Our last stop on our incredible day out from Menaggio (see here, here, here and here for the previous instalments) was the charming Italian town of Chiavenna.
River Mera Chiavenna
We were dropped off outside the rail station (a small branch line connects Chiavenna with Colico near the head of Lake Como) and headed off to explore. First stop the main piazza where we went in search of refreshments. The temperature was milder here than the north side of the alps and we sat in the main piazza, basking in the sun and enjoying some delicious treats from Il gelato del vecio!
Chiavenna nestles high up in the pre Alps near the Italian border. The River Mera gushes through town on its way down from the Val Bregaglia and the Maloya Pass to Lake Como in the south. North of the town, the Valle Spluga also heads towards the Spluga Pass (if you thought the Maloja sounded tricky read about driving conditions on the Spluga!) and over to Chur in Switzerland. With such a strategic position near two important alpine passes, Chiavenna became an important trading post and it still retains much of its medieval charm and character. We had a pleasant stroll through the narrow streets enjoying the sunny atmosphere.
Chiavenna Cobbled Streets
Many of the old buildings are now home to trendy boutiques, food and deli shops and a myriad of cafes and restaurants. Some of the cafes are housed inside old caves or crotti – they are quite a feature in Chiavenna. With churches including the ancient Church of Saint Lawrence dating back to the 5th century, museums, parks and walking trails, Chiavenna was certainly worth visiting. We would have liked to have stayed longer but after a quick afternoon tea break it was time to head back to our coach for the relatively short ride back to Lake Como (16 kms further south).
Copyright © 2016 Rosemary Thomas Le Chic En Rose. All rights reserved
Le Chic En Rose 
That first shot of the town, the river and the mountains in the background is stunning! Another beautiful place.
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Thanks Anabel – this photo was taken on the bridge. Chiavenna’s setting is wonderful it’s such a beautiful place! 🙂
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What a lovely place! I really love all the places you document Rosemary:)
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Thanks! Yes Chiavenna is a gem of a place love this part of the world! 🙂
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What a place! The mountains looking over everything are so dramatic and beautiful!
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Isn’t the setting wonderful Kerry – the little town set beneath the mountains it was stunning!
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So gorgeous Rosemary, every angle of this place is picture perfect. Love those narrow streets and the mountains behind, strolling around must have been wonderful. Drooling at the gelato too – something we would indulge in whatever the weather!
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Chiavenna is a gorgeous little place Joy! Such a superb setting with the mountains and medieval cobbled streets plus the advantages of being in Italy – great food, shops and of course gelato. The flavours were superb!!
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There are so many delightful towns in Italy, with beautiful backdrops of mountains and lakes. Thanks for sharing Rosemary.
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You’re very welcome Ruth! As you say there are so many gorgeous places in Italy – Chiavenna is a real gem! 🙂
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What a beautiful little town. Love the mountain in the back, and the narrow streets with the old romantic buildings. For sure charming!
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It’s a charming place Hanna – such a pretty setting with the mountains in the background and all those pretty little streets – a lovely place for a wander round! 🙂
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Oh the River Mera Chievenna is so iconic !! So pretty, I love this view with the mountains in the background ! And the weather looked so good.
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Thanks Gin – it’s a gorgeous little place! We had a great time there – would love to go back for a longer look round next time! 🙂
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We are thinking about going back to Italy next year for a few days as a spring break. We don’t know if we should go for North or for around Rome ..
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They would both be lovely Gin but very different. Depends on whether you want a more tranquil holiday or the bustle of Rome (last went there many years ago!).
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Definitively different ! We are still unsure at the moment 🙂
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Planning is half the fun!! 🙂
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This looks a stunner of a place, Rosemay! That opening shot somehow brings back memories of the Darro river in Granada, tumbling beneath the Alhambra, though I know there’s no comparison. A lovely, lovely place 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
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You’re very welcome Jo – Chiavenna is a gem of a place! 🙂 The Darro River sounds spectaular too – must look it up. Yes the Mera rushing through the little medieval town centre was quite a site – the photo was taken from the middle of the bridge 🙂
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