Discover Barzio: Cabiadini and Piani di Bobbio

When planning a holiday apartment stay in Barzio, it is worth considering the range of experiences on offer: the town combines cultural history, regional specialties and mountain sports. The Chiesa di Sant’Alessandro, several museums, Palazzo Manzoni and Piani di Bobbio offer different ways to explore the area. This allows you to tailor your trip to the balance you want between sightseeing, culinary discoveries and active days.

Museums of crafts, nature and art

The Museo “La Fornace” is located in the plain known as Prato-buscante between Barzio and Pasturo. It is housed in a former brickworks dating from 1890. The departments focus on local products, agriculture, hiking, the beginnings of skiing, mineralogy, palaeontology and geomorphology. The upper floor presents the fauna and vegetation of lake and subalpine habitats. The Museo Medardo Rosso was founded in Barzio in a 17th-century building.

Church and local history

The Chiesa di Sant’Alessandro has a single-nave interior in the shape of a Latin cross. The building features a barrel vault, a dome over the crossing and four side chapels. Archaeological excavations beneath an altar uncovered a square apse dating from the Early Middle Ages. On 10 September 1933, the church was consecrated by Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster. The portal features bronze doors made by Piero Maggioni in 1985 for the Manzoni anniversary.

Palazzo Manzoni has been a national monument since 1930. Together with the church and the museums, it makes various periods and forms of expression visible in Barzio, without limiting culture here to a single theme.

Piani di Bobbio and the Valsassina mountains

Piani di Bobbio is a ski resort in Valsassina. In the Early Middle Ages, the Abbey of San Colombano di Bobbio used the areas of Piani di Bobbio for summer grazing of its livestock. A modern multi-cabin cable car connects Barzio with Piani di Bobbio. The Campelli group has via ferratas for experienced mountaineers that have recently been restored. The range of activities therefore extends from a winter ski resort to more demanding mountain pursuits.

Local specialty and choosing your accommodation

Cabiadini are traditional biscuits from Barzio, made according to an old recipe. In the rest of the valley, they are known as Caviadini and are sold there. When choosing your accommodation, you can consider which focus should shape your days: cultural and historical details, nature, regional specialties or mountain sports. A holiday apartment in Barzio is the right search option if you would like to plan around these different interests without committing to just one type of holiday.

Other places to include in your plans

Other destinations to consider for planning your trip: Calco, Baita, Montevecchia, Bellano, Piantedo, Introzzo, Premana and Cassina Valsassina.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lecco.