The Mello Valley
A mountain walk in Valtellina for children and families
The hike in Val di Mello, with the possibility of a rest stop or lunch at a refreshment stand, offers breathtaking panoramic views and wide natural spaces where you can sit and admire the beauty of the alpine mountains.
The name of Val di Mello comes from the name of the village of Mello, on the Costiera dei Cech (the Rhaetian side of the Lower Valtellina). Its inhabitants, in decades past, used to bring their cattle to graze during the summer in this very alpine valley, which thus took its name from their place of origin.
In Val di Mello you only go on foot: you can walk through it all or just a piece, stopping to enjoy the peaceful flow of the river, the scent of its woods or the colors of its nature. Reaching the start of the Val di Mello walk is easy: just drive to San Martino in Valmasino, where the Val di Mello parking lot is located.
To understand its beauty and energy, one must take the time to experience this enchanted and protected place: here one comes into direct contact with unspoiled nature, which knows how to amaze in every season of the year.
- To get to the Val di Mello Nature Reserve, take the road in the direction of Val Masino.
- You can leave your car in San Martino, in one of the paid parking lots, and then walk or shuttle to the entrance of Val di Mello.
- The Mello Valley trail is flat and is also suitable for children.
- Duration of the walk in Val di Mello: from the beginning to the end of the trail walk about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Several rest stops are encountered along the trail.
- For the more trained or for those who wish to extend the hike, there are trails from Val di Mello to high altitude refuges, to be hiked accompanied by experienced mountain guides.