Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R76
Tirano » Poschiavo
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8h25 |
20.9 km
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1570 m
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994 m
From Tirano, after paying a visit to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Tirano, climb amongst vineyards, along an old mule track, to the typical hamlet of Roncaiola with its panoramic views. Then on to Sasso del Gallo, on the Swiss-Italian border, at the entrance to Poschiavo Valley. The high-altitude trail first leads over meadows past Viano and then through woodland to S. Romerio and Poschiavo.
From Tirano (429m) railway station, take via Roma, go through piazza Marinoni, along via Quadrio, via San Giacomo and via Masuccio. The signs at the beginning of the latter indicate the direction to take. Follow the paved road, then a track that meets the road from Tirano to Baruffini. Signs indicate the bridleway that climbs to Roncaiola. Follow the track through terraced vineyards as it climbs steeply to the traditional hamlet of Roncaiola (800m). The hamlet was inhabited until the ’60s and then abandoned. Over the last few years, the shepherds’ huts have been restored and converted to holiday homes. Past Roncaiola, follow the signs up a steep trail to a track. Take the track up into Poschiavo Valley, leaving behind the slopes of Valtellina. The track passes near the ruins of what were once Guardia di Finanza (customs) barracks in Sasso del Gallo (1239m), (a reminder that smuggling was once what these border peoples thrived on). It leads to the border between Italy and Switzerland at 1296m of altitude. (Regione Lombardia) Follow the road towards the little village of Viano. This region used to be known for its smuggling activities. Coffee in particular was transported from Switzerland into Italy. A wonderful view can be enjoyed from the old smugglers’ village of Viano of the prehistoric rock fall site of Miralago in all its majesty, a scene that is only enhanced by the glacier-covered Bernina group in the background. A slight incline leads to the little hamlet of San Romerio. The little church is one of the oldest places of worship in the Puschlav valley. It is mentioned in old manuscripts dating back as far as the year 1055. The church stands at the edge of a rock face that falls down 100m at a perpendicular angle. Head through the partly rather dense scrub, which is a good habitat for wild animals, to reach Poschiavo via Cologna. (Schweizer Wanderwege)
Natural and cultural heritage
Tirano: near the Swiss border, this town has been of strategic importance since ancient times. The evidence for this lies in the cave etchings, the remains of the ancient fortifications, including three gates (Poschiavina, Bormina and Milanese, 15th century) and the Castle of Santa Maria; noble mansions including the Palazzo Salis (16th century), Quadrio-Curzio (15th-18thcenturies), Merizzi (16th-18th C.), Torelli (16th-19th C.), Marinoni, Visconti Venosta, Buttafava, Omodei and the Torelli Tower (19th C.); religious architecture (the church of Santi Perpetua e Rocco, 16th century; the College of San Martino, founded in 774; the Oratory of San Pietro, 17th century; the church of Santi Teresa e Augustino, 15th century; the former church of San Giacomo, now the Civic Library, 14th century) and important squares, such as Piazza Basilica, Marinoni, Cavour e Parravicini. Sights to visit: the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin (Santuario della Beata Vergine) - the most beautiful example of renaissance architecture in Valtellina, the historic centre and the Ethnographic Museum of Tirano. The Rhetain railway begins here. At Tirano: swimming pool, cinema; in October there is an apple festival. Roncaiola (802m) is part of the Tirano administrative area. Visit the church of Santi Stefano e Lucia (17th century). Its presence dominates the village, now mostly uninhabited. The façade is modest in the extreme with a gable, two niches and a stone window and portal. Inside, the main altar is made of marble with a nineteenth century fresco at the back showing the martyrdom of Saint Stephen, and there are two side chapels. Sasso del Gallo (1290m) is not far from the Swiss border and at the entrance to the Poschiavo valley, where the remains of what used to be the customs post can still be seen. The latter was part of a wide net of border controls which included the barracks at Schiazzera (2080m) and Prà Campo (1761m); in the past, this road was know as "Sentiero dei contrabbandieri" (Smugglers’ Way). (Regione Lombardia) Poschiavo Poschiavo (Puschlav in German) is a community in southern Graubünden. It is situated below the Bernina pass. It was mentioned for the first time in a document in the year 824. In contrast to Veltlin, however, Poschiavo managed to free itself towards the end of the Middle Ages from feudal governance and turn northward to the “Dreibündenstaat” (state of three confederacies), today’s Graubünden. The Veltlin region detached itself from its subservient relationship with the “Drei Bünden” (three confederacies) and finally turned to Italy. In 1803, Poschiavo with the new canton of Graubünden joined the Swiss Confederation and henceforth shared in its destiny. Poschiavo has around 2,000 inhabitants. The town centre suffered flooding in 1987 and since then it has been carefully restored once again. The centre of Poschiavo is marked by particularly charming buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries, including the town hall with a former fortified tower, the late Gothic collegiate church of S. Vittore and the chapel tower of Sta. Maria Presentata. A “Spaniolen” quarter worth visiting is located on the southern outskirts of the town. The Bernina pass road and the Bernina railway lead through Poschiavo. The Bernina line is the only Swiss railway that runs over the Alps without a tunnel. Furthermore, it tackles the altitude difference of 1,824 metres without rack rail sections. Nevertheless, the trains had to cope with gradients of up to 70 per mille. In places where this was no longer sufficient, the engineers building the section in question had to resort to all sorts of tricks to gain in height. That is why the famous circular viaduct was built near Brusio, on which the train loops through the countryside like a model railway. (Schweizer Wanderwege)
Other long-distance trails and alternative routes
The Via Alpina trail follows the same route as the Sentiero Italia trail up to Roncaiola.
From Poschiavo to Eita it is also possible to follow the Via Valtellina to the North then Rif. Saoseo - Val di Campo - Val Viola.
Useful topographic maps
279 Brusio ~ Swisstopo (1: 50'000)
Oberengadin 28 (Bergell - Puschlav) ~ Hallwag Kümmerly und Frey AG / 3-259-00887-X (1: 60'000)
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.
Piet Clerinx - 2022-08-30
In Switzerland a new VA trail is marked and signposted. Parts of the new trail do not correspond with the description on the VA website or with the gpx file. Coming from Tirano, just after La Dogana the new trail does not go down to Viano, but goes right and climbs directly. Half an hour before San Romerio both trails come together. When leaving San Romerio in the direction of Poschiavo, after half an hour the old track goes down left at a bifurcation, the new track continues straight ahead and still climbs a bit. The old track is not marked anymore (just old marks) but you can easily follow it.
Claude - 2022-07-21
J’ai raccourci l’étape en prenant le train Bernina espress jusqu’à Poschiavo. Réservation au Ristorante Selva situé au-dessus de Poschiavo ce qui diminue pas mal de montée. Le patron est venu me chercher à la gare de Poschiavo
Samedi 22 et dimanche 23 juin 2019
Après une tentative samedi (temps vraiment trop mauvais, chemin glissant, voir blog), chemin très agréable le dimanche.
En arrivant avant Poschavio, il y avait un détour (mais pas balisé dans ce sens) suite à risque d'éboulement.
Poschavio très cher, car touristique.
In Poschiavo, behind the main church, a pink building: Oratorium St.Anna, when you look through the fence you see a macabre collection of human skulls.
At the railway station there is a helpful tourist office, if closed there is a pile of city maps with all 13 accommodations. I stayed at Pro Vita Communa. Rather basic but very cheap. Call in advance because the keeper does not live there. Barbara Battilana +41788238144
Stay at San Romerio, don't rush down to Poschiavo. The Refugio has dorms, and good food. Visit the church, get the key at the refugio, take a torch so that you can have a look into the dark crypt. The church stands next to a cliff, if you go round the church it is said that you will then be lucky the rest of your life. But you must be lucky in the first place to survive...
Berta - 2018-06-19
In San Romerio gibt es auch schöne Zimmer und Lager. Gutes Essen und freundlicher Besitzer. Wunderschöne alte Kirche. Ein Platz zum wohlfühlen
Automatic translation
[Google]
In San Romerio there are also nice rooms and camps. Good food and friendly owner. Beautiful old church. A place to feel good
Philippe - 2017-09-17
Plutôt que de loger dans le fond de vallée à Poschiavo, j'ai eu une très bonne expérience un petit peu plus loin sur le parcours, dans la jolie pension de Selva (2 heures de marche depuis Poschiavo, début de l'étape R77) : http://www.selva-pensione-ristorante.ch/ +41 (0) 81 844 07 46
Automatic translation
[Google]
Rather than staying in the valley floor in Poschiavo, I had a very good experience a little further on the course, in the pretty pension of Selva (2 hours walk from Poschiavo, start of the R77 stage) : http://www.selva-pensione-ristorante.ch/ +41 (0) 81 844 07 46
Übernachtung im Casa sourca bei Frau Battilana 078 823 81 44 sehr empfehlenswert! 40.-Fr. mit Frühstück
Im Ristorante Central nicht essen! Statt der drei Spezialitäten, wurden uns drei Degustationsmenus zum dreifachen Preis aufgetischt!?
Automatic translation
[Google]
Overnight in the Casa sourca at Mrs. Battilana 078 823 81 44 highly recommended! 40.-Fr. do not eat with breakfast at Ristorante Central! Instead of the three specialties, three tasting menus were served for three times the price !?
Elisabeth - 2014-03-19
Agréable chemin en forêt mais la signalisation est à revoir entre San Romerio et Poschiavo !
Automatic translation
[Google]
Nice path in the forest but the signage is to review between San Romerio and Poschiavo!
the stage start at 450 m a.s.l. and reach at least ca. 1850 m. a.s.l. follow the infos about time and altitude in the diagram and the google map to know better the landscape... no specific difficulties, quite long stage... ca. 20 km (one day trip or stop in S. romerio or in Le Prese (Poschiavo Lake)... some km before poschiavo
daedalus - 2010-09-04
the stage description says that the stage has over 3500m ascent and nearly 3000 of descent. However the altitude diagram shows only about 1500 ascent and 700 going down. Which is right?
Danny Bellotti - 2009-12-05
Hello from Perth, Western Australia.
I will be in Tirano, Provincia di Sondrio in 2010 and I would like to trek the Via Alpina.
If there is anyone organizing a trek on the Via Alpina Valtellina please contact me at my email address.
|
8h25 |
20.9 km
|
1570 m
|
994 m
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.