Grosotto

Frequently plundered over the centuries, there is little remaining of Grosotto’s ancient medieval village, but these days it is a lively little town.

Via Patrioti is particularly worth exploring, where you’ll find the old rectory and can admire the typical use of stone on the entranceway with ornate decorations of angels, flowers, and heads. On the right corner of the facade is a so-called ‘pillar of shame’ on which criminals were publicly disgraced. Certain other facades stand out amongst the houses in Grosotto, including the casa del capitano Giacono Robustelli and the casa Stoppani, which lies opposite one of the most beautiful fountains–washhouses in the entire valley.  

A visit to the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine delle Grazie should be on everyone's list, as it is one of Valtellina’s most significant religious sites. It was built in 1487 as a thank you to the village for its narrow escape from further destruction by the then-young state of Grisons, who invaded Valtellina for a long period from 1486 onwards. Underneath its barrel vaulted ceiling decorated with frescoes, there is an impressive eighteenth-century Serassi organ, a magnificent, well-preserved instrument from the mid-19th century with a beautiful carved wooden case.

Popular for sport fishing, the idyllic Parco Prati di Punta lies on the edge of the village next to the river with two small artificial lakes. It also has facilities for tennis, basketball, volleyball, and a play park. As a base, Grosotto is ideal if you’re heading up into the unspoilt mountain landscape of Valgrosina or for a mellow bike ride along the Sentiero Valtellina cycle route.