The picturesque town of Chiavenna (Chiavenna), located in the Lombardy region in northern Italy, near the Swiss border, was described in many books and poems in the last century and the one before it, and was well known among travelers – but in recent years it fell out of fashion. Today it is making a comeback, serving as a perfect destination for nature lovers in Italy, who prefer a quiet and less touristy place than the famous Lake Como or Garda, as a Guardian reporter who recently visited there recounts after discovering the quiet charm of the place.
Chiavenna is located at the foot of the snow-covered Alps, surrounded by dense forests and crossed by a river. The valley in which the town lies holds many surprises – natural caves, magnificent historic buildings, dozens of hiking and cycling trails, and scenery of waterfalls, giant rocks shaped by glaciers, abandoned villages – all with almost no tourists.
What to do
In the city center you will find cobbled alleys with decorated buildings, churches and magnificent fountains, testifying to the city’s past as a trading hub. Among the worthwhile attractions in the city, you can find the Michelin-starred family restaurant Lanterna Verde, a hotel offering accommodation in the villa where the 18th-century painter Angelica Kauffman once lived, and the Museo del Tesoro, which displays, among other things, an adorned binding of a Bible from the 11th century.
In the town you can find dozens of “Crotti” – natural wine cellars carved into stone. Before the era of refrigerators, the “crotti” were used to store wine, cheeses and smoked meats, and sometimes also served as social gathering places. Today some of the cellars operate as restaurants or bars, offering particularly worthwhile local food.
For nature lovers, it is recommended to take a day trip to the “Parco delle Marmitte dei Giganti” park – where you can find natural pools, rushing waterfalls and abandoned stone villages. About a kilometer from the town you will also find the impressive “Acquafraggia” waterfalls (Acquafraggia Waterfalls), which fall from a height of 1,300 meters; they were described by Leonardo da Vinci as a “spectacular sight.” For cycling enthusiasts – there is also a recommended bike trail in the area called “Valchiavenna,” which is 32 kilometers long and passes through beautiful panoramic scenery.
Acquafraggia waterfalls
crotti – natural wine cellars carved into stone
How to get there
You can reach the town in several ways. A common route is arriving from Zurich, from where you take a train to the Swiss town of St. Moritz, and from there a bus that passes through the beautiful Alpine “Maloja” pass. The bus descends through 20 sharp bends and the scenery unfolding along the way is simply breathtaking – lakes, snow-covered mountains, dense forests and charming villages. Another way to arrive is via Milan, from where you can take a train that passes by Lake Como and also provides stunning views.