Bormio: Culture, Nature and Thermal Baths

Bormio brings together local history, nature, thermal baths and sporting history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Bormio, you can first decide what you’d like to focus on during your stay: local history, flora and the protected area, or thermal baths and the history of skiing. The following topics differ in both location and content, and can help you plan your days around your interests.

Cultural History at the Museo Civico

The Museo Civico di Bormio tells the story of the Magnifica Terra and its traditions through its collections. It was founded in 1962 and designated a town museum in 1967. The museum occupies fourteen rooms and houses a collection of 3,000 items, divided into two sections. It is housed in the typically wood-panelled rooms of Palazzo de Simoni. The palace dates back to the 17th century and stands on the remains of a medieval castle. The collection and the building’s architectural history are thus both part of the cultural heritage on display.

Historic Centre and Architecture

Bormio’s historic centre features old churches, palaces, rural houses, portals, frescoes and other examples of art. These varied forms express the town’s history through different types of architecture: religious and aristocratic buildings stand alongside rural houses and details such as portals and frescoes. Bormio is also home to a distinctive arched bridge built directly onto the rock. It adds a structure of its own to the architectural landscape. Visitors interested in history and architecture will find more than just a single museum perspective.

Botanical Diversity on Monte Reit

The Giardino Botanico Alpino Rezia is in the Campello district, north of Bormio, on the slopes of Monte Reit. It covers 14,400 square metres. The garden is a 20-minute walk from the town centre along an uphill road. When planning your visit, take both the stated walking time and the uphill route into account. The garden recreates representative habitats of the flora of Stelvio National Park and also features systematic and phytogeographical plant collections. These offer two different ways to explore: recreated habitats and collections arranged according to systematic and phytogeographical principles. Interactive stations, self-guided paths and guided events provide different ways to explore the garden. Free public guided tours are held weekly from June to September. As schedules may change, check the latest dates before travelling.

Finding Your Way Around Stelvio National Park

The Torre Alberti information centre for Stelvio National Park is located in Bormio. It provides information about notable places in the protected area, helps visitors plan their own excursions and offers details of organised park activities. During the high season, visitors can register there for organised excursions. This is a different kind of guidance from the self-guided paths in the botanical garden: Torre Alberti supports planning trips in the protected area, while the garden focuses on its plant life and the ways to explore it.

Thermal Baths in Bormio

Bormio Terme is located in the centre of Bormio and has been a specialist thermal centre since 1920. Its facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, saunas and steam baths. The thermal water is used for inhalation treatments, balneotherapy, balneofangotherapy, physiotherapy, rehabilitation in thermal water and a vascular circuit. The facilities and treatments highlight different aspects of the thermal centre: the pools and sauna areas on the one hand, and thermal-water treatments on the other. As facilities and treatments may change, check the latest visitor information before travelling.

Skiing History at Pista Stelvio

Pista Stelvio adds the history of alpine skiing to Bormio’s range of attractions. Pista Stelvio was inaugurated in 1982 for the first edition of the World Series. It hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships in 1985 and 2005, as well as the World Cup Finals in 1995 and 2008. Since 1993, it has been the venue for the men’s World Cup downhill race. These dates link major individual competitions with the slope’s long-standing role in the World Cup. For sports enthusiasts, this history of competitions offers another way to discover Bormio.

Discover more destinations: Lovero, Tovo Di Sant’agata, Dazio, Piateda, Valdisotto, Poggiridenti, Caspoggio, Morbegno

For the overview of the wider area: Sondrio.