edited by Dave Collins

The Friday afternoon around the 15.00 we have departed from Milan with destination Livigno (www.livigno.it). The kilometers to be crossed in car are around 240, few more than 3 hours of trip. We recommend you to cross the following itinerary: Milan, Lecco, Chiavenna, St. Moritz, Livigno. After having finished the tunnels that coast along the lake of Lecco, it reaches Chiavenna, immediately enters later the small country of Piuro, here they is not able not to see its falls that deserve a photo, it continues in direction of St. Moritz, clearly needs to overcome the control of the customs because it enters Switzerland. The landscape changes, the Swiss country is famous for its order and for its uncontaminated nature.

After a series of hairpin bends it comes on the shore of the lake of St. Moritz, a very beautiful place, water is of color green emerald, tonality that is owed to the reflex of the trees adjacent to the shore. The lake is destination of sportsmen that practises the kitesurf, the windsurf and the sailboat, this zone is often very ventilated. For the lovers of less extreme sport there is the possibility to walk afoot or in bicycle along the shore of the lake, where a cycle footstep of different kilometers is present. Later St. Moritz it continues in direction of Pontresina and then in direction of Livigno. To this point of the road it remains without breath because in front of the eyes the mountainous group of the Bernina appears with its perennial glaciers.

Absolutely need to stay and to photograph this show of the nature, begs me, to the quick one, because it's very cold! It's possible to also see the red small train because it passes really in this zone. Continuing for Livigno reaches the customs of the footstep of the Forcola (2315 meters). From here the road it starts to go down toward the country of Livigno (1815 meters). Just entered Livigno there are direct toward our hotel "Constancy" situated to few hundred meters from the center of the country. The two owners there were to welcome us, kind and nice. After being systematizes us in room, we have gone to take a walk for the center to see some shop and to look for a place whether to dine. We have found the restaurant Garden, local in style "log cabin of mountain", excellent the service. The supper to base of mushrooms and meat of buck has been really delicious.

The Saturday morning after an abundant breakfast, we have taken two bicycles, made from the hotel available, and we have gone to cross the cycle footstep that unties in the ample valley of Livigno. During pedaled we have had a meeting brought closer with a group of very sociable cows, they didn't disdain the soft green grass that we offered in meal. The cycle footstep coasts along a stream of clear water, where in some periods of the year develop some competitions of fishing of the trout. After having pedaled for some kilometer in direction of the footstep of the Forcola, we have returned back for being able to have lunch on the lake of Livigno to bases of sausage and chips. After lunch there are stretched out in the grass and we have pleasantly put to sleep there, not absorb of the fact that the sun was slowly roasting us.

The awakening has not been of the most pleasant, in fact, instead of waking up by an alarm clock we have had the "to like" to wake up by the cackles of a group of little boys. They perhaps have us "saved" from a scorching that it would have cared awake for the whole night. After having bought some souvenirs and some things of primary necessity as the pure alcohol to be able to make the limoncello, we have returned in the hotel to it stuffed a shower and to prepare us to go to eat a good pizza, always to the restaurant "Garden". The Sunday after the usual abundant breakfast, we have made some shopping in the center of Livigno, we have entered then in almost all the little shops there are finally direct toward the Val Federia to be able to have lunch to the shelter that meets to the beginning of the valley. Just before to reach the shelter it can be had the fortune to see some nice marmots on a slant that coasts along the asphalted road.

To the shelter we have known indeed a beautiful and affectionate dog. Around the 15.00 we have left Livigno, that according to our opinion it is one of the places of mountain more beautiful than Italy.

Recipes typical of Livigno.