Waterfalls, lakes, streams: 6 PLACES to REFRESH in Lombardy

Milan is hot in the summer. Fortunately, it is close to some of the coolest places in Italy

Credits cristian_messa_ IG - Val Vertova

Summer that promises a record heat. Let’s discover six destinations where you can escape the heat and take a regenerating bath without going too far from Milan.

Waterfalls, lakes, streams: 6 PLACES to REFRESH in Lombardy

# The “Bidet della Contessa” in Val di Mello, the gem of Val Masino (Sondrio)

Ph. credits: valmasino.info – Bidet della Contessa

A place to find refreshment in this hot summer is the province of Sondrio in Val Masino, specifically in the small hamlet of Val di Mello. A valley full of small streams and lakes with crystal clear water, including the famous Bidet della Contessa, and capable of offering an enchanting scenery thanks to the peaks that surround it.

From Milan it can be reached in a couple of hours by car via the state road 36 of Lake Como.

# The “water snake” of Preda Rossa (Sondrio)

Credits stevicio84 IG – Predarossa

We are always in the heart of Val Masino in the province of Sondrio. The “Plain” that distinguishes Preda Rossa (red stone), whose name derives from the high peaks of red rocks that overlook it, is crossed by the Duino river which winds its way like a large snake with its sinuous bends. Here, at an altitude of 2000 meters, the pleasant temperatures and pure air are ideal for cooling off and regenerating. From Milan it takes about two and a half hours by car, passing through the state road 36 of Lake Como.

# The Acquafraggia waterfalls of Piuro waterfalls, also mentioned by Leonardo in the Codex Atlanticus (Valchiavenna – Sondrio)

charliefiore IG – Cascate Acquafraggia

The wonderful Acquafraggia waterfalls leave anyone who goes to Borgonuovo di Piuro enchanted. The nebulization of the water is so regenerating that it is sufficient without having to immerse yourself in the pond to collect the fruit of the falls. Also mentioned by Leonardo in the Codex Atlanticus, this spectacle of nature deserves a nice walk suitable for everyone. They can be reached from Milan in just under two hours by car, also in this case via the state road 36 of Lake Como.

# Val Vertova, one of the most evocative corners of the middle Val Seriana (Bergamo)

cristian_messa_ IG – Val Vertova

We move to the province of Bergamo in Val Vertova, one of the most evocative corners of the middle Val Seriana. In this path in contact with nature you can find fabulous jumps of crystalline water, natural pools, rich vegetation and the giants’ potholes, “galleries” shaped over the centuries by the force of the waters. They are 74 kilometers from Milan, which can be covered in just over an hour via the A4.

# Cenghen waterfall, at the foot of the Grigna massif (Lecco)

Credits fendrixlady IG – Cascate del Cenghen

At the foot of the Grigna massif in Val Monastero, a few hundred meters from the beaches of Abbadia on Lake Como, is the natural spectacle of the Cenghen waterfall. Here, from a huge vertical wall of 50 meters, with a deep crack, pure water flows, creating a blue pool below where you can find relief from the summer heat. They can be reached after a journey of about an hour by car from Milan, to which is added another hour of walking in the woods.

# Sentiero delle Vasche (Path of the Basins), gorges and pools of water in the gorge of the torrent of Hell (Lecco)

chia_diesel IG – Sentiero delle vasche

The “Sentiero delle Vasche” is a fun and scenic itinerary that from Valmadrera allows you to visit the gorge of the Inferno stream, with numerous passages and crossings on rock. An incredible landscape between gorges wedged between high rocky walls that frame pools and waterfalls and create fascinating water features. Of the six solutions, it is the closest to Milan: about 50 kilometers that can be covered in an hour by car.

Source: AcchiappaMappa IG

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