Chiavenna - A Town at the Foot of the Alps

Hello friends. Recently we set out by train to visit the city of Chiavenna. We got off the train at Colico station under the orange dawn clouds and then we had to pedal with our bicycles. In general, the trains were also going to Chiavenna, but when we arrived, the line was closed due to maintenance. We thought, why not explore the 30 km bike path through the mountains instead?

This bike path winds between harvested corn fields and the green meadows of the valley, intersecting only occasionally with lightly used secondary roads. At the beginning, we had to cross the Adda River, one of Italy’s largest rivers. It looks quite calm, but despite the many dams and artificial lakes built in recent centuries, its mountainous nature has not been fully tamed and although not as strong as before, occasional floods still occur.

I noticed fallen ripe persimmons. And I also caught the attention of two magnificent horses, who stared at me curiously. After a cold night, the frost covered the meadows and thousands of dewdrops sparkled on the grass. We approached the mountains and the sun hadn’t reached here yet.

It was quite cold at the foot of the Alps, even freezing, I could see steam coming from my mouth. At the start of the journey, the picturesque Lake Mezzola awaited us, along with the Pian di Spagna Valley, which has a natural reserve and is home to many bird species. During off-season migrations, bird flocks find shelter and rest here. Occasionally cyclists passed by me, but I kept stopping captivated by the landscape.

We passed through the small settlement of Vercheya on the right bank and the lake appeared again. Now, we had to reach the Mera River and the next stretch would continue along it. On the left bank of the river, at 655 meters above sea level, the 9th-century Senyame Tower rises. Similar towers were built throughout Valchiavenna and along Lake Como, designed to ensure that news of the appearance of German, Swiss and other troops from the northern pass reached Milan within an hour. The system was dismantled in the 17th century, but the Senyame Tower miraculously survived.

Cows were grazing everywhere in the green meadows. Livestock farming is an important sector of the local economy. Meanwhile, we were almost at the city, but the first place we wanted to visit was a park located on the slopes of a mountain range at the foot of Chiavenna. This park is very close to the city and its entrance is free, open at any time of the day.

From the top, there is a magnificent view of the valley. We left our bicycles below and easily reached the Marmitte dei Giganti Park, following the old mule tracks and trails that lead to the ancient soapstone quarries. The entire area offers breathtaking views and fascinating geomorphological features. Traces of current activities in the park’s meadows and forests include GigArt, an outdoor contemporary art project. An art project is never a finished work, it continuously evolves and new pieces emerge. Most of the materials used are stones, branches and tree trunks, which will later return to the natural life cycle.

The name Chiavenna means projecting rock, probably referring to the steep mountain overlooking the city of Valchiavenna. Valchiavenna is located in the Alps, roughly in the center of the mountain range and it is perpendicular to it. Therefore, the valley separates the western Alps from the eastern Alps. After admiring the views, I continued exploring the park, as there was still much to see.

I returned to daily life. Finally it was time to see the city. We visited the historic part of the city through the St. Mary gates from the 18th century. It was quite crowded for a small town of about 7000 people. Chiavenna is popular with tourists and has earned the orange flag from the Italian tourist club, a symbol of high-quality tourism, hospitality and ecology.

In Roman times Chiavenna was an important transportation hub between the north and south due to the mountain passes. Later, it became one of the most reliable Byzantine fortresses against the Franks. In Piazza del Castello, there is the 15th-century Palazzo Balbiani, the residence of the Dukes of Varenna. Today, only the surrounding walls and towers remain of the original building. Of course, the city also had an old castle on the hills above, but after Milan’s surrender in 1639, the castle, like other fortifications in the region, was demolished.

Since I came by bicycle from a distance and it was hard to calculate the time of the visit, I didn’t make a reservation in advance and as it turned out, this was a mistake. Almost all the trattorias were full. However, I couldn’t turn down such an important part of the tourist experience, like the crotty meal. I found a table on the terrace at the end of the street, it wasn’t the most magnificent view, but it had delicious and hearty local dishes.

I decided to order a set menu and tried all the typical local dishes, including various types of meats aged in local caves, as well as pickles and mushrooms. Then, they brought the first dish. This was pizzoccheri, a type of pasta from the neighboring Valtellina region, made from buckwheat flour and brownish in color, but here the pizzoccheri was white. The second hot dish was a charcuterie called piotto. After a wonderful lunch, I took a bus to another amazing place just a few minutes away.

Just a few kilometers from Chiavenna, there is the stunning Aqua Fraja waterfall. Its name is translated as interrupted. Starting high in the mountains, it passes through a series of mountain lakes and waterfalls, ending with a beautiful view. In front of the waterfall, a lovely green meadow welcomes us, perfect for a picnic.

We returned to Chiavenna and continued to explore the city.