Discover Tirano: Renaissance, Wine and the Bernina Express

If you would like to discover Tirano through its culture, the Basilica of Madonna di Tirano offers a clear starting point: it is considered a spiritual and cultural symbol of Valtellina and is an important example of Renaissance architecture in Valtellina. Its richly decorated layout is shaped like a Latin cross with three naves. The basilica also houses a monumental pipe organ, whose construction began in 1608.

Palaces and Mountain Culture

Palazzo Salis offers an insight into the city’s political and architectural history. The historic residential palace dates from the period between 1630 and 1690. Ten frescoed rooms served as a political centre for the history of Valtellina during the 17th and 18th centuries. During a museum tour, you can explore the Baroque rooms.

The Museo Etnografico Tiranese focuses on Valtellina across thirteen sensory rooms. The main themes are rural life and the knowledge of the mountain world. A wine press and an oil mill are located in the basement. The first and second floors feature a weaving room, a room with a painted ceiling, a kitchen, a stüa and equipment used for livestock farming. This allows you to encounter both traditional crafts and agricultural aspects of the region’s culture.

Terraced Vineyards and Sforzato

The terraced vineyards of Valtellina extend along the rocky slopes on the Rhaetian side, from the municipality of Buglio in Monte to the municipality of Tirano. This landscape provides the setting for the Sforzato experience at Plozza Vini Tirano. It includes a visit to the adjacent vineyard, a tour of the barrel cellar and a tasting of rye bread or grissini with Casera PDO cheese. Reservations are required for Plozza’s Sforzato experience.

Travelling by Train and on Foot

The Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina landscape is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 2008. The journey on the Bernina Express, the Red Train of Bernina, begins at Tirano station and passes through the canton of Graubünden between Valposchiavo and Engadin. Tirano is therefore also connected to a cross-border railway route whose course passes through various types of landscape.

Santa Perpetua can also be reached via the Cammino Mariano delle Alpi trail. The hike to Santa Perpetua in Tirano is a circular route that starts and ends at Piazza delle Stazioni and passes by the Basilica of Madonna di Tirano and the Romanesque Chiesetta di Santa Perpetua. For your planning, this route combines religious sites, architecture and physical activity without requiring you to change your starting and ending point.

Other Destinations in the Area

Bormio, Poggiridenti, Stazzona, Prosto, Borgonuovo, Menarola, Premadio and Pedenosso Valdidentro

For the overarching travel overview: Sondrio.