Refuges and restaurants at Pian dei Resinelli, typical cuisine to try
17 September 2024 • 9 minutes read
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.
During summer, it is possible to go hiking, mountain walking and mountain biking in its natural beauty while in winter, the area is also suitable for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
And it is during one of these hikes that you will want to stop and relax and fill your belly and heart with good mountain cuisine, either in a mountain hut or in a restaurant.
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1.Soldanella Refuge
Rifugio Soldanella is a refreshment and lodging place for mountaineers and hikers who want to stop and enjoy wholesome dishes prepared with zero-mileage ingredients, meats and cheeses produced in the area, and organic flours with which tagliatelle, pizzoccheri, lasagna and crespelle are kneaded.
Guests can eat on the panoramic terrace with outdoor tables, or in the large indoor rooms, simply furnished in classic mountain style and heated by the fireplace.
If you also want to spend the night at Rifugio Soldanella, you will have four double rooms and one quadruple room, each with its own private bathroom and TV, for a comfortable and relaxing stay.
The RIfugio is located in a panoramic position at Pian dei Resinelli, and from its windows it offers a wide view that embraces the mountains of Valsassina (best refuges here), the Lecco branch of Lake Como, and extends as far as the Po Valley.
To reach the refuge: From Ballabio via Val Grande, the refuge can be reached in an hour and a half of medium-level trekking. Elevation gain: 630mt. Info and reservations: +39 0341 531 132
View of the Soldanella refuge
Carlo Porta Refuge
Built at an altitude of 1426 meters, Rifugio Carlo Porta dominates the entire valley and has become the symbol of Pian dei Resinelli. You can't miss the cuisine's specialties such as pizzoccheri, vegetable velouté and polenta with ribs cooked for 24 hours.
The hut is located in a historic building built by Cai Milano in 1911 and still retains all the charm of early 20th-century architecture. The dining room reflects the taste and style of the mountains a hundred years ago, with pearl walls to better insulate against low temperatures and a coffered ceiling, all strictly in wood.
In addition to being a great choice for a relaxing lunch in the mountains, it is also the ideal starting point for tackling the Grignetta and climbing crags and is ready to accommodate families, couples and hiking groups in its private and comfortable bedrooms.
Reaching the refuge: from the parking lot in Piazza Daniele Chiappa it is an easy twenty-minute walk, with an elevation gain of 140 meters. Info and reservations: +39 375 77 27 440
The original sign above the entrance door of the Carlo Porta rfugio
Refuge Rosalba
The Rosalba hut is located on the western ridge of the Southern Grigna, in the locality of Colle Pertusio, in the municipality of Mandello del Lario at an altitude of 1730 meters and can only be reached on foot.
Once you arrive at the refuge, you can enjoy spectacular views both from the tables outside and from the windows of the dining room from which you can admire climbers tackling the rock faces in the area.
In fact, the Rosalba h ut is the ideal base from which to test yourself with climbing: local guides organize courses for every level and type of preparation, and all around the hut start climbing routes that you absolutely must try!
Although it cannot be reached by car, it is often very crowded, especially in high season and on weekends. Our advice is to plan your visit by reserving your place at the table and to try the extraordinary pizzoccherati gnocchetti.
To reach the refuge: starting from Pian dei Resinelli, the elevation gain is 600 meters and you can choose two different routes:
- the " Via delle Foppe," following trail marker 9 with a medium level walk of about two hours
- the "Direttissima," following marker 8 and 8/a with a much more challenging hike that also passes by the Carlo Porta refuge, which should only be tackled if you are an experienced hiker with the right equipment. The hike takes about three hours
Info and reservations: +39 347 69 54 610
The Rosalba refuge on the Southern Grigna
4.Ristobar West Wall
At the Parete Ovest Ristobar or Ristopub you can relax and enjoy the main dishes of Valtellina cuisine, prepared with organic, km0 ingredients produced in the area and surrounding valleys.
It is located in the municipality of Abbadia Lariana, very close to the parking lots where hikers leave their cars to leave for the mountain trails, and for this reason it is suitable both to be chosen as a refreshment on the way back from a morning walk or trek, and as a destination for a family lunch, for a quiet day to spend relaxing in the mountains.
Dishes you absolutely must try if you choose to stop at the Parete Ovest Ristobar are sciatt, venison goulash, pizzoccheri and the ever-present homemade apple pie.
To reach the restaurant: Via Escursionisti, 1, 23821 Abbadia lariana LC. Info and reservations: +39 333 17 46 584
The Parete Ovest Ristobar, conveniently reachable by car
5.Pizzeria Restaurant 21.84
Restaurant Pizzeria 21.84 is in the municipality of Abbadia Lariana, in the popular area from which climbers and hikers set off on their adventures.
It can be easily reached by car, thanks to paved roads and ample parking lots, which, however, tend to fill up very quickly in high season. Our advice is to arrive early in the morning and take advantage of it to take a scenic walk following one of the many trails in Pian dei Resinelli.
The restaurant's cuisine is rustic and homemade where even the bread is homemade as well as the desserts and fresh pasta, made from eggs and organic flours. Thepizza dough is allowed to rise for at least 36 hours: in this way it is possible to use fewer leavening agents and obtain a tastier and lighter base, perfect for a restorative lunch after a hike in the mountains.
Restaurant 21.84 provides its guests with a comfortable and spacious indoor dining room and an outdoor terrace overlooking the village and the Sacred Heart Church, built of stone at the beginning of the last century.
To reach the restaurant: Via Escursionisti, 9, 23821 Abbadia lariana LC. Info and reservations: +39 0341 590 077
The restaurant pizzeria 21.84 with its outdoor terrace
6.The Kite's Den
La Tana del Nibbio is a tavern serving simple, traditional cuisine of homemade cakes and polenta taragna, right in the center of Pian dei Resinelli, not far from the trails that lead to the Grigna and to the high-altitude shelters.
Dishes to try are venison with polenta and buckwheat tart with berries, all prepared strictly with local and organic ingredients.
The restaurant is informal with a family atmosphere; the dining room features different tables and chairs that create a feeling of home and togetherness, as if the community had gathered to have lunch together, each bringing a piece of home.
At Tana del Nibbio you can eat inside or on the outdoor terrace overlooking the mountains, where on beautiful summer days you can sunbathe and admire passing hikers. The outdoor area is also suitable for children who can play in a small lawn area, always under the watchful eye of their parents sitting at the table.
To reach the restaurant: Via Escursionisti, 51, 23821 Abbadia lariana LC. Info and reservations: +39 0341 590 153
La Tana Del Nibbio restaurant in winter
Refuge SEL Rocca Locatelli
The SEL Rocca Locatelli mountain hut is located at the foot of the Grigna and can be reached either by car or on foot, with amedium-level hike that from Abbadia Lariana has an elevation gain of 1,000 meters and is about two and a half hours.
In fact, the refuge is located at 1,280 meters above sea level and is often used as a foothold for more experienced climbers who want to set off on more challenging routes on the Grigna. Only in summer, however, because in winter it is not possible to spend the night at the refuge and rooms are available only in the warm season.
A short walk from the SEL refuge is also the Parco delle Miniere (Mines Park ), where it is possible to visit the old lead-zinc-calamine mines that have contributed to the development of Lombardy's steel industry since the 16th century.
The refuge provides one hundred seats in the indoor dining room and another thirty seats on the panoramic terrace outside where you can enjoy a rich polenta with different toppings such as goulash, braised beef, or alpine cheese.
A curiosity: the initials SEL stand for Società Escursionisti Lecchesi, the group that founded the refuge on June 14, 1908, making Rocca Locatelli one of the historic refuges in the Pian dei resinelli area
To reach the refuge: Via Escursionisti, 24, 23821 Piani Resinelli LC. Starting from Ballabio, it can be reached by a medium-level trek lasting an hour and a half. Elevation gain: 500 meters. Info and reservations: +39 0341 590 286
The SEL refuge at the foot of the Grigna
Conclusion
Whether you are passionate about trekking, hiking, or simply looking for an escape from the daily hustle and bustle, the refuges at Piani dei Resinelli are ideal destinations for reconnecting with nature and rediscovering the serenity of the mountains and good old-fashioned cuisine
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