High Valtellina: travel, ski and nature

Veritable paradise for people passionately found of skiing and mountains: ski slopes in the districts of Bormio, Livigno and Santa Caterina Valfurva and a marvellous natural performance in the National Stelvio Park.

It is hard to find another place where sport and nature are as perfectly mixed as in the High Valtellina, the part of Sondrio province that encloses points of high interest both from the naturalistic (with the large National Stelvio Park) and from the sporting and tourist point of view (with the marvellous district of Livigno-Bormio-Valfurva, seat of the next World Championship of Alpine Ski in 2005).

This itinerary touches an extremely attractive valley as for landscapes and for enviromental aspects, happy joining of typical ecosystems of middle Europe and Mediterranean. We are in the part of Valtellina including the valley formed by the Adda river, rich in majestic peaks and wedging towards Switzerland. A large part of its territory belongs to the National Stelvio Park and one of the best virtues of Vatellina people is exactly the great respect for natural beauties.

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The High Valtellina is set in the heart of the Retiche Alps and includes the municipalities of Bormio, Livigno, Sondalo, Valdidentro, Valdisotto and Valfurva (all belonging to the Sondrio province). This lands used to be called "Rezia" or "Magnifica Terra" (Marvellous Land) because of the many and marvellous natural beauties. Now tourism, mainly wintry, pours in the ski-area of Bormio, Santa Caterina, San Colombano (Oga/Valdidentro), well-known for having hosted the Alpine Ski World Championships and the finals of the Ski World Cup and many international contests of straight race and "landlauf" ski. Here ski can count upon high level lifts and slopes, many routes for Northerly ski and evocative itineraries for Alpine-ski.

Capital of High Valtellina and main centre is Bormio. Although it was an ancient Roman village, some people say that its name would derive from the German word "warm", in fact hot thermal waters spring in the roundabouts of Bormio. Its old centre is very interesting thanks to the ancient buildings that have been preserved and wisely restored. You should not miss a visit in the botanic garden which will introduce you to the plants species growing in the National Stelvio Park.

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Ski lovers should not miss the mythical Stelvio slope: 2.700-3.400 meters in the Stelvio glacier. This slope was invented in the occasion of the World Championship of Alpine Ski and has hosted plenty of contests in these years, above all straight race contests. But Stelvio also means Stelvio Pass, the highest European pass (2.757 m.) well known for the bikers' enterprises during the Giro d'Italia and as training place for big champions.

Bormio is also the gate to the National Stelvio Park, the largest in Italy with 134.000 hectars, set in the heart of the central Alps and including the whole Ortles-Cevedale massif and its lateral valleys. The protected area borders North with the Swiss National Park of Engadina, South with the Adamello Regional Park (it-self bordering with the Adamello-Brenta Naturala Park). East it is separated by a few kilometers from the Tessa Natural Park and West it borders with the Livigno and Valdidentro Park that will be soon established by the Lombardia Region.

Last stage of our trip is Livigno: a village stretched in the homonymous valley on the border line with Switzerland which became an extra - customs zone because of its position for a long time isolated. It has also been defined as "little Tibet" and it deserves this comparison for the aboundance of snowfalls and the beauty of its landscapes. Livigno is a paradise for people who cultivate the most extreme and eccentric winter sports, from Alpine-ski to snow-board; but it is above all the Italian capital for "telemark" a characteristic speciality in which you have to ski on your knees and which is having a new popularity in these last years. The amplitude of the valley allows amusing rides also in winter months.

Vacanze in Valtellina a Bormio

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