Soglio and Bondo, from Villa di Chiavenna

Access

From Milan to Chiavenna along State Road 36; at the roundabout in the centre of town, turn right along Viale Maloggia and continue as far as the Villa di Chiavenna customs post. Park in a large square near the border.

Introduction

Beautiful and simple tour that allows you to visit two ancient and noble villages within walking distance of Italy. The whole environment is scenically interesting and very varied: the best seasons, in combination with the colours of the vegetation, are spring and autumn. The village of Soglio is often somewhat crowded by groups arriving here from the Val Bregaglia high altitude route.

Description

From the car park, climb up to cross the border through the gates of the pedestrian crossing (should it be closed, go down to the road crossing and then climb up again) and you will immediately find yourself among the old houses of Castasegna 697m; after a few dozen metres, take the well-marked footpath to the left for Soglio. Initially amidst beautiful houses, then among scattered huts in the tidy meadows of the Brentan chestnut grove, the trail climbs gently in altitude towards our visible destination. The wide track bypasses a deep river valley via a curved tunnel under the Stoll waterfall and, in a few hundred metres, reaches the carriage road to Soglio. Taking advantage of the rather steep but easy and well-maintained short cuts, you soon reach the small parking area of the village 1090 m. Here it is worth taking a tour through the alleyways, admiring the barns, stables, fountains, aristocratic buildings and tidy private homes. The reference point for continuing the hike is the cemetery enclosure near the temple: on the right-hand side, you descend on a grassy path that, with wide (and scenic) bends, enters the forest overlooking Val Bregaglia. The environment changes completely and, from meadowy and luxuriant, turns into a stony and arid precipice: you proceed in steps on a beautiful path supported by large pines and sometimes protected downstream by handrail cables; after a small belvedere, the descent softens and you reach an asphalt road near a bridge over the Maira (Mera after the border, in Italy). Cross it and, after the buildings of Mulin Scartazzini, enter the houses of Promontogno: from here you can follow the small yellow plaques attached near the changes of direction as signs; you head towards the adjacent village of Bondo, passing under the characteristic grotti (in appearance, these are normal buildings, but only the façade is present and the rest of the premises are developed in the mountain, taking advantage of the - adapted - passageways between the boulders of ancient landslides to create space for the maturing of wines, cold meats and cheeses). The streets of Bondo 823 m, alternating with little squares in bloom in practically every season, then lead across the meadows to the old wash-house; from here, proceed along a cart track - keeping to the right at the crossroads - to a livestock farm that raises picturesque Highlander cattle. The track, which is not very visible here, enters a pastureland, but is found again at the beginning of the forest: the path descends quickly but comfortably until it approaches the river after a farmstead; cross over a modern bridge and you find yourself next to the cantonal road, which is covered here by an avalanche guard. Follow it downstream for a few hundred metres to reach the border post and then the nearby car park.