Serina: Mountain Landscape, Trails and Culture
Accommodation in Serina
Serina combines mountain landscapes with trails, historic buildings and art. In Valle Serina, there are hiking trails for different levels of ability, from a leisurely Sunday stroll to challenging hikes.
Landscape and Elevation
Serina lies at an elevation of 821 m in the heart of the Prealpi Orobie. The town is situated in a meadow-filled basin surrounded by several well-known elevations. To the east, Monte Alben rises in an area between Val Serina, Val del Riso and Val Seriana.
Hiking Trails and Routes
The SLB05 hiking stage follows the Via Mercatorum and reaches Serina after passing through Corone. Trail 502, “Serina–Monte Alben,” begins in Serina, passes over Passo del Sapplì and Passo della Forca, and reaches the summit of Monte Alben at an elevation of 2,019 m. On the two routes, Serina is located once at the end and once at the beginning of the route. For route planning, the two passes on Trail 502 are specific intermediate points between Serina and the summit. On Trail 502, the start in Serina, Passo del Sapplì, Passo della Forca and the summit destination can be considered as a sequence.
The circular route “Valle del Manzo e Sorgenti di Serina” leads down to the Torrente Serina and its springs.
Building History and Art
The parish church of Serina was built between 1670 and 1760 by the Caniana brothers on the site of an earlier 15th-century building. It also houses Palma il Vecchio’s polyptych “Presentazione della Vergine.” Serina is also home to Palma il Vecchio’s birthplace and works of art can be seen there. The parish church and the birthplace thus represent two different connections to Palma il Vecchio: a polyptych in the church and the place of his birth.
The Fontana Tricuspidale dates from 1645 and stands at the confluence of the two branches of the Via Mercatorum. Its water flows from a bronze lion’s head. The large basin was carved from a single worked block of stone.
Monastero SS.TrinitĂ and Local Tradition
Construction of the Monastero SS.TrinitĂ began in 1643 and was completed in 1675; the nuns moved in the following year. The monastery includes a Baroque church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, with a cruciform layout, rich stucco decoration and large windows beneath the dome. Inside are a depiction of the Holy Trinity by Palma il Giovane, as well as paintings attributed to Carlo Ceresa and Giovanni Carobbio.
The Fiera di Serina is an exhibition of cattle breeds rooted in the community’s long-standing farming tradition. The community’s farming tradition thus has its own place alongside Serina’s religious and artistic themes.
Further destinations for orientation: Gazzaniga, Castro, San Pellegrino Terme, Selvino, Piazzatorre, Bossico, Leffe and Bagnella.
For the higher-level travel overview: Bergamo.
