Bellagio Trekking 7
Civenna – San Primo Park – Monte San Primo – Piano Rancio – Civenna
Technical information
- Trail map, Larian Triangle Mountain Community – scale 1:25000
- Lake Como, Global-Map – scale 1:35000
- Restaurant Hotel La Genzianella, San Primo, 4 – Bellagio
- La Baita Restaurant, San Primo, 9 – Bellagio
- Bar Jungle Raider Park, Pian Rancio – Bellagio
- Annamaria Refuge, via all’Alpe, 16, Pian Rancio – Bellagio (100 m from the GPS track)
- Restaurant Bar Diavolo, Via all’Alpe, 9, Pian Rancio – Bellagio (100 m from the GPS track)
- Gallo Rosso Agritourism, Alz, 6 – Civenna
- 01_1 Civenna Piazza Milano – start and finish
- 01_2 Cross of Civenna
- 01_3 Pietra Lentina
- 01_4 Mount San Primo
- 01_5 Santissima
Description
The route starting point is in Civenna at Piazza Milano, with parking facilities in nearby Via Cermenati.
From the square, follow the provincial road towards the left (in a south-westerly direction).
A little further on, before the Sanctuary of Sommaguggio, turn right into Via Roma, then take a left onto Via Formicosa. Continue left again into Via Dante. Continue along the asphalt road for a stretch and turn right at the hairpin bend, following signs for TRONCA-GIACINTA (412). A mule track that enters the wood (Tronca path) starts here.
Shortly afterwards, a short diversion on the right leads to the Cross of Civenna, a viewpoint over the village and the lake.
Retrace your steps and continue uphill along the mule track. At the first crossroads with an asphalt road, keep to the left, following signs for GIACINTA (404).
Ignore the turning on the right and keep to the left again, continue uphill following signs for BAITA GIACINTA – PIAN RANCIO (note that at Cascina Giacinta there is a fountain with drinking water).
Shortly afterwards, at the hairpin bend, leave the asphalt road and follow the paved road on the right, signposted PIAN RANCIO.
At the end of the road, near a house, continue straight along the path (404) into the forest. Some erratic boulders are easily visible in this section of the forest.
At the crossroads indicated by signs, follow directions for PIETRA LENTINA.
Shortly afterwards, ignore a turning to the right and continue on the marked path.
Pass a meadow (Alpe Sasso Lentina) and a small gate (close it again as there may be grazing animals) and soon afterwards you’ll come across an asphalt road.
Here, turn right and after a few metres, Sasso Lentina is on the right.
Just in front of Sasso Lentina, take SENTIERO 2 (404), which climbs through the forest to PARCO SAN PRIMO – SAN PRIMO VETTA.
When you come upon a wider dirt road, follow it, turning right and then continuing to climb to the left through the forest. In this last stretch, on the left of the path there is a magnificent ancient beech tree, called “Fòò Sec“, which is about 200 years old. At its base, on a stone to the right are carved the number 63 and the letters B and C, since in the past, stone no. 63 indicated the boundary between the municipalities of Civenna and Bellagio.
On reaching the asphalt road, turn right, pass hotel-restaurant “La Genzianella” and continue as far as a crossroads. Ignore signs for Rifugio Martina and continue left, following signs for ALPE DEL BORGO.
A little further on, where there is a large car park on the right, the asphalt road ends.
From here, take the road closed to vehicle transit that climbs on the right, following signs for BOCCHETTA TERRA BIOTTA – SAN PRIMO VETTA.
Pass Alpe del Borgo and at the crossroads of paths, continue towards the right along the main road, signposted ALPE DI TERRA BIOTTA – SENTIERO 1(406).
Continue as far as Terra Biotta Pass, which has panoramic views of Lake Como.
From here, the summit of Mount San Primo can be reached in 50 minutes.
Do not take the easy dirt road (400) , but keep to the right on a steep meadow (400V), aiming for the ruins of an old building near the ridge, which should be followed to the summit of Mount San Primo (1,681 m), the highest peak in the entire Larian Triangle. From the summit, the views of the two branches of Lake Como are magnificent.
Begin the descent: from the summit, for the first stretch, retrace the steep path taken on the way up and then continue downhill along the dirt road that runs lower than the ridge trail taken on the ascent.
At Terra Biotta Pass, continue downhill, staying on the dirt road (400).
At the first hairpin bend, at an altitude of 1,355 m, take the signposted path (415) to the left. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead and walk along a panoramic stretch with spectacular views of the Grigne mountain group (SENTIERO 16). Ignore a turning to the left and continue downhill. This pleasant path then enters the forest and losing altitude, leads to Pian Rancio.
At the asphalt road, continue straight ahead past the entrance to the adventure park, turn left and then take the first road on the right (415) passing by the Albergo Primaluna and its centuries-old sequoia, and go down until we cross the path (404) that we have followed uphill. We turn right, retracing the outward journey for a stretch.
At the asphalt road near a hairpin bend, follow it downhill. After a few metres, ignore the turning to the left and continue on the main road, signposted ALZ E CAMPO (413).
Also ignore the path to the right taken on the outward journey, which quickly leads back to Civenna, and continue instead along the asphalt road past “Gallo Rosso” agritourism, ignoring the turning to the left. Just before a small chapel, known as “Santissima”, descend to the right along the path (414).
At the asphalt road (Via Olivella), continue as far as the washhouse. At the washhouse, continue downhill on Via Formicosa and on reaching Via Roma, turn right.
At Via Provinciale, turn left and continue as far as Piazza Milano, where our excursion ends.
