Latest news with #ItalianAlps
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
The valleys of the Dolomites: exploring Italy's new network of wild trails
Thick white cloud hangs outside the windows of Rifugio Segantini, a mountain hut 2,373 metres up in the Italian Alps. But it is shifting, revealing glimpses of the majestic Brenta Dolomites before us: a patch of snow here, a craggy peak there. The view is tantalising, and a couple of times I have run outside in a kind of peekaboo farce to see the full display, only for it to pass behind clouds again. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The refuge – cosy, wooden-clad and packed with hikers – is named after the Italian landscape painter Giovanni Segantini, who was inspired by these mountains. His portrait hangs on the walls and his name is embroidered on the lace curtains. A simple stone building with blue and white shutters in Val d'Amola, the refuge is dwarfed by its rugged surrounds, with Trentino's highest peak, the snow-capped 3,556-metre Presanella, as a backdrop. The entries in the guestbook are entirely by locals. For most British hikers, the eastern parts of the Dolomites, like the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Lago di Braies, towards Cortina, are better known. Few come to Trentino, and fewer still come to this part of the Adamello Brenta nature park. This, I am told, is the wild part of these mountains: less explored, with fewer tourists, and rousing 'bigger emotion', according to my mountain guide Nicola Binelli. (He climbed Presanella for the first time when he was six.) I'm here to sample the new Via delle Valli (the Trail of the Valleys), a network of 50 hiking routes covering 50 of Trentino's mountain valleys, which launches this month. It runs from ski capital Madonna di Campiglio down to Lake Idro, taking in both the Brenta Dolomites and the Adamello glacier, Italy's largest. Some are gentle family-friendly strolls; others are remote challenging climbs for which a mountain guide is recommended. Trails can be walked in a day, or strung together in a multi-day trek, making use of the area's mountain huts (open from June to September) and bivouac shelters. But exploring the whole route is a long-term project, intended to be walked over weeks, months or even years. These trails existed before, but they have been unified under the Via delle Valli. Their signage is being updated, maps and GPX files have been made available online, and a 'Valley Passport' has been introduced, which hikers can stamp at each valley as an encouragement to return. Each valley has a local ambassador, intended to pass their love and knowledge of the area on to others. The initiative, which has been three years in the making, is the brainchild of local tourist board manager Loredana Bonazza, who was inspired by Spain's famous Camino de Santiago. The idea, she explains, is to tempt mountain-lovers away from the area's hotspots, like Madonna di Campiglio and Val Genova, and towards adventures on lesser-charted trails. 'Every valley is different,' she says. 'We forget everything [in the mountains]: our stress, our jobs, our family problems. You really feel connected with the mountain. The result is: per scoprire; per scoprirsi. To discover; to discover yourself.' My focus is on two contrasting valleys – the rocky, rough Val D'Amola and neighbouring verdant Val Nambrone, where we begin by exploring one of its jewels: the breathtaking (literally) Lago Vedretta, at 2,600 metres. We climb from another hut, Rifugio Cornisello (newly renovated and all timber and glass), through green alpine pastures, up over a rocky lip, where the lake appears in all its glory. The landscape remains frozen, even in late June, with sheets of ice thawing into pale blue water. You'd be forgiven for thinking it was Patagonia, rather than Italy. There are around 100 bears in Trentino, as well as wolves, foxes, chamois, falcons and eagles. But on the way back to the refuge, where we are spending the night, we take a detour up above the turquoise Lago di Cornisello Superiore to spot fluffier mountain residents: marmots. There are plenty of them up here, promises Debora Rambaldini, ambassador for Val Nambrone and the first woman in the area to become a forest guard. We follow her up a lush green spur dotted with wildflowers, and stand in silence, listening to the sounds of rushing water. Rambaldini puts a finger to her lips. There, a flush of reddish fur, a marmot darting between rocks, bushy tailed. And better still, another sunbathing on a rock below, eyeing us with suspicion. The following day, we head to Val D'Amola. The route takes us around the inky Lago Nero and up over the Bocchetta de l'Om pass, backpacks fully loaded. Val D'Amola is only a few kilometres away, but it is a different world. It is more peat and bog, more Lord of the Rings. The water – grey here, not blue – thunders rather than babbles. But after lunch it's our ascent up to Quattro Cantoni, a steep ledge and the gateway to the next valley, that reveals more of these mountains' wild side. The cloud hangs low and thick, and apparently a storm is coming – soon. The sky rumbles above. Scrambling over rocks, tiptoeing on ledges and gingerly crossing patches of snow, the route is humbling: a reminder to improve my mountaineering skills. But safely back at Segantini, I feel elated. And the storm never comes. At Segantini, just as we sit down for our hearty mountain dinner of polenta, the clouds finally part. Seen from Cornisello, these jagged, teeth-like Dolomites appeared pastel pink in the sunset; now, they are slate-grey, foreboding, capped with snow. They fill the whole horizon. As the sky darkens, we can see the twinkling lights of another hut, the vast Tuckett which sleeps 120 people, slowly appear on their black flanks. I head to bed happy, and feel my heart racing with the altitude. It's a small, six-bed dorm room, with a window that looks back towards the way we came. Occasionally, distant flashes of lightning illuminate the room, disrupting the dark and quiet. Sleeping – and waking – above 2,000 metres, though, is special. Ordinary life, below the clouds, feels a long way down. Time slows, you can only focus on the present, the company, the view. Afterwards, a little part of me will stay up here at Segantini, waiting to come back and explore more of these wild mountains and the secrets of the Via delle Valli. The trip was provided by Trentino Marketing and the local tourist board. Dorm rooms at at Rifugio Cornisello €65 B&B or €90-€100 half-board, and €85 half-board at Rifugio Segantini. For more information about the Via delle Valli, visit
Times
2 days ago
- Times
Search for British hiker missing for five days in Italian Alps
A search is under way in the Italian Alps for a British hiker who has been missing for five days after texting a friend that he was lost. Matthew Hall, a telecoms engineer from Hull, was trekking alone near Chiavenna, north of Lake Como and close to the Swiss border, when he sent his last known message saying that he had lost his trail. 'We are concerned because there are plenty of dangerous gullies and ravines in that area,' said one of the 20 police rescuers and volunteers now combing the area, assisted by a helicopter. Hall, 33, asked for local directions at the bed and breakfast he was staying at in Chiavenna at 10am on July 8 and was not seen again by staff, but his absence was only reported to local police by the owner on Saturday, four days later, after he failed to show up to check out on Friday.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
‘I've lost the trail': Full haunting text from Brit Matthew Hall missing in Italy – as mum says ‘I just want him home'
THE mum of a Brit who vanished while hiking in Italy says she " just wants him home" as a major search operation continues. Matthew Hall has been missing for five days after he went for a trek in the Italian Alps. 4 4 4 4 The 33-year-old from Hull had been due to fly back to Britain at the weekend, but his whereabouts have been unknown since July 9. A final text to a friend before his disappearance reads: "I lost the path and stopped to rest". His mother Sara Foster told BBC News: "I'm very wobbly at the moment, obviously, but I'm really trying to stay positive." Matthew is understood to have been planning an eight-hour trek before he vanished. He had been staying at the B&B Ploncher in Chiavenna, and hotel staff reportedly raised concerns when he did not show up for check out. When they went to his room, his belongings and documents were still there except his backpack - and his phone was turned off. Before his disappearance he was reportedly spotted by staff at the 'All Right' pub on July 7. According to Italian media reports, he might have been heading towards Savogno or Dasile, starting from Borgonuovo. Alternatively, he might have been going towards Pianazzola, Daloo or Lagunch, starting from Chiavenna. He had sent a photo of the cross at Alpe Daloo near San Giacomo Filippo to his friends before his disappearance, the BBC has reported. I've moved to hidden historic town where houses are the price of handbags & pints are cheaper than Tesco sandwiches His mum said: "We'd got lots of photos from him from the Saturday to the Monday and then it seemed to be a blank. "If you're walking around Chiavenna just keep an eye out. We just want him to come home." A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British man missing in Italy and are in contact with the local authorities." Matthew is described as being around 5ft 10in and with brown hair. Search operations are underway, with rescue teams scouring the area to establish his likely location. The Prefecture is overseeing the operation, which involves the Carabinieri, the Guardia di Finanza, and the Alpine Rescue team. Sara praised the work of the police and rescue services, adding she is "so impressed" at how they've kept her updated. She said her son is a Hull KR fan who "loves his trails and walking". He lives round the corner from her with his cat Betty, she added. Matthew is believed to have been wearing beige top and had a black backpack with him when he vanished. law enforcement.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Brit hiker missing for five days after vanishing from Italian B&B as last text revealed and mountain search op launched
A BRIT hiker has been missing for five days in the Italian Alps, and the last text before his disappearance has been revealed. A major search operation has been launched to find Matthew Hall, 33, who went missing on July 9. 2 2 In a final text before his disappearance, the hiker told a friend: "I lost the path and stopped to rest". Subsequent attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful. The search operation was launched after Matthew failed to show up to check out of his bed and breakfast. His last known sighting was at the 'All Right' pub on July 7 - where staff reportedly saw him. Matthew is described as being around 1.78 m tall and with brown hair. He is believed to have asked hotel staff for directions to hikes in the area upon his arrival. They pointed him in the direction of several scenic hiking routes. is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Dozens of lawmakers scrutinized for scoring FREE luxury trip to Italy's Lake Como estimated to cost thousands
Nestled in the shadow of the Italian Alps lies a pristine vacation destination favored by the world's richest - and increasingly visited by U.S. lawmakers and their spouses for free. The splendid retreat of Lake Como has been featured in blockbusters like James Bond, Star Wars and the Ocean's 11 franchises. It is also now one of the most popular destinations for members of Congress to get a free trip, according to a NOTUS report. The nonprofit Aspen Institute has sent nearly 50 lawmakers to the Italian retreat since 2023, the outlet found, making it the fifth most-visited foreign country for congressional trips this year. The Aspen Institute bills this paid-for luxury trip as an educational experience for lawmakers to work across the aisle on critical issues in a relaxed setting. There are perks, too, like lawmaker's ability to bring a spouse or companion. The trips' average cost ranges between $10,000 and $15,000 for members bringing a guest, but the lawmakers need not worry as that is covered by the Aspen Institute. The nonprofit foots the bill for business-class flights, meals, and lodging at an exclusive villa, according to the program's invitation. Democrats and Republicans will receive lessons about food insecurity, climate change and artificial intelligence at the Bellagio Center - a villa owned by the Rockefeller Foundation. Congressional spouses and guests are free to visit the historic towns that dot the lake's coastline to experience the local splendors and try staples like pasta and gelato. But some have been critical of lawmakers taking the trips. Reacting to the climate change educational field trips, conservative commentator and former Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, aide Steve Guest called the it 'beyond parody.' 'How ironic, discussing food insecurity where the Jet Set go to sample the best Italy has to offer,' an X user reacted. 'Not exactly a brown bag seminar in Washington DC,' another wrote on X. 'This is completely unsurprising and exactly what people outside the beltway think politicians do.' 'No wonder people go into 'public service,'' they added. Speaking with NOTUS about the trips, multiple lawmakers shared that they enjoyed the policy discussions in the glamorous destination. 'They put us on a small houseboat and took us over across the lake to a little villa, if you will, and the restaurant there,' Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, said of his trip. He shared that the event was 'very bipartisan' and 'very beneficial.' Though he did complain that he did not get to check off all the activities he wanted to do while over there. Though his wife got to attend a cooking class, enjoyed world-class shopping and some local gelato, Weber said he left a 'must-do' on the table. 'I was a little disappointed because we never got to try any Italian pizza,' he told NOTUS. One reporter, Joe Perticone, wrote on X he was outraged by Weber's statement. 'Randy Weber bemoaning that he didn't get to eat pizza while he was in Lombardy is actually infuriating,' the journalist wrote. 'Members of Congress do not deserve this.' Typically lawmakers travel to destinations with importance to U.S. interests, like Taiwan, Israel, Brussels or Beijing. On the most recent trip 11 members traveled to Lake Como for around six days, NOTUS reports. Many of the speakers at the conference are D.C.-based, however, including groups that are pushing lawmakers to keep alive Biden-era clean energy tax credits under the new administration. Former Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Penn., who runs the Aspen Institute's congressional program, told the outlet that the trips are meant to bring together Republicans and Democrats on bipartisan policy issues amid 'this bitterly partisan and tribal political environment.' 'There are simply not enough opportunities in Congress for members to develop meaningful relationships across the aisle,' Dent told NOTUS. 'There are no taxpayer funds involved in what we do, and there are no lobbyists involved.' Past attendees include Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Chris Coons, Peter Welch and Chris Van Hollen and Reps. Glenn Ivey, Jim Himes and Adam Smith. Republican Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, Susan Collins, John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy have also attended - so have Reps. Kat Cammack, August Pfluger, Neal Dunn and others. Dent, the former chairman of the House Ethics Committee, shared that he personally fills out lawmaker's required ethics paperwork so that they may attend the retreat. The current chair of the committee, Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., has visited Lake Como twice with Aspen, having gone this year and last. The Ethics Committee is responsible for ensuring that lawmakers properly register for work-related foreign trips.
