Sondrio
is a beautiful city of northern Lombardy at the confluence
of the Adda river and the Mallero stream and at the entrance of the
picturesque Valmalenco where the
wonderful Valtellina spread all its
beauty on the slopes of the Alpine massifs in the
immense, magnificent surface of the extraordinary Stelvio National Park, which includes six Nature Reserves.
Centre of ancient origins linked to Celtic and Roman settlements
and subsequently a strategic base in the Middle Ages, Sondrio is now an
important commercial hub between Lombardy and Switzerland and known for its
cultural, artistic and monumental heritage as well as great gastronomic
traditions.
I suggest to start your visit from the central Piazza Garibaldi, a wide urban space
surrounded by fascinating 19th century buildings with wonderful
views on the horizon of the majestic glaciers of the Italian-Swiss Alps,
imposing rocky spurs overlooking the Mallero stream and the beautiful image of
the numerous vineyards in rows lined up on gentle hillsides.
A short
distance from Galleria Campiello,
the city's bustling shopping center, in this very attractive square you can
admire a bronze statue depicting "the hero of the two worlds", the
Nice condottiere Giuseppe Garibaldi, a work made by the sculptor Confalonieri, the famous Pedretti Theater built in 1821 and the refined Palazzo Martinenghi.
In front of the latter you can stop in front of the obelisk made by Giuseppe Croff, a monument
consisting of four statues erected in honor of Ferdinand I of Austria for
the support he gave to Sondrio after the flood of the Mallero in 1834 ordering
the reconstruction of the banks of the stream.
Afterwards you will be able to admire the elegant Casa Lambertenghi, the well-known Post Office Hotel dating back to the 19th century with the
building that houses the Bank of Italy
nearby.
Continue along the course of the Mallero crossing a small bridge
and you will enter in the Baiacca, a
picturesque village developed by the noble governors reaching Piazza Carbonera where stands the Palace of the same name.
It is a refined 17th century building with beautiful
columns decorated with Renaissance capitals placed in ornate loggias that
constitute a magnificent portico with three pointed arches.
In a short walk you can enter in the charming Contrada Cantone where there are some of the oldest local noble
residences, namely Casa Sertoli and Casa
Romegiall.
In that point you can cross the Mallero again reaching Via Fracaiolo, a historic road on which
in 1325 the defensive city walls were built by the Guelph Capitanei to protect
Sondrio from the incursions of the Ghibelline
Rusconi of Como.
In that place you can see the ancient stone washhouse used by
housewives since ancient times to wash clothes and the remains of the wheels of the hammers that represented for a long time the
major economic activity of Sondriese.
Continue towards “Piazza
Vecchia" today known as Piazza
Cavour where the Salita Ligari is located, it is a path with an
ascending staircase on which you will see the house of the artist Gian Pietro Ligari in which he spent the last years of his
life.
From there you can reach the iconic Masegra Castle restored in the 16th century, a fortress that was a
fief of noble families such as Capitanei and the Graubünden Salis.
Continuing along Via San Siro you will the beautiful Chiesa
dell’ Angelo della Guardia built
next to the destroyed Church of San Siro
which, according to a famous legend, was a place where it is said that the
Witches celebrated the rite of the Sabbath, a reason that led the clergy to
demolish it.
Passing through Via Lavizzari you will enter the suggestive Piazza Quadrivio where the presence of
some historic aristocratic palaces such as Palazzo
Paribelli, Palazzo Sertoli and Palazzo Giaccone
stands out, as well as a picturesque circular
fountain of the 800.
A short distance away, in
Via Quadrio, stands the beautiful Palazzo
Sassi de' Lavizzari, which houses the well-known Valtellina Museum of
History and Art and worth a visit to discover the history of the territory in a
splendid journey to know in a step by step also the chronological artistic
highlights of the Sondrio and Valtellina.
Time
for your lunch and Sondrio offers a fantastic gastronomy. You can start with mixed
appetizer based on Bresaola, Bacon and Grilled Vegetables, among the first
traditional courses between Pumpkin Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms or Homemade
Pizzoccheri.
Among
the second courses you can opt for Venison Stew with Slice of Polenta
Taragna or Pork Ribs with Beans and Stewed Peas, Valtellina is a
land of superb wines such as Sassella, Inferno, Grumello, Maroggia, Valgella so
you can taste these authentic masterpieces.
After your delicious lunch retake Via Quadrio which is also a
passage to the fascinating Piazza Campello where the beautiful Collegiate Church of Saints Gervasio and
Protaso is located, erected in 1300 next to the 20th century
Ligariana Tower which is part of the ecclesiastical complex.
Nearby you can stop in front of the beautiful Praetorian Palace built in 1200
although widely launched in the sixteenth century and now the Municipal
Headquarters.
Along
the nearby Via Scarparetti you can enjoy one of the most rustic and
authentic corners of the old Sondrio, with its
cobblestone floor, arched walls, rural stone houses, barns, characteristic
taverns and three small votive chapels dedicated to the Madonna near the
surrounding vineyards that are a wonderful natural setting for this very
suggestive place.
From here you can descend towards a garden where you will find Villa Quadrio and the Municipal Library
dedicated to Pio Rajna , a
well-known philologist from Valtellina, and then you will reach the beautiful Church of San Rocco dating back to the 16th century, erected
as a thanksgiving for the plague that escaped in 1513.
Visiting
Sondrio is a splendid experience, this splendid Valtellina' s gateway is a very captivating and attractive city with
many architectural contrasts enlivened by breathtaking alpine landscapes and
this center will certainly remain in your happy and pleasant memories.
Link : https://www.visitasondrio.it/site/en/home/discover/the-city.html
Where to Stay | Recommeded Hotels
Grand Hotel della Posta - https://www.grandhoteldellaposta.eu/
Hotel Campelli - https://www.campelli.it