Lecco in winter: Artavaggio, mountain trails and accommodation

Winter and mountain landscape

The Piani Resinelli are located at an altitude of around 1,300 metres in the Parco delle Grigne, at the foot of the Grigne. From there, the view stretches from the Rhaetian Alps to Monte Rosa, across Lecco and the Lecco branch of Lake Como to the plain and, in clear weather, as far as the Milan skyline. The Piani Resinelli are also the starting point for numerous trails. The range extends from easy family hikes to more technically demanding tours.

At the Parco Minerario of the Piani Resinelli, visitors can explore tunnels associated with the area's historic mining activities.

Nature and trails

Parco Monte Barro has 44 kilometres of well-signposted trails leading to the park's main attractions. Monte Barro also features rocky cliffs and dry grasslands with particularly rich flora, including rare and endemic plants. On the lake, the garden of Villa Monastero now extends along the water with a shoreline frontage of just under two kilometres.

The Anello dei Laghi begins in the centre of Lecco and follows the Adda River to Pescarenico. As a cycling and walking route of around 20 kilometres, it forms a loop between the lakes of Garlate and Olginate along the Adda River. The route is mostly flat, suitable for families and can be used in any season for a half- or full-day excursion on foot or by bicycle.

The Sentiero del Viandante passes through historic villages and by rural architecture, old mills, castles and quiet country churches. It frequently crosses the Lecco–Colico–Sondrio railway line. This allows hikers to walk individual stages and return to the starting point by train.

The provincial nature and archaeology trail can be followed either chronologically, from prehistory to the 15th or 16th century, or geographically, from north to south. It is available as a continuous GPX route with an illustrated map for orientation and use. The Sistema Museale of the Province of Lecco has also created a walkable nature and archaeology circuit linking important sites of the area's history and culture in a network.

Culture and history

Ca’ Martì includes an adjoining archaeological educational trail on the history of construction work, with 16 stations in the surrounding area. At the same time, the site documents the history, life and work of the stonemasons of Carenno and Val San Martino.

The archaeological site of a Gothic settlement dating from the 5th to 6th century AD is open to visitors. The remains of a fortified complex built during the late Roman Empire can be viewed there. Forte Montecchio is a fortress carved into the rock and dating from the First World War. It includes massive walls made of worked granite, a powder magazine more than 60 metres deep and four Schneider guns.

The Torre di Maggiana, also known as “del Barbarossa”, dates from the 12th century and is accessible across its five floors. The Museo delle Grigne documents the development of the Esino area through Alpine and pre-Alpine minerals, Triassic fossils, ethnographic objects, and weapons and jewellery from ancient graves.

Palazzo Belgiojoso houses the Natural History Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Historical Museum and the Civico Planetario. Visitors can gain insight there into the economic, social and environmental history of the Lecco area from the Palaeolithic to the present day. The Civico Museo della Seta Abegg preserves machinery from disused silk mills, much of which is still operational, and is officially recognised as a museum collection of the Lombardy Region.

More local pages: Taceno, Fiumelatte, Cassina Valsassina, Onno, Ballabio, Perledo, Vendrogno, Limonta, Varenna, Gisazio, Mandello Del Lario, Premana, Oliveto Lario, Barzio, Bellano, Esino Lario, Lierna.

To the higher-level travel overview: Lombardy.