Valsassina is a valley located in the province of Lecco and it’s surrounded to the West by Grigne and to the East by the Orobian Alps. It marks the border between the provinces of Lecco and Bergamo and at the same time connects them. It’s rapidly reachable from Milan and it’s for these reasons that Milanese tourists were the first people to discover this territory and make it a well-known holiday and short-break destination: they have always considered it a get-away from the hot city summers, and a delightful ski destination in winter.
BALLABIO
Ballabio is the first village you meet arriving from Lecco. It has a population of nearly 4100 inhabitants and it’s located 600 mt above the sea level. It’s surrounded by mountains and meadows and it’s divided into two main areas: Ballabio Inferiore and Superiore.
It’s easily reachable both by car and bus.
The most attractive points are:
- Grignetta (2184 mt) is part of the massif of Grigne. It is composed of 2 sides: the southern one that overlooks Piani Resinelli and the city of Lecco, and the northern one that is linked with Grignone
- Monte Due Mani (1665 mt) is a mountain belonging to the groups of Pre-Alps. Its name comes from the morphology of its tops, in fact its name means “mount two hands”.
- Piani Resinelli (1200-1300 mt) is situated at the base of Grignetta. The area offers a lot of tourist attractions such as cafes, restaurants, mountain huts where you can taste delicious typical dishes.
There are also mines, an adventure park and Villa Gerosa.
Other attractions:
- Bongio: from Ballabio you can start a short hike on “Monte Due Mani” (about 30 minutes”). Once you arrive you can find benches and tables where you can relax and eat.
- Monte Melma: from Ballabio it is possible to reach the top of this mountain. (914 mt)
CURIOSITY: The Taleggio fair trade takes place every year in Ballabio and the location is also mentioned in the famous novel by Alessandro Manzoni “I Promessi Sposi”.
ESINO LARIO
Esino Lario is a village located in the province of Lecco and is part of the northern Grigna Park. It is located at 910mt.of altitude in Valsassina and is about 10km from Varenna.
The landscape is characterized by woods of conifers, but one of the most interesting attractions is for sure the Glacier of Moncodeno, made up of many caves that can be visited.
It’s also possible to visit the Museum of Grigne which displays a collection of the most important archeological discoveries, fossils, minerals, butterflies and various objects related to the territory.
As far as it concerns religious tourism, you can visit the fifteenth-century church of S.Vittore Martire sul Castello, the church of San Pietro in Ortanella, and the Via Crucis by the sculptor Michele Vedani.
There are also villas such as Villa Gilera and Villa Clotilde, which host the Museum of Grigne, the library and the tourist office.
In Esino Lario you can also admire the statue of Pope Pius XI, who loved climbing and hiking up the Grigne mountains from here. The area nearby this statue is the starting point of many trails and walls for climbers.
Curiosity: In 2016 Esino Lario hosted the Wikipedia World Gathering, Wikimania, that attracted thousands of participants to the area. It sounded rather unusual for local people, considering the village hosts less than eight hundred inhabitants.
BARZIO
Barzio is a village of the Valtellina plateau, nicknamed “The pearl of Valsassina”. It is considered the main tourist centre of the valley thanks to its position, only 14 km from Lecco. The heart of Barzio is the square displaying the Monument dedicated to soldiers who fell in World War I. There, tourists can enjoy a meal or just a drink in one of the many bars and restaurants, which are very popular since they overlook the Grigne. Another point of interest is Palazzo Manzoni, place of residence of the famous writer Alessandro Manzoni, where he moved from Bergamo. Today, the building is the seat of the municipality. The Church of Sant’ Alessandro hosts a small treasure: a statue of the Madonna del Rosario dating back to the early eighteenth century. There is also the museum dedicated to Medardo Rosso, a famous expressionist painter who loved to stay in Valsassina. From Barzio in a few minutes we can reach Bobbio’s ski area, known for its slopes in winter, but also perfect in the summer months for its numerous hiking trails.
PIANI DEI RESINELLI
Piani dei Resinelli is a plateau of the Pre-Alps of Lombardy in the province of Lecco, stretching over the towns of Abbadia Lariana, Mandello del Lario, Ballabio and Lecco, at the foot of Grignetta.
It can be reached in different ways, the first, which is the easiest and the most renowned one, setting off from the road of Ballabio till Piani Resinelli. For people who like walking the paths are perfect, and for cyclists riding is also a great opportunity to admire the stunning landscape.
The most attractive points are: Park Valentino, the church of Sacro Cuore, the Mining Park, Adventure Park, The panoramic walkway.