Lake Palù, Chiesa Valmalenco in Summer

During the summer, you can reclaim the slow rhythms of a holiday focused on quality of life in Valmalenco: the ideal destination to escape the noise of the city and enjoy a rejuvenating break.

What to do in Valmalenco in Summer

Summer is the ideal season to reconnect with nature. Here, you can explore and appreciate unspoiled natural environments, taking the time to enjoy the landscape and outdoor life in a peaceful and quiet oasis.

Whether you have a wild spirit or are attracted to a slow vacation, summer in Valmalenco offers many activities. It’s up to you to choose the pace and rhythm that best suits your unique personal style.

If you are fascinated by the idea of immersing yourself in nature and exploring the territory freely, consider high-altitude accommodation in Barchi, where you can embark on magnificent hikes right from your doorstep.

Let’s see what there is to do in Valmalenco in summer.

Hiking, Excursions, and Trails

Valmalenco abounds in trails and hiking paths that wind through an enchanting landscape: green pastures, woods, mountain refuges, and crystal-clear alpine lakes are just some of the wonders you’ll encounter along routes that reach all the way to the Swiss border.

You’ll find simple walks, ideal for families with children, along clear and well-marked mule tracks, such as the Sentiero Rusca that runs alongside the Mallero River or the path to Lake Palù. Alternatively, you can venture out on more challenging routes reserved for experienced high-altitude trekking enthusiasts, like the Passo del Muretto or the Alta Via della Valmalenco.

Regardless of the path chosen, every hiker in Valmalenco will be immersed in a spectacular landscape: the breathtaking views of the Pizzo Bernina, Pizzo Scalino, and Monte Disgrazia mountains.

Mountain Biking and Downhill

For two-wheel enthusiasts, Valmalenco has an abundance of mountain biking trails, perfect to explore from spring to late summer. The paths have different levels of difficulty, so unless you’re an enduro expert, we recommend starting with more accessible routes and relying on the advice of locals.

Besides mountain biking, you can rent an e-bike for quiet rides on less rugged terrain. The itineraries designed for slower-paced experiential tourism will take you to discover farms and small local producers. It’s a unique opportunity to combine the pleasure of a day spent outdoors with the tastes of traditional local products, immersed in the enchanting alpine landscape of Valtellina.

Climbing and Bouldering

A more energizing activity suitable for experienced athletes is climbing. Numerous cliffs dot Valmalenco, from Zoia to Campo Moro, to the summits of the Bernina, Disgrazia, and Scalino groups. In this context, bouldering—a form of free climbing practiced on boulders and rock formations no taller than four to five meters high—has found fertile ground, especially in the Chiareggio plain.

Climbing and bouldering are very popular during the summer season throughout the Valmalenco area, and Chiesa in Valmalenco is strategically located, equidistant from all the favorite spots for this sport.

Diving in Lake Palù

High-altitude diving? Yes, you can try this in Valmalenco too! On Alpe Palù lies the eponymous Lake Palù, a shallow, crystal-clear body of water perfect for pleasant walks and summer trekking with children, suitable even for less athletic individuals.

Every year in summer, Lake Palù offers the truly unique experience of scuba diving in a high-altitude lake. During the summer months, Lake Palù hosts the bozzetto of the Christ of the Abyss, a scale model of the original sculpture submerged in the Ligurian Sea, which can only be observed on guided dives with professional divers.

The bozzetto of the Christ of the Abyss is submerged in Lake Palù in August and remains at the bottom of the lake until the early days of September when it is retrieved and stored at the nearby Rifugio Motta to protect it from the cold of the winter months when the lake freezes over.

It’s an experience that you can have on your own or enjoy as a moment of local tradition, combining the religious and the cultural with respect for the environment.

Picnics and Walks

Wandering through meadows and woods, immersing yourself in the unspoiled nature of the alpine landscape. Valmalenco offers many ideal spots for a picnic, from green clearings along alpine lakes to mountain panoramas.

You can pick your spot on your own or find one of the numerous picnic areas equipped with tables and benches. In either case, check for any restrictions on lighting fires or accessing certain protected areas, always pick up after yourself, and be mindful of wildlife.

If you’re traveling with family or small children, lodging at the Casa Vacanza ai Barchi offers a unique opportunity for 24/7 relaxation in nature: Once you’ve arrived at altitude, you won’t need a car to reach your oasis of peace. Just open your door to find yourself already surrounded by an unspoiled natural setting and say hello to carefree days spent in complete freedom.

Nature Observation and Landscapes

Whether you’re an adult or a child, who wouldn’t be fascinated by spotting a chamois with its young? Or curious, busy marmots after their long winter hibernation?

Valmalenco offers endless opportunities for nature observation, not just for photography enthusiasts but for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in breathtaking landscapes.

Alpe Palù is a privileged place offering an escape from routine and crowds and allowing you to immerse yourself in natural beauty free of human influence.

Blue skies fringed by spectacularly beautiful white alpine peaks, including the Bernina, which can be seen from every corner of Valmalenco. Crystal-clear alpine lakes of rare beauty like Lake Palù and Lake Lagazzuolo inviting you to sit in contemplation and wonder for hours.

Valmalenco abounds in unspoiled nature of such rare beauty that the Club Alpino Italiano has installed benches to direct visitors to breathtaking landscapes. One is located right in Chiesa Valmalenco in the Primolo Pine Forest, where you’ll find the complete map.

The Valmalenco area allows for observation of native flora and fauna: ibex, chamois, hares, as well as eagles and other mountain birds. Wandering through meadows and woods, you can get a close look at specimens of alpine flowers and herbs, including artemisia and vibrant gentians, along with beautiful coniferous forests consisting of red fir, larch, and dwarf pine.

Relaxing Activities in Nature

A slow holiday is a vacation where you decide the rhythms and activities of your day. Many visitors to Valmalenco love this place because it represents a true oasis of peace away from urban noise and crowded tourist routes.

Many proponents of this vacation style choose to dedicate their day to slow, peaceful activities which allow them to rediscover pleasure in little things and be surprised by the wonders of nature, small and large. Fishing at Lake Palù or along the Mallero River following the Sentiero Rusca and foraging for mushrooms in the woods are among the best-loved activities because they allow you to take time for yourself, go at your own pace, and take a break from the adrenaline of sports.

Our advice is not to improvise: Before setting your heart on mountain fishing, make sure you have the appropriate license, and don’t consume any mushrooms you forage without consulting a mycologist.

Slow Food at Refuges and Farms in Valmalenco

What other pleasures can you indulge in for a relaxing well-being retreat?

You can’t say you know a place if you haven’t tasted its traditional dishes. There are many refuges in Valmalenco where you can discover and savor unique recipes: pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta with cabbage, potatoes, and cheese), polenta taragna (maize and buckwheat polenta), game meat, sciatt (buckwheat cheese fritters), and Tzigoiner (or Zigeuner), the typical spit-roasted beef.

In summer, you can reach Rifugio Lake Palù, Rifugio Motta, or the La Gusa and Sasso Nero refuges, as well as the Agriturismo Malga Rundai and many others, on foot from your high-altitude accommodation in Barchi, and pause to taste the traditional recipes of Malenca and Valtellina. We always recommend carefully consulting the round-trip route before embarking on these excursions.

Discovering the flavors of a territory at a slow pace also involves visiting places that supply artisanal products made with local raw materials according to traditional methods. Just a short distance from Barchi, you can independently reach the Lenatti farm, where you can closely observe the production of typical cheeses such as Bitto and Scimudin using milk from the farm’s own cow and goat herds and treat yourself to a delicious snack.

In short, summer in Valmalenco offers many possibilities, ranging from the most demanding challenges for sports enthusiasts to more contemplative activities for those seeking a moment of peace.

No matter what you choose to do, you are guaranteed an authentic experience away from the more crowded destinations, where you can relax and rediscover the pleasure of taking