Vendrogno between Monte Muggio and Muggiasca

Landscape on Monte Muggio

The Val Muggiasca is a narrow, postglacial gorge formed by a stream. It extends mainly along the southwestern ridge of Monte Muggio and is therefore situated in a landscape whose shapes emerged directly in the period following the last Ice Age. Vendrogno is also regarded as a starting point for hikes to Monte Muggio, which reaches 1,799 m. The village’s character as a viewpoint is thus combined with a clearly defined mountain destination.

Hiking trails with varying levels of difficulty

L’itinerario della memoria follows old paths and connects Bellano with Valsassina via Vendrogno. The route thus creates a link between the Lake Como area and the valley, without allowing any specific current accessibility or fixed route program to be inferred from this.

The complete route La transumanza verticale is intended for well-trained hikers. It leads from Sanico via Mosnico and Vendrogno to Ombriaco, passing through a landscape shaped by former rural life. For less experienced hikers, hiking trail 08 is a documented option: it is also suitable for people who wish to explore the relationship between farming culture and religiosity.

Another route through the districts of Vendrogno leads to 13 chapels from different periods. In its complete version, hiking trail 09 is a panoramic hike along the mountainside above the lake. In the Vendrogno area, it begins at Via per Noceno and leads to the district of Noceno; it is recommended for well-trained hikers. As part of the GT – Grand Tour, the descent from Croce di Muggio can be made via the Vendrogno and Bellano sections.

Churches, chapels and historical traces

The Chiesa della Madonna della Neve in Vendrogno was built in 1630 as a result of a vow made by the people of Vendrogno who had been spared by the plague. The Santuario della Madonna di Loreto is also known as “La Madonnina”. It stands completely separate from the houses on a hill on the edge of the village and offers panoramic views.

In the Chiesa di San Lorenzo, the bell tower is probably the oldest structure of the church that can still be identified today. The domes above the crossing and the presbytery are decorated with figurative wall paintings. In Sanico, the Chiesa di San Giacomo contains an 18th-century wooden statue of Saint James. The Chiesa di San Sebastiano in Comasira preserves paintings from the 15th century. The Museo della Resistenza in Muggiasca is housed in the room next to the sacristy of the Chiesa di San Grato.

The settlement of Vendrogno, including Bruga, also tells its story through visible architectural elements: it has 14 predominantly round-arched portals from different periods, beginning in the Middle Ages. Together with the churches and chapels, they create a villagescape that is revealed particularly through individual details and scattered points of interest.

Museum and local tradition

The MUU Museo del Latte e della Storia della Muggiasca is an ethnographic museum in Località Vendrogno in Bellano. It preserves artefacts and traditions connected with the life and material culture of the Muggiasca. The museum is located in Vendrogno’s former Turnus dairy and comprises six exhibition rooms on three floors. The tour presents the individual stages of milk processing, complementing the paths through the landscape with a concrete insight into former work processes.

The Festa Madonna della Neve in Loc. Vendrogno, Bellano, included a two-day celebration in 2025 featuring tradition, music, culinary delights and performances. At this event, a tasting of local products was scheduled from 7:00 p.m. For planning your stay, nature, local history and local products can therefore be considered as separate areas of focus alongside one another.

Other places in the broader surrounding area include Fiumelatte, Limonta, Esino Lario, Barzio, Mandello Del Lario, Cassina Valsassina, Lierna and Gisazio.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lecco.