Consorzio per la promozione turistica della Valchiavenna

Stazione Ferroviaria Chiavenna
Piazza Caduti per la Libertà
23022 Chiavenna (SO)
consorzioturistico@valchiavenna.com

Rowing on Lake Mezzola in Valchiavenna

Valchiavenna

When summer arrives in Valchiavenna, the waters of Lake Mezzola become a silent course ready to welcome those wishing to discover the elegant and profound rhythm of rowing. In Verceia, this sport becomes an open invitation to everyone: taking up the oars means entering a world of balance, harmony and awareness.

Details

Rowing is an ancient discipline whose origins date back to Roman times. Over the centuries, it evolved into one of the most noble and fascinating sports. From the Venetian regattas of the 14th century, regulated by Doge Giovanni Soranzo, to the first official competitions on the River Thames in 1715, rowing has built a long tradition shaped by water, competition and heritage. The Leander Club, founded in 1818 between Oxford and Cambridge, is another testament to its enduring sporting legacy.

In Valchiavenna, this tradition comes to life on Lake Mezzola, where the Canottieri Retica rowing club has been active since 2008, bringing together athletes and enthusiasts. During the summer season, the association welcomes anyone interested in trying the sport, offering introductory courses, guided outings and advanced training programmes for more experienced rowers.

A single glance from the shore is enough to understand the appeal of rowing: boats glide across the still water with almost unreal elegance, while the movement of the oars creates a steady and hypnotic rhythm. The silence of the lake, interrupted only by the sound of water, creates an atmosphere that feels suspended in time and deeply evocative.

Here, among reflections and mountains, rowing is not simply a sport. It is an experience that combines effort and beauty, concentration and freedom. Those wishing to discover this world only need to contact the association and allow themselves to be guided into this unique harmony on the water.

Informations
Infopoint
Consorzio Turistico Valchiavenna
Piazza Caduti per la Libertà, 4
23022 Chiavenna (SO)
0343 37485
consorzioturistico@valchiavenna.com

Frasnedo and Rat Valley

Valchiavenna

Frasnedo is a charming village in the Rat Valley, at 1287 meters above sea level. Many routes are developed starting from the village in various directions.
Possibility of loop tours. Spectacular views of Lake Como.

Details

The nucleus of Frasnedo is very characteristic, well preserved and cared for, offering passing tourists the warm hospitality of the refuge of the same name, owned by the consorzio d’alpe, which provides generous meals and overnight lodging.

The hamlet can be reached directly from Verceia or by leaving the car at Tracciolino (end of the pastoral road) with alternative routes along the Ratti stream.

It is possible to make a car permit for transit on the road leading to the Valle dei Ratti; it can be obtained in all bars in Verceia. The trail is well marked and passes through forests of ancient chestnut trees. Wanting to continue the walk, at the height of the refuge, a wide, slightly downhill track enters the valley leading to the Corveggia stables (1221 m) and the bridge over the stream at the bottom of the valley.

On the opposite side, continue following a wide track that climbs in twists and turns and reaches the houses of Alpe Nave (1454 m); just above, leave the signs for Rifugio Primalpia and continue again making an ascending traverse. It enters the forest again connecting with a wide track that must be followed to the huts of Alpe Lavazzo (1560 m), located on a terrace of this secondary valley called Val Codogno.

For those who feel up to it, the walk can continue further, adding three hours of walking. We head toward Corveggia, following small roads and paths that pass through the villages of Tabiate (1253 m), Camerate (1792 m), and Talamucca (2100 m).Passing the vast pastures, we come to the sight of a wide glacial amphitheater, where the Capanna Volta rises majestically.This place is surrounded by spectacular peaks: above all, Sasso Manduino (2888 m) and Pizzo Ligoncio (3033m).

The Volta Hut has a centuries-old history. Commissioned by the Como section of the Italian Alpine Club in the early 1900s, it stands in the upper Val dei Ratti at 2212m. The Hut offers about 40 beds, is equipped with a kitchen with water, wood stove and a pantry with basic necessities and a small cash box for payment of overnight stays and supplies.For reservations: https://volta.caicomo.it/

Informations

Difficulty: Hard

Duration: 4:40 h

Distance: 7,85 km

Ascent: 1296 mt

Descent: 0 mt

Highest point: 2204 mt

Lowest point: 908 mt

Best time of year:

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Download the GPX track
Download the KML track

How to get here

Public transport: It is possible to reach Cerceia via train connection Colico – Chiavenna line.
For schedules https://www.trenord.it/

Starting point: get directions in Google Maps

Infopoint
Consorzio Turistico Valchiavenna
Piazza Caduti per la Libertà, 4
23022 Chiavenna (SO)
0343 37485
consorzioturistico@valchiavenna.com

Hike in Val Codera Novate – Rifugio Brasca ( Sentiero Roma first stage)

Valchiavenna

A valley of 45 square kilometers of territory with no road access. An area that allows the visitor to enjoy a wide variety of landscapes:

Details

A valley of 45 square kilometers of territory with no road access, which has managed to maintain an intact natural environment, crossed by footpaths connecting ancient rural clusters and alpine pastures. An area that allows the visitor to enjoy a wide variety of landscapes: from panoramic views of Lake Mezzola, to the canyons carved by the Codera River and the Val Mala, from the fairy-tale chestnut forests of the mid-valley to the glacial cirques of the Averta and Arnasca valleys. Far from everything, Codera, the small capital of the valley, reflects this isolation: a village shaped in granite, secluded and solitary, lived all year round by a handful of steadfast villagers and enthusiasts. You can start on foot directly from the Novate Mezzola train station or by car reaching the hamlet of Mezzoalpiano, leaving your car in one of the parking lots in the area. The mule track immediately rises evenly through the woods with beautiful stretches of stone steps. You quickly gain altitude and reach a more open area under some rock walls, where a final series of steps leads out of the steepest section.

After passing a chapel, placed in a splendid panoramic position, the path continues passing through the locality of Avedée, and with some ups and downs continues in the beautiful woods of the Val Codera until reaching the village of Codera, where there are some refuges with food and accommodation options.

From Codera it is possible to continue the walk to Bresciadega. The mule track sometimes alternates with a dirt road, crossing streams and creeks several times, and after a stretch in a pine forest, it allows you to reach the wide clearing of Bresciadega (1214 m), where the homonymous refuge is located. Leaving the wide meadow, continuing to the end of which it is possible to reach the Brasca refuge, starting point of many other high altitude routes.

Informations

Difficulty: Medium

Duration: 4:00 h

Distance: 10,67 km

Ascent: 1062 mt

Descent: 82 mt

Highest point: 1293 mt

Lowest point: 314 mt

Best time of year:

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Download the GPX track
Download the KML track

How to get here

Public transport: Novate Mezzola is reachable by train
CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULES

Getting there: You can start on foot directly from the Novate Mezzola train station or by car reaching the hamlet of Mezzoalpiano, leaving it in one of the parking lots in the area.

Parking: Hamlet Mezzoalpiano

Starting point: get directions in Google Maps

Infopoint
Consorzio Turistico Valchiavenna
Piazza Caduti per la Libertà, 4
23022 Chiavenna (SO)
0343 37485
consorzioturistico@valchiavenna.com

Biking en down by the river

Details

In the saddle from Chiavenna to Lake Mezzola, discovering the animals getting ready to welcome their young this spring.
Spring gives families the chance to enjoy plenty of outings along Valchiavenna’s network of cycling paths. Among the many routes available to those on two wheels, the one starting from Chiavenna and following the Mera River all the way to Lake Mezzola is certainly one of the finest to ride at this time of year.

Not only because the entire route runs slightly downhill (you might consider taking the train back), but above all because at this time of year the ride offers an extraordinary opportunity to spot, along the way, the newest arrivals among the many species that inhabit this stretch of land.

Taking your children to discover and observe these animals in their natural habitat is perhaps the most rewarding experience to share on a bike.

The route
If you’re arriving by car in Chiavenna, we suggest parking on Via Aldo Moro, in the free parking area near the sports field.

From here, the cycle path sets off alongside the river, running through the towns of Mese, Gordona, and Samolaco, before reaching the lake at Novate Mezzola, for a total of 17 kilometers.

Hares and kingfishers
As you get closer to the lake, it’s easy to spot the animals that live along this stretch of waterway. Near the embankment, for example, young hares often dart across the cycle path, startled by the arrival of the bikes. Curiosity makes them freeze at the edge of the trail, letting themselves be photographed. Less easygoing but just as fascinating is the kingfisher, recognizable by its bright blue plumage contrasting with its orange breast. In April you can spot the pair busy foraging food for their chicks.

Swans and coots
The last stretch along the river before the lake offers the chance to see swans sitting on their eggs. The nest is usually near the shore, in a spot sheltered by vegetation, built from dry branches. The female lays between 5 and 8 eggs, which are incubated with the male’s help for about 35 days.

At hatching, the cygnets have grey plumage. Coots — identifiable by the white patch in the center of their head — begin building their nests in March, using reeds, rushes, and various plant material. The chicks, known as “pulli,” display bright plumage that indicates their hatching order.

Infopoint
Consorzio Turistico Valchiavenna
Piazza Caduti per la Libertà, 4
23022 Chiavenna (SO)
0343 37485
consorzioturistico@valchiavenna.com
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