating to sport and to food and wine. There are numerous festivals which take place in every village. These include the Sagra dei funghi or festival of wild mushrooms in Bema and that of bilberries in Rasura, the festa popolare - literally, the people's festival - Sunà da Mars in Aprica and the Festa dei pastori or festival of shepherds in Albaredo, held in honour of San Marco. There are also many fairs and markets which take place throughout the year.