Valle Brembana: An Undiscovered Hiking Area Near Bergamo

Valle Brembana? Yeah, that’s what I thought. I know Italy pretty well, but I’d never heard of it before. This hidden gem is located in northern Italy near Bergamo and is a beautiful, lesser-known area for hiking, biking, or mountain biking—and it has delicious cuisine. Read about this interesting “new” area for all hikers and (experienced) cyclists.

Bergamo and Bergamo Alta

Returning to Bergamo after more than 30 years was a bit of a letdown for me. Not much remains of the authentic little town of yesteryear; it has become a bustling city with one of Italy’s largest airports. However, both the city center and Bergamo Alta are still worth a visit. In the city, you can rent bicycles and e-bikes through Nextbike’s bike-sharing program . You can reach the Città Alta (the Upper Town) on foot in about half an hour or in a few minutes by cable car.

Hiking in Bergamo

In addition to the cultural heritage of Bergamo Alta, the city boasts the Parco dei Colli di Bergamo (Bergamo Hills Park), with its many surrounding wooded hills, terraced slopes with vegetable gardens, meadows, and vineyards stretching all the way down to the lower-lying Serio and Brembo rivers. The deciduous forests on the slopes of Canto Alto and in the woods of Astino and Allegrezza are particularly noteworthy. Here you’ll find more information about the many hiking trails in this Parco dei Colli around Bergamo.

The Monastery of Astino

In this area around Bergamo, you’ll find beautiful rural homes and buildings such as the former monastery of Astino—Il Monastero di Astino—and the ruins of the Castello dell’Allegrezza. The former monastery of Astino is definitely worth a visit from the outside. Unfortunately, the interior of the monastery is currently open only occasionally and only with a guided tour.

The Valley of Biodiversity

The Valle della Biodiversità is an open-air museum near Astino dedicated to the sustainable cultivation of fruits and vegetables. On approximately 9,000 m² of land, a wide variety of seasonal flowers, plants, fruits, and vegetables are grown and studied for educational purposes. The Valle della Biodiversità is open daily and welcomes visitors.

Brembana Valley

Anyway, the Valle Brembana—also known as Val Brembana—is a beautiful, lesser-known area a short distance from Bergamo (33 km) and about 100 km from Lake Garda. There’s even a bike path from Bergamo to the Valle Brembana: a 48-kilometer-long, well-maintained bike path. The area is highly recommended for nature lovers, hikers, and cyclists.

The valley owes its name to the Brembo River that flows through it.

Among other places, we visited the village of Oltre Il Colle (over the hill). The village, with about 1,000 residents spread across several hamlets, is nestled between four mountains: Monte Grem, Monte Menna, Monte Arera, and Monte Alben. Forget the names—all four mountains have completely different geological structures and vegetation. That makes the area especially interesting. There were several mines in the area, and in Oltre Il Colle there is still a museum dedicated to mining in the region.

The Brembana Valley has its own unique local cuisine. Delicious pasta dishes such as casoncelli alla Bergamasca, game, and especially cheeses like Taleggio are local specialties here.

Flora and Fauna in the Brembana Valley

On Monte Arera in particular, no fewer than 200 different species of rare flowers bloom. You’ll also find many butterflies there. Here’s more information about these unique flowers. In addition to flowers, you’ll also find ibex, marmots, roe deer, golden eagles, and apparently even the occasional bear.

Valle Brembana: An Undiscovered Region

The valley consists of a number of tiny villages with proud residents. Surprisingly, the Brembana Valley attracts few (international) tourists. It was once a popular winter sports destination, but for more than 20 years now, there hasn’t been enough snow. All the more reason to explore the area on foot—or by bike.

Hiking in the Brembana Valley: the Via Mercatorum

The Brembana Valley offers numerous hiking trails for all skill levels. The trails are well marked. One of the most interesting is the ancient Via Mercatorum: the once-busy trade route that ran from Switzerland to Venice and was used by merchants. The route runs from Nembro through San Pellegrino and Serina to Oneta.

If you’d like to hike (part of) this route, the section from Oneta to Cornello dei Tasso is highly recommended. It’s a beautiful, varied, and accessible route featuring forests, streams, and medieval villages that seem almost deserted. We hiked the Via Mercatorum starting from Serina. That was also well worth the effort. In the Church of Santa Maria Annunziata in Serina, there are two unique works by the famous painter Palma Il Vecchio, who was born in Serina.

Tibetan Bridge in Dossena

Who would have thought that the world’s longest Tibetan bridge—“with an interrupted walkway and no side tie rods”—was located in the Brembana Valley? The bridge—also known as Ponte nel sole—is located in the village of Dossena and is 505 meters long with 1,200 open-tread steps. The bridge replaces a section of the old Via Mercatorum. You’ll be properly secured, and the hike offers stunning views of the Bergamo (or Orobic) Pre-Alps. The spectacular walk across the bridge costs about €25. I have some great photos, but unfortunately, the bridge itself was closed during our visit…

Cycling in the Brembana Valley

Although mountainous, the Valle Brembana is also a wonderful area for cycling. In 2011, the Giro d’Italia passed through the Valle Brembana. In addition to its many road cycling routes, it’s also a beautiful area for mountain biking. We got to try out a section in the mountains of Oltre Il Colle, albeit on e-mountain bikes.

Laghi Gemelli

The Laghi Gemelli, literally “the Twin Lakes,” are located in Branzi. Despite the name, it is actually a single lake because a dam has joined the two lakes together. The best way to reach the lake is from Baite di Mezzeno on a 2-hour hike along CAI Trail 215.

Lake Endine

About an hour’s drive from the Brembana Valley lies Lake Endine. It’s a slightly lesser-known but no less beautiful lake in northern Italy. You can swim in the lake and enjoy a beautiful walk around it—a route of about 17 kilometers. You can also hike part of the way around the lake: starting from Spinone al Lago, walk south and then up the other side toward Monasterolo al Castello, where you’ll find bars and grassy fields.

San Pellegrino Terme: Art Nouveau in a stately village

San Pellegrino is one of the largest and most elegant villages in the Brembana Valley. We know San Pellegrino for its delicious spa water sold in green bottles. In the village, there is a fountain with the famous spa water, from which you can fill your bottle for free. In the 1920s, San Pellegrino was a popular spa resort, and many Art Nouveau-style buildings were constructed. The Grand Hotel, the casino, and the adjacent spa remain the most beautiful reminders of that era. This beautiful spa resort is still a wonderful place to visit after a day of hiking in the area. Be sure to make your reservations in advance.

How do you get to the Brembana Valley?

It is approximately 1,145 kilometers from Amsterdam.

• The easiest way to get to the area is by car.
• You can take the train to Bergamo via France and Switzerland or via Germany. From Bergamo, there is a bus to San Pellegrino Terme.
• Of course, you can also fly into Milan or Bergamo and rent a car there.

Map of Valle Brembana