Over the years we have been asked by friends to recommend day hikes in the Lake Como area. Above Menaggio, on the west side of the lake, there is a classic route to an alpine refuge (rifugio) which provides breathtaking views of the valley and the surrounding Alpine region.

The Rifugio di Menagio is part of the chain of alpine huts run by the Alpine Club of Italy (CAI) throughout the Italian Alps. Many trekkers stay in these rifugios overnight as they hike from hut to hut across the mountains. But you can also trek to the Rifugio (located at 4,500 ft), have lunch and be back in Menaggio in time for dinner. It is a long day and a tough hike. The sign in Breglia at the start of the trail indicates that it takes 1.5 hours to reach the Rifugio. It takes us closer to 3 hours to cover the 3.2 km up and another 3 hours to get back, although we do stop frequently to take pictures of the spectacular lake views below us as well as the mountains above and around.

To get to the trailhead, we drive about 20 minutes from Menaggio on the road to Lugano, turning off toward Loveno and the village of Breglia. There is a bus you can take from Menaggio (no 13) but the schedule is difficult to understand, and it is not entirely reliable.  Parking near the Chapel of San Domenico, in Breglia, we pack up our water bottles and begin the 3 km trek up a steep, zigzagging mountain path, following the red and yellow trail markings. At first, dense woods on either side limit the view but, as we gain altitude, the trees begin to thin out. We reach Classic Alpine terrain with stunning views of Lake Como shimmering far below us. The narrow track winds around the mountainside going up and down small vales. In some places the trail is so steep that metal lines are embedded in the ground providing handholds to scramble over the rocks. At times we have to search for the trail markings amid intersecting paths.

All around the air is scented with wild rosemary and jasmine, mountain wildflowers peek out from under a dozen shades of green, bees buzz lazily back and forth in the warm air tempting you to stop and sit a spell. But the mountain awaits …

While we struggle up the last half mile, a tiny, very elderly nun passes us, as cool as a cucumber, her wimple intact. “Buon giorno,” she says as she flits past. “Corraggio (courage)” she says, “You are almost there!”

The Rifugio, built of stone with red lettering emblazoned above the door, sits on a plateau on the south side of Mt. Grona beneath a massive rock outcrop. It is a welcome sight for weary, hungry trekkers. Even more welcome is the water spigot. Our prize for making it up the mountain, however, is a hearty lunch — a hot plate of steaming pasta covered in tomato and mushrooms with a generous scoop of pale Parmesan cheese that melts into the sauce, a mixed salad and large pieces of chocolate cake, the whole thing washed down by a carafe of local wine.

After lunch, a brief siesta on the grass under the trees in front of the Rifugio, overlooking the lake, recharges our batteries for the trek back down the mountainside where a swim in the cool water, followed by a stroll along the enchanting lakeshore and a cappuccino at a waterfront café refreshes body and soul.

IF YOU GO
The Rifugio is open every day during the summer but only on weekends and holidays during the rest of the year.

For more photographs of the Lake Como area visit www.allegriaphotos.com

 

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2014-2016 Diana Russler