Magreglio: Cycling History, Nature and Views

Magreglio offers a range of themes for your stay: cycling history and religious heritage around Madonna del Ghisallo, a panorama from Belvedere Romeo, and natural features at Menaresta and Bocc de Pegur. Historic buildings and archaeological traces add to these highlights. Organizing your trip around your interests lets you distinguish between cultural history, landscapes and natural phenomena.

Cycling and Madonna del Ghisallo

The Museo del Ciclismo - Madonna del Ghisallo was founded and inaugurated in 2006 by cyclist Fiorenzo Magni. Its extensive collection includes historic jerseys and bicycles. It documents cycling and the bicycle in both sporting and everyday contexts. This dual perspective extends beyond the history of competition: alongside its use in sport, the bicycle in everyday life is also part of the story being documented.

At the Santuario della Madonna del Ghisallo, a popular image of the Madonna del Latte from the 16th century is venerated. In 1949, Madonna del Ghisallo was declared the patron saint of cyclists. This brings together two distinct historical associations: an older religious tradition of imagery and the later-established connection with cycling. The museum and the Santuario thus offer different ways to explore the story of Madonna del Ghisallo.

Panoramas and natural features

From Belvedere Romeo, you can see the Grigna at 2,409 m, the surrounding mountains, the Lecco branch, and the central and upper parts of Lake Como. The view takes in more than a single peak: alongside the named Grigna, it includes the mountain landscape and several stretches of the lake. This makes the viewpoint a different nature experience from the individual features at Menaresta and Bocc de Pegur.

Menaresta is the source of the Lambro and a natural siphon from which water regularly emerges. From the village, you can reach Menaresta in about half an hour via the chestnut groves and upstream along the Lambro. The river is not only part of the route to the destination; it is also connected to its natural feature: Menaresta is its source.

Bocc de Pegur consists of interconnected caves with stalagmites. This natural feature differs from Menaresta: there, the focus is on the source, the siphon and the water that regularly emerges; here, it is on the interconnected caves and their stalagmites. The two places therefore offer different natural features to suit your interests.

Historic traces and routes

The Masso avello that remains in Magreglio was used as a basin. Prehistoric finds were discovered at Bus de la Stria, which the antica strada dei Vitt passes by. The route therefore has a specific archaeological connection. The 16th-century Monastero is now called Ca’ Moiana, while Cà del Tay has distinctive lobbie. The two buildings offer different points of interest: at Ca’ Moiana, the historic designation and present-day name are notable, while at Cà del Tay, a particular architectural feature stands out.

The “Seguendo il Tivano: petit vent” itinerary also provides clear route guidance. The route climbs for 450 m along the provincial road to the historic village of Madonna del Ghisallo, home to the Santuario della Madonna del Ghisallo of the same name. The itinerary thus connects a stretch of road with a destination that is part of both Magreglio’s religious history and its cycling history.

When choosing a focus for your trip, the themes are easy to distinguish: the museum and the Santuario represent cycling and religious history, while Belvedere Romeo offers views of the mountains and Lake Como. Menaresta and Bocc de Pegur showcase different natural features; Masso avello, Bus de la Stria and the buildings mentioned above add historic and archaeological connections.

Discover more destinations: Erba, Colonno, Gravedona, Carugo, Pianello Del Lario, Lezzeno, Corrido, Stazzona

For the broader travel overview: Como.