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Italian Alps don’t need snow to be fun

Lago Pirola, a beautiful lake in the Italian Alps. (Renata Pernegrová/YJI)

Sondrio, ITALY – Italy is known for its large cozy beaches alongside the Mediterranean Sea and its beautiful ancient capital, Rome, in the South.

A footbridge near the Italian village of Valmalenco. (Renata Pernegrová/YJI)

You may also heard about the Alps mountain range in the North because they are a favorite destination for winter sports of all kinds.

This wealthy European country situated on the Apennine Peninsula has something to offer everyone the whole year.

But my family decided to discover this country a little bit differently and spend one week in the mountains in the hottest season of the year.

We focused mainly on hiking, which my family and I truly enjoy.

We visited Valley Val Masino on Sunday as our first trip in Italy. It seems to be a favorite destination for Italians from the cities. We saw many of them picnicking and enjoying the nice weather there at the end of the weekend.             

Valley Val Masino in the Italian Alps (Renata Pernegrová/YJI)

Because of climate change, many glaciers on the high peaks have been melting and trickling water created many lakes. It is not unusual to find a lake in the altitude of more than 2,000 meters above sea level. Valley Valmalenco and Lago Pirola, a beautiful lake in Valley Valmalenco, are two of them.

Some of the lakes are modified for tourists and others simply have their natural beauty.

Switzerland shares a border with Italy in the north so we decided to also spend a day in this alpine country. Bernina Pass and the beautiful lake, Lago Bianco, are from a well-known valley near the St. Moritz ski destination.

Bernina Pass and Lago Bianco in Switzerland. (Renata Pernegrová/YJI)

While hiking, we saw Monte Motta and Monte Legnoncino. We had a beautiful view overlooking the town of Morbegno, which is along the Lago di Como, the famous Lake Como.

After the hiking trip, we jumped into the lake and it was even better for swimming than the sea!

Morbegno’s narrow streets. (Renata Pernegrová/YJI)

The small city of Morbegno is full of tiny streets that look very ancient. You can see so many European and Italian flags, even in small villages.

I highly recommend traveling to Italy‘s mountains not only in the winter, but also in the summer. There you can discover the beauty of the northern region of the country mostly visited for its ancient culture and sea.

The people in Northern Italy were generous and kind and the younger generation spoke comfortably in English.

While you are there, don´t forget to taste the world-renowned Italian pizza or spaghetti. You won´t regret it!

Renata Pernegrová is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.

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