Parks, natural reserves and other beautiful places

More than half of the territory of the Valtellina accommodates parks and reserves: the Stelvio National Park, the biggest park in the Alps, the Orobie Regional Park and seven natural reserves with the famous Natural Reserve of Val di Mello, the biggest protected area in Lombardy.

Founded in 1935, the 130,700 hectare Stelvio National Park is the biggest park in the Alps, in addition to being one of the oldest. In the heart of the Central Alps, it spans valleys formed by glaciers and the waters that flow down from the imposing Ortles-Cevedale mountains. Approximately three-quarters of the Park is between 2,000 and 3,905 m or more above sea level, and much of it is situated in Upper Valtellina. 

While the valley floor is home to lush green meadows, the lower slopes are covered in coniferous forests, above which lie Alpine prairies. Foxes, stoats and marmots, deer, roe deer, chamois and ibex are commonly seen on the tracks in this vast reserve. And above the trees and Alpine prairies soar golden eagles, falcons and bearded vultures. The Park is home to over 260 species of vertebrates and many more invertebrates that have adapted to the extreme conditions.

Founded in 1989, the Parco delle Orobie Valtellinesi is located on the northern slopes of the 50-km-long Bergamo Alps that run between the provinces of Sondrio (Tirano and surrounding area, Aprica, Sondrio and surrounding area, Val Gerola, Morbegno and surrounding area, Lecco, Bergamo and Brescia).

The park was primarily created to protect the area’s rich biodiversity. The composition of the soil, the varied landscape and the diverse geomorphology of the Bergamo Alps make it possible, in a relatively limited space, to conserve different micro-environments with particular flora and fauna.

The symbol of the Parco delle Orobie Valtellinesi is the rare capercaillie, which still finds suitable breeding grounds in the park. European spruce covers most of the area.