Sondrio is a small town surrounded by beautiful mountains and a lot of places where you can go for a hike in the middle of nature.
The city can be visited in a few hours and you can orient yourself by looking at the surrounding mountains or the terraced vineyards because this is where the Lombardy Alps meet the vineyards.
The cuisine from Valtellina, which is the area of this province, adds an indispensable reason to visit the city and its surroundings, eating in Valtellina is absolutely fantastic.
In addition to offering splendid historic buildings, the city offers you an unparalleled culinary tradition, with a selection of wines produced from truly excellent Nebbiolo grapes.
So if you are ready to find out what to see, what to eat, and what to do in the city of Sondrio Italy, read on this guide.
Sondrio What To Do
The historic center of Sondrio is a graceful maze of streets and alleys that weave at the foot of the Masegra castle.
There are historic shops and interesting taverns and It is worth the climb to the castle on foot. The castle of Masegra houses a frescoed room that tells scenes of court life.
In the stables of the castle, a museum has been set up which tells the story of the castle and the domination of the Valtellina by the Grigioni family.
From the castle, the sunset over the Adda, the churches and the ruins of the castles of the valley is a must.
The Stüe Lignee are one of the most fascinating and important elements of the Valtellina architectural tradition.
The Stua is a room entirely covered with wood, from the ceiling to the walls. It was the only heated room in the house and the one around which family and guests spent their time.
Piazza Garibaldi is the living room of Sondrio where you go for a walk or to have a drink. The square overlooks Renaissance and Baroque palaces and the Social Theater. The statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi is in the center of the square.
One of the most beautiful and authentic corners of Sondrio is via Scarpatetti, a popular street that leads up to the Masegra castle in a succession of stone vaults, balconies, and cobbled courtyards.
Some other monuments and museum worth a visit are:
MVSA,
Castel Grumello,
Palazzo Pretorio,
Palazzo Sassi de’ Lavizzari,
Villa Quadrio,
Palazzo Sertoli,
Collegiata dei Santi Gervasio,
Via Dei Terrazzamenti.
Food In Sondrio
This region of Italy is called Valtellina and it is very famous for having very good food and a lot of typical recipes and dishes.
One of the most popular dishes of this city is called Pizzoccheri Alla Valtellines which are a kind of tagliatelle made with buckwheat flour, cooked with potatoes and cabbage or pieces of ribs, and seasoned with fat cheese, butter and garlic.
This dish is considered to be the most important dish of the region Valtellina and you should try it at least once.
The Sciatt are round-shaped crispy pancakes with melted Casera cheese, usually served on a bed of chicory.
Another dish of the Valtellina tradition, perhaps less known than the previous ones but equally good and special, are the Manfrigole: a first course where the protagonist is still the buckwheat flour, a typical ingredient of the province of Sondrio.
If you want to check out some recipes here is a good link of these plates:
La Bisciola,
I Curnat,
La Bresaola,
La Cupeta,
Il Bitto,
Lo sforzato, (Wine)
Conclusion
Sondrio is a very small city that you can visit in a few hours that has to offer a lot of good food and beautiful places to go hiking.
If you love hiking and cycling you are going to be spoiled in Sondrio. You can walk along some of the nicest and most challenging hike trails in Italy and you will love it.
The city center is very nice and the view of the mountains will make it an awesome place to visit in any period of the year.
During Christmas, the city turns into a fairy tale place and during the summer the heat and the fresh air mix together to give you a beautiful experience.
If you are interested in visiting Sondrio you can find a tourist office in the city center that will update you on events in the Valtellina area.
The wines and the food are a big part of the tradition of the region and you should definitely spend some time eating and drinking here.
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