Cremeno: Mountains, Trails and Living History

Cremeno combines the landscape of the Orobic Pre-Alps with historic trails, churches and local traditions. The municipality’s natural area includes blooming meadows, beech and birch forests, rocks and rivers flowing through the valleys.

Mountain trails, meadows and tours

The mountain trails in Cremeno include easy-to-walk mule tracks and paths at relatively low altitudes. They can be combined into a variety of hikes. One circular route leads from Maggio, in the Fontana di San Lorenzo district, along mostly unpaved paths to the meadows of the Culmine di San Pietro Pass. Monte Due Mani also shapes the landscape: the mountain is 1,666 metres high and has a large cross and an igloo-shaped bivouac at its summit.

The surrounding area can also be explored by e-MTB. The trail from Forcella di Olino to Culmine di San Pietro can be ridden in both directions and connects with other paths leading to Piani di Artavaggio. The Anello Cremeno/Maggio circular route, on the other hand, follows historic paths used by local residents before the Ponte della Vittoria was built in 1925 and, before that, via a metal suspension bridge.

Churches and traces of local history

The church of Santa Maria Nascente stands in Maggio, a district of Cremeno. It was built from 1680 to 1683 and blessed in 1684. In 1905, the painter Rivetta enlarged and decorated it. Its current peal has consisted of five bells since 1948. In Cremeno itself, the ancient church of San Giorgio stands on the Valsassina plateau. Following the pastoral visit of Cardinal Federico Borromeo in 1614, it was supposed to be demolished and rebuilt. Outside the church stand the chapels of the Stations of the Cross, built in 1772.

The Ponte della Vittoria is 75 metres long, 96 metres high and 5 metres wide. Despite being reinforced in 1984, its original architectural features have been preserved. An inscription commemorates those who fell in the First World War. In this way, the structure combines its striking dimensions with a tangible memorial to the history of the area.

Festivals, markets and local products

Cremeno’s cultural life is also reflected in recurring events. Since 1836, the San Rocco procession has taken place every year on 16 August. It runs from the parish church of San Giorgio Martire to the church of San Rocco. The municipality’s traditional Mercatini di Hobbistica will take place in Cremeno and the Maggio district in summer 2026. Items on offer include embroidery, woodwork, works made from other materials, decoupage and flower arrangements. At the historic Fiera di Santa Rosalia, you can taste typical local products.

Casali and technical history

The signposted casali in the municipality include Casale Besozza, Casale Laghetto, Casale Garabuso and Casale Tonalli. These rural settlements originally developed as functional places for shepherds, farmers and woodcutters; cheese-making was one of the main activities carried out there. Another aspect of regional history is represented by the Canale Guzzi: it was built between 1947 and 1948 as an elaborate structure in the forest between streams and mountain torrents, to supply the Moto Guzzi company in Mandello del Lario with electricity. The Canale Guzzi was later transformed into a path accessible to everyone.

For further travel planning, you can also visit Esino Lario, Casatenovo, Annone Di Brianza, Olgiate Molgora, Introzzo, Bosisio Parini, Bellano and Piantedo.

For the main travel overview: Lecco.