Dorio: Village History and the Sentiero del Viandante

Dorio lies between lake and mountain. Stone houses cluster around the church, with narrow lanes running between them. This settlement pattern gives the village a distinct historical character. Two different themes stand out when planning your trip: the history of the village and its churches, and the Sentiero del Viandante. You can get to know Dorio through both its older settlements and buildings and its hiking trail.

Mandonico and the History of San Giorgio

In the Middle Ages, Mandonìco, also known as Mondonico, was Dorio’s most important settlement. The medieval Pieve di San Giorgio in Mandonico features a fresco cycle dating from 1492. Around 1300, a chapel dedicated to Saint George was probably built in Mandonico. The fresco cycle dates to 1492; the chapel’s construction around 1300 remains a probability.

Dorio’s former parish church of San Giorgio already existed in 1412. The Sentiero del Viandante runs alongside it between Dorio and Colico. The Campanile di San Giorgio replaced the original Romanesque bell tower in 1653 and was restored in 1978.

Hiking the Sentiero del Viandante

Fit hikers can complete the Sentiero del Viandante in three or four days. The section between Dorio and Colico climbs through a chestnut forest to the Chapel of San Rocco. The frescoed Oratory of San Rocco was built in 1858 along the trail towards Colico.

After San Rocco, a section of steps leads to a viewpoint on a ridge. The ridge separates the coast of Dorio from the coast overlooking Laghetto di Piona. The Chapel of San Rocco is at 487 metres and heralds the Ronchi di Vesgallo at 555 metres. Near the trail, rocks shaped during the Quaternary period, chestnut trees, birches, and the first beeches define the landscape. Before your hike, check the current trail conditions locally.

Churches and Views

The churchyard of San Giorgio offers views across the lake and over the lower-lying houses of Dorio. From the Campanile di San Giorgio, the view extends to the Grigne and the Rhaetian Alps, which frame the lake.

The isolated church of Madonna Regina dei Monti stands on Monte Sparesèe, within the municipality of Dorio. It was built so that mountain farmers could celebrate religious feast days without having to return each time to Dorio’s distant parish church. San Giorgio was a former parish church of Dorio; Madonna Regina dei Monti was intended to let mountain farmers celebrate feast days on the mountain.

In Località Comballo, cup-marked stones are considered traces of religious rites.

Discover more destinations: Dervio, Molteno, Olgiate Molgora, Baita, Colico, Cremella, Introzzo, Arlate

For the broader travel overview: Lecco.