Going slowly means going healthily and this has not gone unnoticed by Italians and foreigners alike. All of whom you’ll find happily treading the well-maintained mule-tracks and paths of Valchiavenna, appreciating landscapes, waterfalls and panorama whilst tasting the local delicacies of crotto or holiday farm restaurant. Chiavenna has the river Mera as an ever present. And just 300 metres above the town nestling amongst woodland the village of Pianazzola - seemingly ever gravity-defying - peeks out.
A combination of its unique position, the natural shape of the valleys, its culture and faith make Chiavenna an attractive proposition and a genuine crossroads of the ancient and modern. A community at the heart of the Alps, conscious of its own distinctiveness and character whilst at the same time ever-open to ideas and innovation. For centuries it has acted as an articulation between north and south, continent and Mediterranean, but also between the authentic mountains, the passes, villages and upper pastures and the valley floor and lakes. But Chiavenna is above all an indisputable Cittaslow: recognised in 2002, it clearly chooses to show consideration and respect with a view to its future. It might not be the norm nowadays to adopt a “slow” approach when almost everything is pushing towards the opposite. Being Cittaslow doesn’t just mean promoting i Biscotìn de Próst o il Violino di Capra, it means reflecting as a community aware of their present and future and coming together to guarantee well-being for all. Cittaslow is a guarantee of quality for a town. It’s rather like having a school inspection with each town taking exams in seven subjects. In order to gain promotion however, a combination of the good will or commitment of the mayor and the municipal council is not enough.
It requires the support of all citizens, from the entrepreneur to the teacher, those involved in service provision and tourism to artisans in all sectors, from cultural organisations to the parishes. We must never tire of “being citizens”, of contributing to the redesigning of spaces for the benefit of residents - without sacrificing it for other interests. It’s called “active citizenship”, one of the cornerstones of Cittaslow. So the movement has introduced environmental and social resilience among the requirements to be recognised, that is having the capacity when external conditions change not only to survive but to thrive. Easy to say, harder to achieve. Seen from the outside Valchiavenna continues to resist effectively the mainstream “fast” and the uncertainties of the century: by defending a dynamic identity and the alpine pathways, not to mention the earliest electrified railway in Italy. A precious resource. Cittaslow Outdoor is judged the guiding light of tourism at an international level: the Via Spluga is a prime example and then the extraordinary network of itineraries along paths criss-crossing Valchiavenna, north into the Grisons and the lower Rhine, or south towards Lario, Milan and the Po. From ancient times right up until just a few decades ago these routes, representing a truly green infrastructure and common good, remained the shared responsibility of families in the valley and inhabitants of alpine pastures. Keeping them up to scratch requires considerable and constant efforts by professionals, mountain guides, and volunteers of the Chiavenna CAI Section, which will turn 100 this year. Congratulations and thanks! They work tirelessly alongside neighbouring CAI sections, local municipalities, the Comunità Montana and the Consorzio per la Promozione Turistica della Valchiavenna. Cittaslow preaches its goal “to enhance what you are and what you have, without self-destructing”. Which is why the exploitation of itineraries and pathways, and appreciation of the importance of the historical and vast heritage of the town centre along with traditions of the upper pastures play their vital roles.
From La Pace, the priceless 11th century Gospel Book to the Palazzo Vertemate Franchi, the Pestalozzi chapel to museums spread throughout the valley as far as the sacristy of San Luigi Guanella in Savogno, innovations and future projections remain part of Cittaslow’s portfolio. "Innovation by tradition" is a successful Cittaslow promotion. And hence we encourage “good living” and a dignified existence for every age group, with modern, digital innovations in the management of environmental and cultural assets, alongside experiments in agriculture (viticulture in particular is making great strides forward), along with catering, and the establishment of new technological companies and hubs. Last but not least the role of the Istituto Alberghiero Crotto Caurga, is fundamental, always looking ahead but with its feet firmly based. Just as Cittaslow looks itself in the mirror, Chiavenna is always searching to offer more: to further international marketing of valley products (huge input already by the Consorzio Turistico Valchiavenna), greater consolidation and intent from all players in the tourism supply chain, a renewed “pact for path maintenance”, and a “hospitality charter” for visitors hiking between mountain and valley. Good health!
DISCOVERING PLACES, LANDSCAPES AND STORIES.
Born in Chiavenna and raised in the charming village of Mese, Paolo Rotticci has always had a deep passion for the culture and territory that saw him ...
How is a tradition passed down? Maybe through a direct experience in childhood or by participation in village festivals. Or by listening to grandparents’ stories, recalling times past with nostalgia. But for an ...
When it rains chestnuts! Discovering Autumn in Valchiavenna through the eyes of a Dutch biker.
Valchiavenna was the muse and inspiration of a quite extraordinary reportage, which last ...
Informazioni ex art. 1, comma 125, della legge 4 agosto 2017 n. 124
Relativamente agli aiuti di Stato e aiuti de Minimis, si rimanda a quanto contenuto nel
“Registro nazionale degli aiuti di Stato” di cui all’articolo 52 L. 234/2012 (www.rna.gov.it).
