Esino Lario: Hiking Trails, Culture and Local Traditions

Esino Lario combines hiking routes with a distinctive natural setting and its own cultural history. The municipality lies entirely within Parco della Grigna Settentrionale, making it the only municipality within the park. The park stretches between Lake Como and the Orobie around the Grigne massif. Its elevations range from 500 to 2,409 metres. Esino Lario therefore offers different highlights for planning a stay: trails through forests and meadows, views of the lake and mountains, and local cultural and culinary traditions.

Hiking around Esino Lario

The approximately seven-kilometre Percorso dei santi eremiti is a round trip through the forests and meadows from Esino to Sasso di San Defendente. Another route connects Varenna and Esino Lario on foot via historic mule tracks. On this route, the climb to Esino is about 6.5 kilometres long. The distance figures therefore refer to different sections and types of trails.

The Panorama sui monti e sui laghi route is 13.5 kilometres long and can be started at any point in Esino Lario. It is described from Piazza Pietro Pensa. Along the route, there are viewpoints overlooking Lake Como and the Grigna. When comparing the tours by distance, you can distinguish the approximately seven-kilometre circular hike, the roughly 6.5-kilometre climb from Varenna and the 13.5-kilometre panoramic route. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

The Grigna and its karst landscape

The summit of Grigna Settentrionale is the destination of numerous hikes. Among the destinations mentioned is also Ghiacciaia del Moncodeno, a gorge with ice formations that persist year-round. The Grotte delle Grigne include caves that extend for several kilometres and reach depths of more than 1,000 metres. These natural features add a geological perspective on the Grigne landscape to the park’s trails.

Museum and architectural history

The Museo delle Grigne occupies two floors. Its departments focus on palaeontology, archaeology and ethno-anthropology, and cover the development of the local area and society from the earliest times to the 20th century. The museum can be visited by prior reservation and as part of guided group visits. If you plan to visit, confirm the reservation and appointment in advance.

Individual buildings also offer insight into the area’s history. The Romanesque chapel of San Pietro in the hamlet of Ortanella stands at an elevation of 996 metres; its origins certainly date back to before the 13th century. The Via Crucis in Esino Lario was created between 1939 and 1940, with fourteen bronze panels set into chapels. The Church of San Giovanni Battista is a subsidiary church of Esino Lario and belongs to the parish of San Vittore Martire. It was consecrated in 1565 and first restored in 1635.

Local cuisine and events

Traditional culinary specialities include Patata bianca di Esino, also known as Biancona, a potato variety traditionally grown in Val d’Esino. Ravioli di Sant’Antonio, also called Patole, is a traditional dish prepared for the feast of Sant’Antonio Abate in Crès, in the upper part of Esino Lario.

The Esino Skyrace has been organised in May by the Polisportiva di Esino association since 2015. Its route follows the ridges of Val d’Esino. If you would like to include the event in your travel plans, check the dates and details for the relevant edition.

Planning your journey

Bus route D21 connects Esino Lario with Perledo, Varenna and Bellano. Check the current timetable before travelling. This will help you coordinate your journey with planned hikes and visits, without implying that the routes and destinations mentioned are served by a specific bus connection.

Discover more destinations: Introzzo, Taceno, Montevecchia, Oliveto Lario, Fiumelatte, Pasturo, Bindo, Vercurago.

For the broader travel overview: Lecco.