Val Camonica The beautiful Camonica Alpine Valley also known as ValleCamonica

Val Camonica is Italy's second largest Alpine valley, close to Bergamo airport and Milan with dramatic sweeping mountains and located just above the beautiful lake Iseo.

VAL CAMONICA, North of Lake Iseo

North of Lake Iseo is the pretty valley of Val Camonica.

Val Camonica is 90km long and contains 41 towns and villages, making it the second longest valley in Italy. The healing powers of the waters of the spa town of Boario Terme, in lower Val Camonica, were written about as early as 1497 by the naturalist Paracelsus. The Italian writer Manzoni was a regular visitor to Val Camonica, living to the age of 88.

Nearby at the Capo di Ponte (Mid Val Camonica) is the National Rock Engraving Park, with prehistoric rock carvings, dating from Neolithic times through to the Iron Age. The carvings relate to the history of the Camuni tribe throughout this period. It is an amazing site, containing thousands of figures: an enormous stone history book. One of the most common carvings is that of the Camonic rose, which is now the emblem of the Lombardy region.

In Boario Terme (lower Val Camonica ) is the Archeopark, an open-air interactive park where you can try out various daily prehistoric activities e.g. lighting a fire, shooting with a bow and arrow and grinding corn and baking bread. This is a realistic construction of a Neolithic village with huts perched on a rocky hill. Some school groups stay in the village for a few days to get an authentic taste of prehistoric life. The traditional art of woodcarving continues in this area. The Cammunian Wood Handicraft Workshops, where all types of objects from religious ornaments to babies cribs are produced, are a fusion of modern and 16th century techniques.

The Industry of Val Camonica has long been associated with mining, steel and textiles (thanks also to the abundance of water power). Water again played a part when in 1923 the enormous Gleno dam collapsed flooding large areas of lower Val Camonica. A visit from King Vittorio Emanuele 3rd and numerous restoration works eventually breathed new life into the area.


The main towns of Val Camonica.....................

BOARIO TERME, Val Camonica

Boario itself is rumoured to be named after the Celtic word oror (bor o bro) meaning “spring water”. Its long association with water also recalls in 1471 the flooding and destruction of the Historic Montecchio bridge along with parts of the town. Often considered the "Capital" of Val Camonica, it is certainly the largest town. Low Val Camonica

Redbeard and Napolean also marched on her lands and Boario has seen many rulers including French, Austrian and German over her long history. Many local wars were fought here, like the bloody battles between Bergamo and Brescia whose rivalry still exists today especially on the soccer pitch. In the 15 century, Venice ruled over Val Camonica and to pacify the population, destroyed a number of important castles.

Boario escaped occupation during the first world war but the area held important antiaircraft battlements (still visible today) and was an important passing through point to the front line just 60 Km’s away.

Around Boario are many intersting cultural and sporting activities.
Lake Moro is nestled into the hill above Boario with horse riding and trekking a favorite past time.

Parco di Luine offers spectacular views accross Val Camonica aswell as ancient rock carvings and various woodland paths to explore. Archeopark is an interactive museum of Stone age man. The multi pool complex set against the backdrop of the Alps offers a refreshing day out in summer. There is an international conference centre and shopping complex in the centre of the town.

Bienno, Val Camonica Village of ancient streets, ancient water courses and architecture. Voted one of Italy's top 20 villages. Mid Val Camonica

Further up Val Camonica lies the village of Bienno
The villages name is probably derived from the Latin for "water course" in that the village used extensive water power throughout the village and was an important late medieval centre for iron manufacturing. You can visit the Fucina Museo (Opening times: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2.00-3.30pm, Saturdays 2.00-4.00pm) with its old water powered metal working hammer and nearby an old water powered mill used to grind grain into flour. Bienno has maintained its medieval features intact, so you can still see the towers and old houses with the original stone courtyards and doorways.
Also of interest is the unique ‘Mostra mercato dell’artigianato e dell’antiquariato’ (Handicraft and antique Exhibition Market) layed out through the quaint streets of the town, generally the third week of August (ex. 2007: from 18th to 26th of August). Here you can also enjoy the smell and the taste of the typical camunian products and appreciate the colours and the beauty of the various street stands.

A tour of the village involves two basic itineraries. The first follows Via Artigiani, “in discovery of the Vaso Re, along the path formed by the water”: following this, one traces the industrial history of the ancient village of hammers, passing by the old forges, along with the Scuola di Fucinatura (“Forging School”), the Iron Toy Library, and the Forge Museum (in a 17th-century factory building). Heading down Via Ripa, a paved stairs descends to the 17th-century Museum Mill, whose water-powered millstones produce excellent meal for polenta. Continuing on Via Re, one reaches the old public wash-house and, farther ahead, a forge that still uses water-driven hammers, elevated canal sections, wash-houses and sluice gates, up to the start of the “Vaso Re,” the intake structure on the stream.

The second itinerary meanders through the historic center of Bienno, the village of seven torri (towers). Going up Via Contrizio one comes across Palazzo Simoni Fè, the original core of which goes back to 1400, with well-preserved frescoes. A little farther ahead is the Torre Avanzini, dating from 1075, next to which is a narrow street leading to the square with the Church of Santa Maria Annunciata, built in the 1400s amid the tiny streets and tall houses. The Franciscan presence can be perceived from the devotional frescoes on the walls, from the macabre dance, and from the images of the saint from Assisi. The main façade has exposed stone pilasters and a beautiful Gothic rose window, and the left façade has trefoil arch windows. The bell tower is topped with a spire and has mullioned windows. The nave, the lower part of the holy arch, the vaults and the corbels of the presbytery were frescoed by Giovan Pietro da Cemmo in 1490-94. In 1539-40 Gerolamo Romano, known as Romanino, painted the presbytery. The altarpiece (1632) is by Mauro della Rovere, known as Fiamminghino.

Cividate, Val Camonica Where ancient Rome once trod... Mid Val Camonica

Capo di Ponte, Val Camonica Where Stone age man roamed Mid Val Camonica

Europes greatest and largest collection of stone age carvings and a UNESCO world heritage site. The area around the village is protected and you can visit the park on your own or with a guide. The Park itself is well worth a visit as it backs onto Parco Adamello, one of the Alps largest natural parks.

There are over 300.000 rock carvings easily visible in the ancient rocks. They date back to 8000 years before Christ. The carvings feature animals, agricultural and flora designs, hunting and war and represent a priceless archive of pre-historic man.

Ponte di Legno, Val Camonica Front Line action during world war two. High Val Camonica

Just above this pretty ski and vacation town can be found many remains left over from the second world war when this area was on the front line. The village itself lies at 1260mts above see level and is still dwarfed by the mountains around. The village officially has around 2000 inhabitants but in the ski and summer periods, can host up to 50,000 visitors. The towns name literally means wooden bridge, referring to the Historic bridge over the river which linked the two sides of the town. This is the most northerly town of Val Camonica.

Google Earth Map

To visit Val Camonica.

Related Links
Summer Activities guide.
Winter Activities guide
Boario Terme Guide