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Swiss Alps to Lake Como: Along the Via Spluga

From the Swiss Alps to the heart of the Italian Lakes
 

Holiday Highlights

Alpine scenery | Glorious mountain lakes and passes.
Chiavenna | Take time to explore this delightful town with its wealth of historic interest.
The variety | From breathtaking natural beauty to ancient towns and Lake Como itself.
Crossing borders | Your walk from Switzerland to Italy provides a day of drama and crystal-clear waters.
Price from
£1575pp
Swiss Alps to Lake Como: Along the Via Spluga. 7 nights
Price from
£1575pp
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Swiss Alps to Lake Como: Along the Via Spluga. 7 nights
Price from
£1575pp
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday along the Via Spluga

Follow the Via Spluga, an ancient and modern-day trading route, from Switzerland into Italy. You walk self-guided through the mountains, past lakes, while your luggage is transported from one hotel to the next, finishing right by the shores of Lake Como.
The sapphire waters and sylvan shores of wish-bone-shaped Lake Como have sparked many a romantic reverie, ever since the time of Pliny during the Roman Empire. They have lured numerous famous visitors over the centuries – from Queen Victoria to modern-day Hollywood stars – and inspired countless works of art – including the verses of Wordsworth and Longfellow, and the operas of Verdi, Rossini and Bellini – and remain as intoxicating a target now as ever before.

But don’t simply make a beeline for the lake: instead, embark on an adventure by following the historic Via Spluga from the Swiss Alps and over the Splügen Pass, and into Italy. Still a trading route to this day, the Via Spluga has formed the main link between Graubünden, Switzerland’s largest canton, and the Italian town of Chiavenna for up to 2,000 years, enabling the transfer of people, goods and ideas from places as far afield as Munich and Milan, and linking the two mighty valleys of the Rhine and the Po.

This ancient mule-track is not only awash with natural beauty, traversing spectacular gorges and passing bijou lakes, but is also packed with historical interest, and we include vouchers for entry to many places en route, including the Via Spluga Museum in the small town of Campodolcino and Palazzo Vertemate Franchi which can be visited on our walk from Chiavenna, all of which provides a wonderful build-up to a memorable final two days by the shores of Lake Como itself.
 
Gallery

 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    In the mountains, temperatures will be lower than those on the shores of Lake Como shown above. The best time for flowers is June.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 5 7 11 15 19 23 26 25 22 16 10 6
    mm 72 71 98 124 158 135 108 137 122 135 120 63
  • Arrival in Splügen
    Night 1: at Hotel Bodenhaus or Weiss Kreuz (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Circular walk from Splügen: 13km, 5hrs; ascent/descent 840m
    Make the most of your time in these beautiful surroundings by following our much-praised walking circuit across the flanks of the Rhäzünscher Alps. The path soon enters a valley which you follow to the high plateau and a string of bijou lakes at Suretta, above the treeline, and surrounded by an imposing cirque of mountains. Enjoy the peace and quiet tranquillity and admire the peaks of the Seehorn and Suretthorn reflected in the tranquil waters of the lakes. You descend to the Franzisch Grind viewpoint before entering deep forests to return to the village via Fugschtwald. You can also shorten the route by 4km at the end by taking a bus (pay locally).
    Circular walk from Splügen: 13km
    Lake at Suretta
  • Splügen to Isola: 17.5km, 6.5hrs; ascent 730m/descent 930m
    Today’s walk is an undoubted highlight: you veer south along a quieter and even more dramatic valley to follow an ancient cobbled trail via a sublime pass, over the border into Italy. Stop for some timely refreshment in one of Montespluga’s two restaurants before skirting the crystal-clear waters of its eponymous lake and passing through the breathtaking Cardinello Gorge. You finish with a descent into Isola, where you stay at the Locanda del Cardinello. Those with no head for heights can skip the gorge and take a bus from Montespluga (pay locally).
    Splügen to Isola: 17.5km
    Glorious views on the route from Splügen to Isola
  • Isola to Chiavenna: 19.5km, 6.5hrs; ascent 240m/descent 1330m
    This is a lengthy valley walk, but one that brings a sense of satisfaction as you reach the end of the Via Spluga. In Campodolcino you can visit the museum devoted to this historic trading route, the people who traversed it, and the villagers who lived in the settlements along it. You then descend steadily, following the River Liro as it flows south towards the delightful town of Chiavenna, where you spend two nights at the Hotel Conradi or Hotel San Lorenzo. (For a shorter day, you can catch the bus to Campodolcino and start from there.)
    Isola to Chiavenna: 19.5km
    Valley walk from Isola to Chiavenna
  • Circular walk from Chiavenna: 11.5km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 640m
    After two epic mountain walks, today comes as a welcome change of pace. Take time to explore delightful Chiavenna before walking to the split-level Acquafraggia waterfalls, calling en route at the Palazzo Vertemate Franchi, a splendid 16th-century stately home with beautiful rose gardens.
    Circular walk from Chiavenna: 11.5km
    Traditional villages
  • Chiavenna to Gravedona: 14km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 315m
    After a transfer towards Lake Como, you follow quiet paths alongside a river through a nature reserve to the northernmost shores of the lake, before rising into the foothills and crossing panoramic slopes, where views stretch across upper Como to the impressive peaks which frame it. You wander through ancient settlements and then make an easy descent on cobbled lanes and paths to reach lakefront Domaso, from where a promenade continues into Gravedona. Your destination is the Hotel Tullio.
    Chiavenna to Gravedona: 14km
    Cobbled trails above the lake
  • Explore Gravedona & surrounding area
    Gravedona is charming and relaxed, with a historic centre and elegant promenade. You might like simply to potter around the town, but there are further walking options if you prefer, which can be accessed using the local network of boats and/or buses (pay locally in all cases).

    Linear walk from Bellano to Varenna: 7.5km, 3hrs; ascent/descent 400m
    This walk offers the opportunity to explore the beautiful lakeside villages of Bellano and Varenna on the opposite side of the lake and to explore the Orrido Gorge at Bellano. Strolling along the balcony path between the two villages affords spectacular panoramas of Lake Como and the surrounding area.

    Linear walk from Lenno to Villa Carlotta: 10km, 3.5hrs; ascent/descent 325m
    Alternatively, on the western shore of the lake, a delightful walking trail leads from Lenno to Villa Carlotta, an imposing 17th-century mansion boasting enchanting gardens and a much-admired art collection.

    A stroll around Bellagio: 6km, 2hrs
    A third option is to take a boat to Bellagio and use our notes to guide you round this lovely town, known as the ‘Pearl of Lake Como’. While in Bellagio, we highly recommend a visit to nearby Villa Melzi, whose magnificent gardens are not to be missed.
    Bellagio
    Villa Carlotta
    Linear walk from Bellano to Varenna: 7.5km
    Linear walk from Lenno to Villa Carlotta: 10km
 

Accommodation

We have chosen accommodation on or close to the Via Spluga, followed by a hotel right on the shores of Lake Como.

In some places, we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. All are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.
 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 7 nights: 07 June 2025 - 04 October 2025

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    7 Jun - 31 Jul 2025 £1655 £385
    1 - 31 Aug 2025 £1590 £385
    1 - 27 Sep 2025 £1615 £385
    3rd & 4th person discount £0
    Single traveller supplement £62

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    If you would prefer to drive from the UK, please contact us for self-drive prices.

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hotel Bodenhaus, Splügen
    Superior: 10 Jun - 04 Oct 2025 £16
    Hotel Tullio, Gravedona
    Junior suite: 10 Jun - 04 Oct 2025 £46
    Superior: 10 Jun - 04 Oct 2025 £21

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Hotel Tullio, Gravedona (B&B) Double room Single room
    10 Jun - 04 Oct 2025 £130 £260
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Zürich on the outward journey, Milan or Bergamo on the homeward journey
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend Zürich or Milan Malpensa. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Zurich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Aberdeen - Zurich (via Paris) Air France 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Malpensa - Aberdeen (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Zurich Swiss 
    Birmingham - Zurich (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Malpensa - Birmingham (via Zurich) Swiss 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Zurich Swiss 
    Bristol - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Bergamo - Bristol Ryanair 
    Milan Malpensa - Bristol easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Zurich Swiss 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Bergamo - Edinburgh Ryanair 
    Milan Malpensa - Edinburgh easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Malpensa - Leeds Bradford (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Zurich British Airways,  Swiss 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Zurich easyJet,  Swiss 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Milan Bergamo - Gatwick easyJet 
    Milan Linate - Gatwick easyJet 
    Milan Malpensa - Gatwick easyJet,  Wizz Air 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Zurich British Airways,  Swiss 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Linate - Heathrow Alitalia,  British Airways 
    Milan Malpensa - Heathrow British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Zurich easyJet,  Vueling 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Malpensa - Luton easyJet 
    Milan Malpensa - Luton Wizz Air 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Zurich Lufthansa,  Swiss 
    Manchester - Zurich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Zurich (via Munich) Lufthansa 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Bergamo - Manchester Ryanair 
    Milan Malpensa - Manchester easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Zurich (via Paris CDG) Air France 
    Return route Airline
    Milan Malpensa - Newcastle (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Zurich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend Zürich or Milan Malpensa. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Milan Bergamo

    Outward route
    not recommended in this direction
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Colico (0h30), rail Colico to Bergamo station (1h40) £46-£48 1330

    Connecting travel options - flying via Milan Linate

    Outward route
    not recommended in this direction
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Colico (0h30), rail Colico to Milan Centrale (1h25) £47-£49 1500

    Connecting travel options - flying via Milan Malpensa

    Outward route
    not recommended in this direction
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Colico (0h30), rail Colico to Milan Centrale (1h25) £47-£49 1500

    Connecting travel options - flying via Zürich

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Zürich airport to Thusis (2h50), taxi Thusis to hotel (0h30) £122-£130 1600
    Homeward route
    not recommended in this direction
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 2 dinners
    3 picnics
    7 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • transfer on day 5
  • entrance to selected places of interest
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 18 reviews
  • Mr J Paul
    USA
    01 June 2024
    We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in the Engadine Valley. This was our first guided walk, and it was a delight. The hotel/restaurant was very pleasant, Ernst our multilingual guide was great, and the wildflowers were everywhere. Our group, which consisted of just two couples, let Ernst pick the itineraries, which often involved a train or bus. The walks were rated as level 2, which seemed about right—proper hikes rather than naturalist shuffles. An advantage to having a native guide, beyond not having to study route directions, was having someone who could make mid-course corrections when the unexpected occurred, like a cancelled train, an impassible rockslide, or late snowfall (all of which happened). We added in a few extra days to do some solo hiking and were glad we did.
    The Via Spluga walk from Switzerland to Lake Como was more challenging, partly owing to the unusually late snows, as well as the length and rockiness of some of the terrain. We are both in our seventies and managed reasonably well though. There are bus options for shortening the very long day to Isola. We did this when the hotel in Splugen informed us that snow made the high portion of the route to Isola impassable. It still left a fair bit of hiking on the far side. On our day off in Splugen we hiked up the Via to where the snow began and then returned. The next day we took the bus to Montespluga. I think this stage would be more relaxing as a two-parter with a stopover in Montespluga. The Cardinello Gorge beyond Montespluga is spectacular, but would be dangerous in the rain. Also, there is a turn-off in the gorge that goes steeply down to a wooden bridge to cross the river. Instead, we continued ahead along the path without crossing the river, and this got us to Isola, so that’s an alternative if you’re feeling tired. We liked all our accommodations (Weiss Kreuz in Splugen, Locanda del Cardinello in Isola, San Lorenzo in Chiavenna, and Tullio in Gravedona), each, like kittens, having its own personality. We had a nice meal in Gravedona at the Agriturismo Cà del Lago. Ferries on Lake Como are infrequent, at least in early June, so the suggested jaunts require planning. We just boated to Bellano and back. The rest of humanity seemed to have their sights set on Bellagio.
    One of our trains back to Zurich took us through the Bernina Pass, which was unexpected and spectacular. If you’re tired of melted cheese and preserved meats, Casco Viejo Tapas, Brasserie Louis, and the vegetarian Roots (several locations) all had reasonably priced—for Zurich—meals.
     
    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Walking and Wildflowers in the Engadine holiday with Along the Via Spluga to Lake Como

     

  • DMR
    04 October 2023

    The first days hike up to the two lakes was very nice. The two day Via Spluga hike was good although the Cardinello Gorge is not for the faint hearted. Don't stay in the Hotel Conradi - it overlooks a busy noisy roundabout. The boats on Lake Como are great - Gravedona is a good place to stay compared to e.g. tourist ridden Bellagio, and the Hotel Tullio is excellent with a super breakfast. Well done Inntravel for choosing this hotel/town.

  • Walker from Ross-on-Wye
    13 September 2023

    As someone who suffers from vertigo, can I make the following helpful comment.  Everyone's vertigo experience is different, but having spoken to several walkers, both on the Via Spluga and elsewhere, it is often the wide open spaces next to an edge that trigger the worst vertigo.  The Cardinello Gorge was well vegetated and was relatively narrow (not to say that a fall wouldn't be dangerous or even terminal!).  Consequently I did not experience vertigo as badly as I was expecting.  In fact I enjoyed most of that day, with one short section (20m) needing my husband to keep close to me to shield the view.  I think I also benefitted from knowing that, if things got 'worse' I could always return to Montespluga to catch a bus.  

    Walking from Splugen to Isola was therefore our highlight of the week - the gorge was so beautiful.

  • Mr L Murray
    Newcastle Upon Tyne
    24 August 2023

    Another superb walking holiday. Thank you to Inntravel for again facilitating a wonderfully enriching walking trek. Walking highlights for us included the far reaching views from Surettasee tarn on day 1 from Slugen; the dramatic stretch from Montespluga alongside the reservoir & meandering down the dramatic Cardinello gorge (thinking of Napoleon's General MacDonald) to Isola on day 2; & the splendid walk on Lake Como from Bellano to Varenna exploring 2 beautiful lakeside villages. The service at all our accommodations was of the highest quality. Martino was certainly a charismatic host at the Inn in Isola which had been in his family for 10 generations. Aperitif before dinner & an excellent meal & company in the rustic dining room. Hotel Tullio, Gravedona was the perfect place to end. Enjoying a superb breakfast sat outside in the sunshine looking across Lake Como planning our day's walking - just perfect. 

  • Anon
    05 August 2023

    Fantastic off the beaten track walking holiday with characterful hotels! Well chosen walking routes. Good support for minor issues arising during the holiday.

  • Mrs S Fawcett
    Durham
    24 July 2023

    The day walking over the Splugen Pass was the best. Varied and challenging walking, and the weather started improving! This is a 2-3 grade holiday. With hindsight we would have liked an extra couple of days walking but we thoroughly enjoyed exploring Lake Como. Inntravel lived up to our expectations again.

  • Mrs J Hopcroft
    Weybridge
    19 July 2023

    Challenging walking at times and some long days - not helped by a couple of days of heavy rain. We particularly enjoyed Chiavenna - lovely little town with good bars and restaurants - Ristorante al Cenacolo particularly good on the balcony. The day walk from Chiavenna is definitely not easy or relaxed - allow most of the day! Good market in Lenno on Tuesdays. Be warned that the boats on Lake Como are very infrequent - twice a day - so you need to be organised. 

  • Mr D Lewis
    Stamford
    09 July 2023

    An excellent itinerary, with challenging walks and incredible variety. It was very helpful that there is a bus service running along the route of the Via Spluga. We used the bus a couple of times to skip sections when Alipine storms rolled through.

  • Mr N Edwards
    Harrogate
    10 June 2023

    Initially we felt sad to leave the majestic mountain scenery, lofty peaks, flower carpeted meadows and drama of those vistas all around us in Switzerland. However as we negotiated the dramatic gorge to reach beautiful Isola, Chiavenna and finally Gravadonna  on Como we became entranced by the magic and the history  of the Via Spluga.The contrast of each day's walking and our contrasting  hotels and their locations made this a very special week. I would say best mountain flowers are seen from mid June onwards. Try and visit the museum about the Via Spluga and the End of the war museum at Dongo to appreciate where you have walked. Everything about the Tullio on Como was perfect. Time for a well deserved chill out to soak up the views.

     

  • Dr S Scott
    Baldock
    05 October 2022

    Altitude on days 1 & 2 was a problem for one of us, probably due to lack of acclimatisation but both superb walks. Day 1 was the highlight of the holiday and great for photography, a walk and images we will treasure.

    We were unable to complete the Cardinello gorge walk due to time and tiredness and we were kindly given a lift beyond the dam whist waiting for a non existing bus. The driver incidentally was the niece of the owner of Locanda del Cardinello. Perhaps there may be a way to split the walk into two with an overnight stay in Montespluga.

    We used a locally supplied map to walk from Gravedona to Strazzone and down to Dongo and back along the shoreline. There are several bars in the square and very interesting signboards regarding Mussolini's capture by partisans. We suggest this could be supplied as an alternative which does not require ferry transport which at this time of year was limited.

    Finally it is worth pointing out that the walking instructions for day 3 could be updated to state the new route into Chiavenna is now very clearly signposted.

  • Mr S Freeman
    Australia
    01 September 2022

    All good. Refer to note above on bus into Spluga (future travellers to ensure they press the STOP request well before reaching Spluga) . Oh yes, the notes on day 2 mention a wooden bridge and two wooden gates. If you actually get to the bridge and can see the wooden gates, you have gone at least 400 metres past the turn off to the left

  • Linda, Australia
    24 August 2022

    A small point: there is a seniors discount on the Lake Como ferries, except on weekends.

  • Mr P Lansley
    Matlock
    12 August 2022

    This was our first holiday with Inntravel, and it won't be our last. Everything was exceptionalily well organised, and the company were very effective to deal with. I liked their honesty - if they were busy and knew it would take them a week to get back to you about a holiday, they explained this and then did get back with detailed and clear information. We booked a bit late and added our adult children in at a late stage too, and it was all sorted. The walking was wonderful and the routes were clear to follow. Hotels were well selected and lovely places to stat. Top tips: if there's a lake involved, take some water shoes as it's stoney and slippery. If you're vegan, take some protein with you and don't expect vegan food to be as available as it is in the UK. 

  • Mr M Papadopoli
    Canada
    02 August 2022

    Wonderful 1st trip with Inntravel! We plan to book further walking holidays with you. We met wonderful people from England also doing the same hike. Great times throughout!!

  • Mrs C Gagnon
    Canada
    28 July 2022

    The walks in Splugen, and on to Chiaevnna were marvelous.

  • Anon
    08 July 2022

    We really enjoyed the variety of scenery as we walked through the walk pack - doing this walk in July wasn't a great idea though, it was very hot Indeed! If we were doing it again we'd go earlier/later. We also liked the way we were part catered and part fended for ourselves - as well as all the public transport we used - all made for a very interesting holiday.

  • Mr G Christie
    Dingwall
    06 July 2022

    Splugen and surrounds are beautiful. The gorge walk on the second day is great, though a bit of a slog getting to top of pass. Hotel Tullio in Gravedona is lovely with a refreshing pool. As it was so hot and the walks were big on this holiday, suggest on last day forget walking, get the slow boat to Bellagio, chill and take fast boat back. 

  • Mr A Kelk
    Glasgow
    06 July 2022

    We really enjoyed learning about the cultural and historical significance of this transalpine route. The most stunning parts of the walking were probably the Cardinello Gorge, the Acquafraggia Waterfalls and the views around Lake Como on the optional walk from Bellano to Varenna. Be aware that the stage from Isola to Chiavenna is rather long, and it gets much warmer and more humid as you lose altitude. We were glad that we chose an extra night in Chiavenna to explore it properly. We also enjoyed a lovely evening meal at the Agriturismo Ca del Lago just outside Gravedona (following a recommendation from the staff at the Hotel Tullio).
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • Absolutely! We are experts in tailored rail travel. Making use of sleeper trains or stopovers in cities along the route, we can get you from London to virtually anywhere in mainland Europe. We can even make arrangements to Mallorca, Sicily and Norway with a combination of ferries and rail. Please contact us to discuss your plans.
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
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  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Italy, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The principal official language is Italian, though some regions have a second official language, such as South Tyrol, where German is widely spoken. The currency is the Euro. Italian time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
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