Oltre Il Colle: Hiking Trails, Mountains and Culture

The Conca di Oltre Il Colle has an extensive network of hiking trails for all ability levels, from easy walks to more challenging mountain hikes. When planning, the type of outing you want is a helpful starting point: would you prefer a walk or a more challenging mountain hike?

Hiking and Mountain Walks

Sentiero 244 loops around the slopes of Pizzo Arera and leads back to Capanna 2000. Check route conditions before setting out. Sentiero dei Fiori takes a different approach: as a nature trail in the Bergamasque Prealps, it showcases rare and spectacular flowers whose appearance depends on the season. On Monte Arera, it is a hike that is not technically demanding from a mountaineering perspective. The routes described therefore differ in their course and in their connection with nature through seasonal blooms.

A via ferrata on Monte Alben winds through a wild, unspoilt mountain landscape. On May 8, 2026, the “Maurizio” Via Ferrata reopened after safety conditions had been restored and was accessible at that time. Weather, safety work or seasonal conditions may affect access; check the latest status before setting out.

More Outdoor Activities

Away from the hiking trails, there are other ways to get active: in the Conca, you can mountain bike along farm tracks and hiking trails. With the support of instructors from Scuola N.W. di Oltre Il Colle, visitors can try Nordic walking. At Passo di Zambla, Parco Avventura Monte Alben is a high ropes course set among the trees. The activities therefore differ in kind: cycling on trails, Nordic walking with instructor support, or the high ropes course.

Art, Museums and History

Cattedrale Vegetale stands amid nature at the foot of Monte Arera and is a land art work by artist Giuliano Mauri. It offers a different cultural perspective from the historic churches and mining heritage: here, the focus is on a land art work in a natural setting.

The Museo della miniera e dei minerali displays more than 2,000 minerals and 450 fossils. In Zorzone, the Museo dei minerali di Zorzone recalls Oltre Il Colle’s long mining tradition; the Museo dei Minerali a Zorzone is arranged over three floors in three clearly distinct sections. The collection and its layout offer different points of interest if you are interested in minerals, fossils or the history of mining.

According to the 1666 diocesan summary, the parish church of Zambla, dedicated to Santa Maria Maddalena, had four altars. The Church of Santa Maria Maddalena in Zambla was consecrated on July 18, 1737. The two dates refer to different things: 1666 is the year of the summary, while 1737 is the consecration date.

Baita Nembrini is also part of the area’s history: it was inaugurated on August 28, 1976, in memory of mountain guide Carlo Nembrini, and was previously called Bivacco Nembrini.

Discover more destinations: Roncola, Bagnella, Costa Di Mezzate, Palosco, Bottanuco, Camerata Cornello, Ponteranica, Almenno San Salvatore.

For the broader travel guide: Bergamo.