Hotel Giardino
Breno - Via XXVIII Aprile, 7
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The Val Camonica (or Valcamonica) is a Lombardy valley that stretches from the shores of Lake Iseo to the Gavia Pass, which marks the valley’s northernmost point. Valcamonica extends for almost 100 kilometres between the provinces of Brescia and Bergamo and is traversed along its entire length by the River Oglio, which originates at Ponte di Legno and flows into the Po. Within its boundaries lie villages steeped in history, spectacular natural landscapes and an ancient cultural heritage. This territory was formed thousands of years ago when the last ice age ended and melting glaciers carved out the valley.
Around 5000 BC, the Camuni settled here – a people who spoke a pre-Indo-European language and left behind over 300,000 rock engravings, making Val Camonica Europe’s largest rock art centre. The inscriptions found reveal much about this people’s way of life and their contacts with both the Po Valley peoples and the Etruscans.
The significance of these findings was such that in 1979 UNESCO declared Val Camonica’s rock engravings a World Heritage Site. By the 1st century BC, the valley had been annexed into the Roman Empire, which founded the town of Cividate Camuno, complete with thermal baths, a theatre and a vast sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Minerva.
Today, Valcamonica is an ideal destination year-round. Thanks to the Adamello Parks and the Stelvio, it appeals to outdoor enthusiasts, whilst its historical heritage – comprising charming villages and numerous castles – makes it perfect for culturally-minded travellers. Add to this a selection of thermal spa towns such as Boario, where waters from four different springs guarantee relaxing and rejuvenating stays.
The National Park of Rock Engravings opened in 1955 at Naquane, in the municipality of Capodiponte, as Italy’s first true archaeological park. The site was established to protect this precious heritage of prehistoric rock engravings created by the Camuni people.
Spanning over 140,000 square metres between 400 and 600 metres altitude, the park houses 104 smooth sandstone rocks polished millions of years ago by glaciers that subsequently carved out Val Camonica. The rocks display numerous engravings created particularly between the end of the Upper Palaeolithic (roughly 13,000–10,000 years ago) and the Iron Age (1st millennium BC), with additions continuing through the Roman and medieval periods.
This rock art heritage was recognised in 1979 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its immeasurable value. Several trails lined with birches, ash trees, chestnuts, larches and firs allow you to admire the countless engravings depicting divine figures, scenes of daily life, hunting activities and much more. At the park’s centre stands the great Naquane Rock (or Rock No. 1), which displays over two thousand engravings.
Among Valcamonica’s must-visit villages is Bienno, which not only features on the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy” list but has also earned the Orange Flag of the Touring Club for its genuinely ancient historical and cultural heritage. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, Bienno was first the land of the Camuni and later the ancient Romans, who discovered major iron ore reserves in the mountains surrounding the town.
The iron deposits in the area led to the development of various metalworking activities producing weapons and tools. Iron shaped this territory’s history and economy for centuries, and today you can visit the Fucina Museum and the Ecomuseum of Vaso Rè to better understand its significance over the ages.
Another site of great interest is the Town Mill, now converted into a museum, which shows how crucial mills were to the city’s economic development. Using the Vaso Rè, an artificial channel from the Val Grigna (part of Val Camonica), they greatly facilitated work in workshops, forges and mills.
Walking through Bienno’s historic centre, you’ll spot other signs of its past. Bienno is known as the “Village of Seven Towers” because the town once boasted defensive fortifications including a wall and seven square-plan towers with thick walls. Four of these towers have survived intact to the present day.
Along the northern shores of Lake Iseo lies the charming town of Lovere, whose historic centre has preserved its ancient layout over time. Bordered on one side by Val Camonica’s mountains and on the other by the shimmering waters of the lake, Lovere is a village that harbours elegant palaces and ancient churches testifying to its past.
Its beautiful waterfront is home to Palazzo Tadini, which houses an Academy containing several significant artworks, including the Tadini stele created by Antonio Canova. Named one of Italy’s “Most Beautiful Villages”, Lovere’s vibrant heart beats in Piazza XIII Martiri, located along the waterfront and lined with palaces, restaurants and shops.
Following the narrow lanes from the lake towards the interior, you’ll reach Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, which was considered the village’s centre in medieval times. Here still stands the Civic Tower, nearly 28 metres high, which visitors can climb to the top for stunning panoramic views.
In Valcamonica’s far northern reaches lies the renowned municipality of Ponte di Legno, which borders Trentino-Alto Adige via the Tonale Pass and is now a sought-after tourist destination. As early as the early 1900s, the town was a celebrated winter destination – so much so that the Ski Club Ponte di Legno was founded here in 1911, considered one of Italy’s first ski clubs.
Unfortunately, during the First World War this area suffered heavy bombardment that destroyed much of the town centre and many sites of interest. However, the Church of Santissima Trinità and Castello di Castelpoggio, which retains a 580-metre defensive wall, are worth visiting.
Ponte di Legno is particularly renowned for nature-based activities available in every season. Summer brings numerous hiking and trekking trails plus mountain biking routes, whilst in winter Ponte di Legno is part of the Adamello Ski resort, offering nearly 100 km of slopes, a snow park, freeride pistes and two cross-country skiing centres.
The earliest settlements in this area date to the Iron Age, but it was during the Roman period that Cividate (then Civitas Camunnorum) became a proper town with thermal baths, a theatre and a sanctuary dedicated to Minerva. The latter is still considered one of the largest Roman sanctuaries in the region. Roman-era remains lie within an Archaeological Park covering 20,000 square metres and divided into four sections: the territory, the necropolises, the Roman city and the hall of the gods, which houses the statue of the Goddess Minerva discovered at the Sanctuary of Minerva, now within the territory of the municipality of Breno.
The town’s historic centre contains buildings of considerable interest such as the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, the Church of Santo Stefano and the small Church of the Blessed Giuseppe Tovini and Mosè Tovini. The town once had defensive walls, largely destroyed except for the Cividate Camuno Tower (or Federici Tower), a medieval building around which the town later developed.
The Sanctuary of Minerva is a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Minerva located in the Spinera area in the municipality of Breno, between the River Oglio and the S. Stefano cliff face. Considered one of the largest Roman sanctuaries in the Alps, this temple was built on the foundations of an earlier sanctuary dating to the Camuni era. During the Roman period, this territory was part of the city of Civitas Camunnorum, present-day Cividate Camuno, which at the time was the valley’s most important settlement.
Later, with the arrival of Christianity, the sanctuary fell into disuse and was partially destroyed by fires and weather. The site was discovered by chance in 1986 during excavations for laying underground pipes; on this occasion parts of the complex were unearthed and, in the main hall, a niche containing the statue of Minerva.
The site, easily accessible via a cycle and pedestrian path running alongside the River Oglio, still preserves part of the base, traces of original paintings, a section of decorative mosaic flooring and a copy of the goddess’s statue. The original can be seen at the National Archaeological Museum of Val Camonica in Cividate Camuno.
In the municipality of Cerveno stands the Way of the Cross Sanctuary, which attracts thousands of pilgrims each year. Here you’ll find the 14 stations of the Via Crucis with 198 life-sized statues created by artist Beniamino Simoni and some of his pupils. These undoubtedly represent a fine example of the blend between art and faith that took place in Valcamonica over past centuries. The statues, created around the mid-18th century in both wood and plaster, powerfully depict the Passion of Christ and his final hours of life.
In the historic centre of Cividate Camuno, directly opposite the Parish Church, sits the National Archaeological Museum of Val Camonica, which collects, preserves and showcases the Roman archaeological heritage discovered throughout the valley. Additionally, it houses finds from the area dating from the Mesolithic through to the Iron Age.
Opened in 1981, the museum was expanded in the 2000s with an exhibition route showcasing decorations from a Roman house discovered in the area. Today the museum contains eight different thematic sections, notably the Hall dedicated to places of worship, the thermal baths section, the hall displaying materials from the houses and the necropolis section.
Beyond historical itineraries and sporting activities, Valcamonica also offers relaxation and wellness thanks to numerous thermal spring sources. The towns of Pisogne, Darfo Boario Terme, Borno, Ponte di Legno and Angolo Terme are particularly sought-after destinations. Among these, Boario Terme, a district of Darfo, is perhaps the most famous, having been a thermal spa destination since the 1700s. Here you can enjoy a stay at a leisurely pace devoted to wellbeing.
Another increasingly popular destination is Angolo Terme, thanks to the therapeutic properties of the S. Silvestro spring waters, which are also used in the production of thermal cosmetics. The spa complex sits in a vast green park along the left bank of the River Dezzo, and its thermal waters are renowned for their healing properties for various stomach, intestinal and kidney complaints.
Valcamonica is hugely popular in winter for its many winter sports destinations. Ponte di Legno is certainly among the best known, forming part of the Adamello Ski resort, which spans roughly 100 km between 1,121 and 3,016 metres elevation. The area offers pistes for all abilities, plus several ski schools for beginners. The Ponte di Legno–Tonale resort also provides the chance to try night-time skiing. Add to this 30 km of cross-country ski pistes, Nordic skiing centres, freeride runs and a snowpark for snowboarders. There’s more still: over twenty snowshoe trails, routes for Fat Bikes (mountain biking on snow) and three skating rinks.
Another popular winter destination is Montecampione, situated at 1,200 metres between the municipalities of Pian Camuno and Artogne. Around 30 km of pistes run from Montecampione at 1,200 metres up to Colma di Marucolo at nearly 2,000 metres, including four black runs. The area also features cross-country ski loops and various snowshoe trails. Finally, Aprica-Corteno, which spans the Valcamonica and Valtellina valleys, is another busy winter hotspot. This destination boasts over 50 km of pistes spread across four ski areas, cross-country ski routes, an ice-skating rink and numerous snowshoe paths.
Valcamonica is genuinely versatile, welcoming visitors throughout the year. Whilst winter sees numerous winter sports opportunities, summer transforms the valley into a haven for nature lovers. On the left side of Valcamonica sits the Adamello Park, spanning around 510 square kilometres with impressive flora and fauna diversity, including numerous rare and endemic species.
Part of Stelvio National Park also falls within Valcamonica territory. Famous for its alpine wildlife, the park also showcases examples of rural and religious architecture. Stelvio Pass itself is beloved by cyclists and motorcyclists for its winding yet spectacular roads—it’s featured multiple times as a stage in the Giro d’Italia.
Beyond charming, history-rich villages, Valcamonica is ideal for those keen on outdoor activities such as hiking, horse riding or mountaineering. Options are plentiful and suit all ages and interests: from trekking to rock climbing, downhill to climbing. For those starting out in mountain biking—and seasoned riders too—numerous bike parks exist, including Ponte di Legno’s Bike Skill Park, Borno’s Bike Park and Montecampione’s.
More experienced riders can take on the Adamello Super Marathon, a 76 km-plus loop between Valcamonica and Val di Sole with 2,500 metres of climbing. Along the route you’ll pass through Ponte di Legno, Case di Viso and Rifugio Bozzi, spotting remains of numerous Austrian forts and First World War trenches.
Cycling opportunities don’t end there. The entire Valcamonica is crossed by the Oglio River cycle route, a 280 km-plus cycle-touring trail following the Oglio and crossing numerous Lombard towns amidst stunning landscapes. For its ease and beauty, families often cycle short stretches of this path for day trips, whilst fitter cyclists can tackle it entirely over several days.
History enthusiasts can explore the zone’s rock engravings and discover trails through Great War trenches and galleries. Keen walkers can attempt the Charlemagne Way or the Via Valeriana, a 190 km trail split into 12 stages. Don’t miss numerous castles, abbeys and ancient churches in the area either; spring and summer also see valley towns hosting cultural, musical and gastronomic events.
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