Pian dei Resinelli is a resort located at an altitude of 1,300 meters in the province of Lecco, Lombardy, and is a particularly popular destination for lovers of nature and outdoor sports.
The most famous and most photographed spot in the area is Valentino Park with its viewpoint overlooking Lake Como
The city of Lecco as seen from Pian dei Resinelli
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The viewpoint of the Valentino Park
Valentino Park is located at an elevation of 1,377 meters, and its belvedere offers a breathtaking view of the Lecco branch of Lake Como and all the surrounding mountains.
In recent years, a horseshoe-shaped scenic walkway has been installed that projects over the mountainside, offering tourists and hikers the chance to feel suspended in the void, at the center of an enchanted panorama.
The park and the walkway are accessible 24 hours a day, but considering that there is no lighting, it is necessary to bring lamps for night hikes. Our advice is to equip yourself with headlamps so you can have your hands free and hold on to the railings in case you feel dizzy.
On clear days the view sweeps up to the highest peaks of the alps, but the scenic walkway is also worth a visit on hazy days, when fog and low clouds give the feeling of floating in the void in a place out of space and time, surrounded only by white and with no landmarks around.
An atmosphere that is perhaps a bit ghostly but definitely very atmospheric.
The scenic walkway immersed in the clouds
Pian dei Resinelli: the paths to get to the viewpoint
To get to Valentino Park and its belvedere, the walk is very easy and suitable for everyone.
You start from Via degli escursionisti at Pian dei Resinelli, where you can leave your car in one of the convenient parking lots, and climb up by taking the dirt road near the SEL Rocca Locatelli refuge.
At the beginning of the road you'll find signs for the Resinelli lookout pointing to a 20-minute walking time, but it could take as long as 40 minutes, especially if you want to stop and enjoy the scenery or if there are children with you.
The road skirts the old adventure park and continues uphill to a paved clearing where the entrance gate to the park is also located.
The entrance gate to Valentino Park
Past the gate, the path becomes unpaved again and with a gentle slope reaches the boardwalk.
To return to Pian dei Resinelli, you can choose to turn around and go back the way you came or continue on the dirt path to Cima Paradiso, which is reached in 20 minutes, and to Monte Coltiglione, which is reached in another 30 minutes.
From Mount Coltiglione, you can then return directly to Pian dei Resinelli , closing your loop trail.
How to dress for the walk
The trail is fairly easy and does not require much specific equipment. We recommend:
- sneakers with a thick sole. Boots or hiking boots are not necessary, although they can be useful especially for young children to keep their ankles secure on the dirt trail
- comfortable clothing, not necessarily technical but with the ability to remove or add layers if temperatures change
- sunglasses, hat and sunscreen: Valentine Park is almost exclusively in the sun
Sunset from the Valentino Park boardwalk at Pian dei Resinelli
Pian dei Resinelli: where to eat
After the walk, it's time to stop to regain strength and have lunch at Pian dei Resinelli.
There are several restaurants and refuges to choose from: all offer typical mountain cuisine with classic pizzoccheri and polenta serving as side dishes to meat dishes such as shin and braised beef or different options such as alpine cheese and mushrooms.
Often in refuges, the cuisine follows the flow of the seasons, changing the menu as the products offered by the land change: from seasonal vegetables to medicinal herbs that grow only at certain times, refuge cuisine should be enjoyed at different times of the year.
The sign marking the arrival at Pian dei Resinelli with directions to the different restaurants and refuges
Conclusion
The Pian dei Resinelli lookout is an easy hike suitable for everyone, ideal for a family afternoon or Sunday with children or even for a day with friends to experience the mountains just a stone's throw from the city.
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