The village of Savogno in Val Bregaglia

The hike does not begin from just any old place. Along the S37 main road, which leads to the Maloja pass and Saint Moritz (Switzerland), you will catch sight of twin waterfalls. Here the Acqua Fraggia torrent, coming from the lake of the same name (altitude of 2,043 metres), reaches the end of its course before flowing into the Mera river, whose waters run to Lake Como.

 

There is a car park where you can leave your car and make the most of this powerful sight: a fall of several tens of metres and spray carried on the wind create a graceful veil of white water. To reach the beginning of the paths, you will pass a few metres away from the base of the waterfalls. So take a waterproof, especially if it’s windy; if it’s hot, on the other hand, you will be glad of the coolness brought by this shower of droplets.

From Borgonovo di Piuro (403 metres), two options are available to you to climb up to Savogno. One footpath begins near the waterfalls and follows the dynamic course of the torrent, through a forest of chestnuts. Its route crosses the bed of the waterway via small wooden bridges. It is only on reaching the village that the trees become more sparse and give way to a sloping glade.

 

In order to cover the 530 metres of difference in altitude (allow 1hr30min), you can also opt for the historic path, made entirely of stone. Someone had fun counting 2,886 steps. Besides the rather impressive gradient, you will be amazed above all by the craftsmanship of this artisanal stairway (a veritable historic monument).

Savogno (932 metres) boasts a handful of stone houses with wooden loggias. Most of them have been deserted since the 1960s, but strolling through the alleys you can make out discreet signs of life. Indeed heirs and pensioners take up residence in their chalets for a few months, preferably in summer. The rest of the year, the village is inhabited only by managers of the refuge, in a real haven of peace and quiet.

 

Worth seeing: the 15th century church, a few beautiful frescoes, but also the loggias of the houses and the barns. Lights have recently been placed in a few alleys, which are illuminated at night.

From this isolated village at the edge of the mountain you will enjoy a magnificent panorama overlooking Val Bregaglia and the town of Chiavenna.

 

Savogno (932 metres) boasts a handful of stone houses with wooden loggias. Most of them have been deserted since the 1960s, but strolling through the alleys you can make out discreet signs of life. Indeed heirs and pensioners take up residence in their chalets for a few months, preferably in summer. The rest of the year, the village is inhabited only by managers of the refuge, in a real haven of peace and quiet.

Worth seeing: the 15th century church, a few beautiful frescoes, but also the loggias of the houses and the barns. Lights have recently been placed in a few alleys, which are illuminated at night.

From this isolated village at the edge of the mountain you will enjoy a magnificent panorama overlooking Val Bregaglia and the town of Chiavenna.

 

 

The Savogno refuge (once the village school, renovated in the 1990s) is open all year round. It has a proper kitchen, but even without reserving, you will find a cheeseboard, charcuteries and a glass of wine here – essential for recovering after the ascent. The atmosphere is rather rustic but pleasant and welcoming. If you want to make the most of the serenity of the village for a whole day and evening, then spending the night here might be a good idea.

 

 

The most athletic visitors can continue their walk as far as the inhabited hamlet of Dasile (1,032 metres), a 30-minute walk away on the other side of the torrent. Savogno and Dasile have long been separated, not only by a 100-metre difference in altitude, but also by a rivalry born at the time of the plague, which the inhabitants of Dasile are said to have deliberately transmitted to their neighbours.