Published on: 16 March 2013  | Last updated: 17 March 2018

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This cycleway is mainly traffic-free and tarmac. It provides a useful link between Lombardia’s lakes and the region’s mountains and the classic climbs around Bormio and Livigno.

There are a number of sections of the main strada statale (the SS38) that are off-limits to bikes so the cycleway is an essential alternative.

The official cycle route takes you through to Grosio but there’s a semi-official cycleway that connects to Bormio. The semi-official cycleway makes use of a section of the old strada statale to take you past the site of a a huge landslide.

The cycleway follows the river Adda. Along the way you might want to consider taking a ride on the Ferrovia Retica a spectacular train ride from Tirano to Sant Moritz. The railway is a UNESCO World Heritage site. (Top tips: avoid the more expensive Bernina Express trains and instead opt for a ride in the open wagons that (in good weather) are attached to the back of the trains).

Options

There’s another branch of the Sentiero Valtellina that leads to from Chiavenna towards the Passo dello Splugen on the border with Switzerland.

Day-rides

The route goes past the foot of the climb to the Passo di Mortirolo which vies with the Monte Zoncolan in Friuli for the title of Italy’s toughest climb.

You could also climb from to Tirano the Poschiavo and the Lago di Poschiavo - Poschiavo is an attractive small town and the lake is very beautiful. You could also go on to the Passo di Bernina. It’s a big climb but the views are spectacular.

Connections

Heading eastwards towards the Lago di Como you could pick up the Western Lakes route.

The other major site along the way is the Santuario Madonna di Tirano, which is on the route itself.