Sernio

Sitting above the valley floor in somewhat of a sun trap, the small town of Sernio is split into four neighbourhoods: Valchiosa, Di Sotto, Piazza and Biolo. The houses, immersed in the greenery of the local orchards, are looked over by the tall, imposing sight of the Parish Church of Santi Cosma and Damiano. Built in 1477, it was destroyed and then rebuilt in the 17th century.

For a glimpse into Sernio’s history, there’s a lot to feast your eyes on, including castle ruins, the elegant facade of the palazzo belonging to the Omodei family, the oratory of Madonna della Neve, built in the late 17th century, and the Church of San Gottardo, first recorded in 1332 and now sat alongside the main road.

These days, Sernio’s economy is centred around the cultivation of Valtellina’s popular apples. Thanks to its fertile soil and great sun exposure, orchards now virtually cover its landscape at the expense of former crops like vines, rye, wheat, and barley.

Fans of fishing can obtain permits to fish in the small man-made lake filled with water from the river Adda; such a tranquil spot, it’s surrounded by greenery and equipped with a water-fountain and picnic tables at the Casanatura di Legambiente. If you set off uphill on the slopes of Monte Masuccio to an elevation of 800 metres, you’ll come across a dry-stonewall structure with terraces, and unique ‘murache’ (granite rock masses removed from the soil many years ago and positioned on the edge of the terraces) and a small settlement of ‘baitelli’ – not the standard size for a mountain hut, these are smaller with a round base and dome-shaped cover. These little huts have been recently restored and are presumed to have once been used by shepherds or simply as seasonal residences based on agricultural needs.




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