Premana: Mountains, Alpine Pastures and Living Tradition

Premana combines a vast mountain landscape with paths, alpine pastures and cultural forms of expression rooted in the town itself. For you, this means you can plan a stay that combines experiences in nature with insights into local tradition, without treating these themes separately.

From the Forests to the Mountain Peaks

The area around Premana extends from chestnut, beech, birch and pine forests to high-altitude pastures and mountain peaks. There are also numerous hiking trails; the surrounding mountains can be reached within a day. The landscape therefore offers different starting points for your plans – from wooded surroundings to higher alpine areas.

There are eleven alpine pastures in the Premana area known as “Mont”. These pastures are connected to one another and to Premana by a network of unpaved roads, mule tracks and well-signposted paths. Those who want to get to know the landscape not just as isolated spots but as a connected area will find a clear network of trails with several destinations here.

Hikes for Different Day Plans

The circular route Giir di Mont starts and ends in Premana and leads to all of Premana’s alpine pastures. At 32 kilometres in length, with 2,400 metres of elevation gain and a difficulty rating of E, it is an extensive route whose key details you can take into account when planning your days and stay.

A differently designed tour leads through the Valle dei Forni along a comfortable mule track beside the Torrente Varrone. In about an hour and a half, the hike reaches the Forno, Casarsa and Vegessa alpine pastures; it is suitable for families. The route to the Laghi di Deleguaggio, on the other hand, is a challenging circular trail from Premana with equipped sections. Premana therefore offers both a family-friendly hike with a manageable time requirement and a more demanding circular route.

The path to Alpe Varrone also has a clearly defined character: from Premana’s industrial area, it runs entirely along a military mule track. The different types of paths and difficulty ratings help you put together a stay suited to your interests and the desired hiking duration.

Local Culture in Everyday Town Life

The Museo Etnografico di Premana was founded in 1974. In the town, traditional dress remains part of everyday and ceremonial life, including at weddings and festivals. These two aspects show Premana not only as a starting point for routes into the mountains, but also as a place where local forms are visible and present in social life.

In Premana, the Corpus Christi procession follows the lanes along the edge of the old town centre for about one kilometre. Another characteristic form of expression is the tiir, Premana’s choral singing style. It combines male and female voices in a song of increasing intensity. In addition, the guided tour “Cosa c’è dietro una lama” shows how cutlery is made, from the raw material to the finished product.

Premana as a Base for Your Trip

The final road section to Premana follows a single road connecting Valsassina with Alta Valle. This specific access condition is something to include in your planning if you choose Premana as your base. At the same time, the Giir di Mont and the route to the Laghi di Deleguaggio start from Premana; the hikes in the Valle dei Forni and to Alpe Varrone complement the range of trails, each with its own course.

Accommodation in Premana is particularly suitable for a stay in which you want to combine mountain landscapes, alpine pasture paths and local culture.

Other Destinations for Orientation

For further trip planning, you can also explore Taceno, Olgiasca, Barzio, Dervio, Onno, Lecco, Molteno and Lierna.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lecco.