Via Valtellina

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Valzifenztal - Via Valtellina - Schlappiner Spitze in autumn 2017
View from Schlappiner Joch to Graubünden, Switzerland
Lago Blanco at the Bernina Pass - view back into the Bernina Valley

The Via Valtellina (from Valtellina , it. : Valtellina, lomb. : Valtulina, rätor. : Vuclina in dt. : Thus Veltliner street ) is the modern tourist designation for a former mule track from northern Italy to Vorarlberg and a trade route in the Lake Constance region , which led across Graubünden . For centuries, the route over the Bernina Pass was the shortest connection between northern Italy and the Lake Constance area and was used in particular between 1512 - the conquest of Valtellina by the Three Leagues in the Wars of Milan - and 1797. It leads through three countries ( Italy , Switzerland , Austria ) and three language regions (Italian, Romansh and German).

Via Valtellina, wine was mainly transported from northern Italy to the Lake Constance area and, in the opposite direction, cattle to the Prättigau . Sugar, salt and other things were also transported.

The main hub in Vorarlberg was Schruns . Former goods transshipment points, customs stations, old hauliers' hostels etc. exist on the entire route. The historic Via Valtellina is now partially part of the transport network in Graubünden.

Course of the Via Valtellina hiking trail

Elevation profile of the hiking trail from Gargellen to Tirano
Overview of the hiking trail from Gargellen ( Austria ) via Graubünden ( Switzerland ) to Tirano ( Italy )
View from Alp Grüm to the Palü Glacier
View from Alp Grüm into the Puschlav and Poschiavo, Poschiavosee

The route is now also accessible as a long-distance hiking trail and is marked in Switzerland with 30 - Via Valtellina ( cultural trail ). The hiking trail is mainly in the direction of Schruns ( 700  m above sea level ) to Tirano (441 m above sea level) and can be done in seven to nine daily stages. These stages can be shortened by using public transport (e.g. Postbus , Rhaetian Railway (RhB)). A medium level of fitness, alpine equipment with good mountain boots and surefootedness are required. Suggestion for daily stages:

  1. Schruns (700) - Gargellen (1423) - Valzifenztal - Schlappiner Joch (2202, border Austria / Switzerland) - Schlappin (1658) - Klosters (1179)
  2. Klosters - Wolfgang Pass (1631) - Davos (1560)
  3. Davos - Teufi (1700) - Dürrboden (2011) - Scalettapass (2606) - Chüealptal - Val Susauna - S-chanf in the Engadin (1660)
  4. S-chanf - Zuoz (1716) - La Punt-Chamues-ch (1687) - Samedan (1721) - Pontresina (1805)
  5. Pontresina - Val Bernina - Bernina Pass (2235) - Alp Grüm (2103)
  6. Alp Grüm - Cavaglia (1703) - Poschiavo (1014)
  7. Poschiavo - Barghi (1412) - Bosch Vegl (1840) - Calcherin (1787)
  8. Calcherin - San Romerio (1793) - Viano (1281) - Campascio (637) - Switzerland / Italy border (530) - Tirano (441).

From Tirano to Schruns it is a total of around 130 km or 45 walking hours. Over the entire length of the route, there are always alternative routes that are not specially marked. So z. For example, if you go from Klosters to Davos via the gorge path or from Pontresina to Morteratsch instead of going on the right side of the valley, the hiking path on the left side of the valley is more pleasant and visually more challenging.

Luggage, including rucksacks, can be sent to the next day's stage the day before using public transport (e.g. the Rhaetian Railway). The only exception is the Garegellen route to Klosters, as there is no traffic connection here.

literature

  • Friedrich Juen, The Via Valtellina, Montafon , Ed .: Heimatschutzverein Montafon, Montafon 2012, Verlag Schruns, ISBN 978-3-902225-48-1 .
  • Helmut Tiefenthaler, The Via Valtellina - a historical Alpine crossing as a long-distance hiking trail , Innsbruck 2010, Studien-Verlag, contained in: Montfort, Journal for Vorarlberg's History, vol. 62, no. 1 (2010), pp. 69–87, Ill, ISSN 0027-0148.
  • Nora Schmid, On the way on Via Valtellina , Kulturwege Schweiz: a travel guide for secondary level I, Bern 2011, publisher cannot be determined, university publication.
  • Hansruedi Matscher, ViaCook, ViaRhenana, ViaRomana, ViaValtellina , 47 daily stages on the cultural-historical trails: exciting and fascinating, both for hiking families and for long -distance hikers , Pfäffikon / SZ, Basel 2008, Fink Medien AG, Coop Presse.

Web links

Commons : Via Valtellina  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Stefanie Wachter: Sustainable mountain tourism: Marketing concept for the long-distance hiking trail Via Retica , diplom.de 2003, ISBN 3832466681 p. 42 ( preview on Google Books ).
  2. ↑ Hansjürg Gredig-Steinmann: The Via Valtellina - on the trail of the wine merchants from Montafon to Valtellina ( Memento from August 18, 2002 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ Information in brackets is the respective average or specified height above sea level according to national information.