Overview
A five day, self-guided walking holiday along the Via Bregaglia, an idyllic Alpine valley that takes you from Switzerland into Italy. Starting in Maloja, located at the western end of Lake Sils at an elevation of 1,800m, spend three days hiking along ancient Roman roads, through chestnut forests and into some of the Bregaglia Valley’s prettiest villages, such as Vicosoprano and Castasegna. Celebrate crossing the border at Chiavenna, a handsome mountain town in Lombardy, divided by the River Mera, with plenty of fine restaurants to mark the finale of this short but sublime walking holiday.
- Sciora Massif
- Maloja village with its Belvedere Tower and Marmitte dei giganti potholes
- The ruins of the San Gaudenzio church, Casaccia
- Historic town of Vicosoprano
- Borgonovo- the birthplace of Alberto Giacometti
- Ciäsa Granda or Valley Museum, Stampa with its Giacometti-Varlin Hall
- Palazzo Castelmur, Coltura
- Acqua Fraggia waterfalls
- Chiavenna, Italy
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Maloja
Maloja lies at the western end of Lake Sils, connecting the Upper Engadine Lake District and the Bergell Valley. If you have time, it’s worth walking to the Belvedere Tower overlooking Maloja for superb views. A visit to the glacial potholes, Marmitte dei giganti, an extraordinary geological phenomenon, is also highly recommended.
- Accommodation: Schweizerhaus, Longhin, Maloja Kulm or similar in Maloja
Day 2: Maloja – Vicosoprano | 11.3km
The route between Maloja and Casaccia takes you along the remains of an ancient Roman road. Walk past the church ruins of San Gaudenzio on the right side of the valley and on to Casaccia and, finally to Vicosoprano which was once was the historic main town of the valley. Places of interest in the village are the church of San Cassiano built around the year 1000, the early Baroque Santa Trinità church, The Praetorium or former town hall with torture chamber no less, and the old bridge over the River Maira. On the way out of the village, heading in the direction of Borgonovo, you can see the pillars of the former gallows.
Day 3: Vicosoprano – Soglio | 9.1km
Today a hike bursting with both natural and cultural heritage awaits. Borgonovo is the birthplace of the world renowned sculptor and painter Alberto Giacometti. The Ciása Granda Valley Museum with the dedicated Sala Giacometti-Varlin is a must visit in Stampa and, in Coltura a visit to Palazzo Castelmur is recommended. Today you also get to walk along a path with breathtaking views of the Sciora Massif and Pizzo Badile that takes you up to Soglio.
- Walking for the day: 9.1km, 3h ↑449m ↓486m
- Accommodation: Stüa Granda or similar in Soglio
Day 4: Soglio – Chiavenna | 15.7km
The first part of the hike leads through the chestnut forest just below Soglio (Plazza and Brentan) with its beautiful old trees. One of the largest cultivated chestnut groves in Europe, the trees are still perfectly maintained by local people and the annual chestnut festival, or Festival della Castagna, takes place in autumn. Castasegna is also the last village on Swiss soil. Today’s hike ends in Chiavenna in Italy, a flourishing tourist and cultural town with an exceptionally well-preserved historical city centre.
- Walking for the day: 15.7km, 5h 15mins ↑475m ↓1244m
- Accommodation: Hotel Crimea or similar in Chiavenna
Day 5: Departure
Breakfast at the hotel and departure. Consider booking an extra night in Chiavenna to visit its museums, Acquafraggia waterfalls in Borgonuovo di Piuro, Paradiso Botanical Gardens, Palazzo Vertemate in Prosto di Piuro or take a short trip (30mins by train) to Colico village, located on Lake Como, where the the River Adda enters the lake.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Schweizerhaus (Maloja)
- Longhin (Maloja)
- Maloja Kulm (Maloja)
- Piz Cam (Vicosoprano)
- Pranzaira (Vicosoprano)
- Stüa Granda (Soglio)
- Hotel Crimea (Chiavenna)
*Hotels are subject to availability. If a hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a property of equal standard. We will provide full accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotels
- Schweizerhaus (Maloja)
- Palazzo Salis (Soglio)
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a property of equal standard. We will provide full accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Accommodation is on a B&B basis. Picnic lunches are included on all walking days. You can have dinner at your hotel or nearby restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
Surefootedness is needed for these Alpine hiking trails. Each day the hikes are pretty long, with some steeper parts and so you need to be in good physical health and fit (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. Your holiday information pack will include more detailed information on route navigation.
When to go
This trip is available from mid-June until mid-October.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice on Switzerland and Italy.
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airport for this tour is Zurich (ZRH). Most convenient departure airports are Milan Malpensa (MXP), Milan Bergamo (BGY) and Milan Linate (LIN).
By train or bus
From Swiss airports (such as Zurich): Travel to St.Moritz by the Red Train and then a 30mins to Maloja by the Swiss Yellow Bus PostAuto.
From Milan Malpensa Airport: Take the bus to Milano Central Station, where you can then you can take the train to Chiavenna via Colico. From Chiavenna you can get to Maloja using the daily bus service that runs every hour from 07.00 to 17.00. It takes just one hour and costs €21 per person.
For more information, visit Trainline or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 4 overnight accommodation as detailed in the itinerary
- 4 breakfasts
- 3 packed lunches on walking days (sandwich, fruit, chocolate bar and water)
- Luggage transfer when changing hotels (one piece of luggage per person, max 15kg)
- Detailed route notes (One per room) deposited at the first accommodation, including information material, trekking map
- Entry to Paradiso Botanical Gardens, Chiavenna and Palazzo Vertemate in Piuro
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own.
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra night in Chiavenna available upon request
- Half board (four evening meals)
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