Valleve: Hiking and Cultural Heritage

Valleve combines hiking routes with a historic townscape and traces of traditional pastoral life. When planning your trip, you can choose between two distinct focuses: trails through meadows, forests, and grazing land, or architectural history in the historic center and in Cambrembo. The routes also have different highlights: the Sentiero 112 features mountain huts and a connection to the mountain pass, while the Sentiero 117 is distinguished by a viewpoint and a high-altitude destination.

Hiking Trails with Different Highlights

The Sentiero 112 starts in Cambrembo, in Valleve. It passes through meadows, forests, and grazing land, and by several mountain huts. It also joins the Sentiero delle Orobie Centro-Occidentali and provides access in the direction of Passo di Tartano, at an altitude of 2,102 meters.

The Sentiero 117 can also be reached from the hamlet of Valrobà in Valleve. From the Casera di Monte Colle, you can enjoy sweeping views of the peaks of the upper Val Fondra. The trail continues to Forcolino di Torcola, at an altitude of 1,856 meters. By comparison, the Sentiero 112 focuses on the changing scenery of meadows, forests, and grazing land, as well as its mountain huts. The Sentiero 117 is defined by its viewpoint and high-altitude destination.

Winter and Pastoral Life

With appropriate safety precautions, the Sentiero 117 is also suitable for snowshoeing. Check the current avalanche conditions beforehand if you plan to do this. The San Simone ski area in Valleve includes the Camoscio chairlift. Its availability depends on the season, so check before your trip.

Pastoral life also shapes the way Valleve is seen. In the past, residents devoted themselves entirely to livestock farming and summer alpine grazing. In summer, a herd is taken to the pastures of Alpe Arale–San Simone in the municipality of Valleve. This brings a historic way of life together with a seasonal activity on the pastures.

Townscape and History

Valleve’s historic center preserves an urban layout dating from the medieval period and the 17th century. The central square is framed by arcades, decorated houses, and a small church. On June 30, 1432, Bishop Aregazzi consecrated the rebuilt parish church, Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo Apostoli, to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. On the night of March 28, 1888, an avalanche destroyed part of its façade; the church was subsequently rebuilt from the foundations up. The consecration and later reconstruction mark two clearly dated periods in its history.

Cambrembo also has its own historic landmark: the Oratorio di Santa Elisabetta has traces dating from the 13th century, while its present form dates from the 17th century. The Casa dei Notai preserves three centuries of local history.

At La Rasega, a historic turbine bears witness to the former energy supply: until the 1970s, it supplied electricity to the entire settlement. The historic saw is fully operational. Confirm its condition before arranging a possible mechanical demonstration.

Discover more destinations: Oltre Il Colle, Zandobbio, Oneta, Ambria-spino, Piazza Brembana, Boltiere, Roncola, Calusco D'adda.

For the broader travel overview: Bergamo.