Sondrio, 28 March 2018. The long Easter weekend is coming and as always there is no shortage of events able to offer a fascinating vision of the traditional roots of Sondrio and Valmalenco, with windows open on the best that spring can offer in the area: nature, panoramas, paths, culture, villages and flavors. It starts on Easter Eve with the 31st District zootechnical exhibition. In Caspoggio, in the school square in the center of the Malenco village, the traditional festival dedicated to breeding and the discovery of local flavors and traditions begins. One of the oldest livestock exhibitions in Lombardy, and always very popular, which will see the presence of about twenty breeders and about eighty heads (sondrioevalmalenco.it/mostrazootecnica.htm).
Since 1986 it has been an opportunity to admire the “brown breed” cattle live and learn about the zootechnical supply chain, which starts from the stable and passes through the transformation, creating small high quality productions. Goodies of genuineness that will be exhibited for direct sale and can be purchased until exhaustion. To complete the program, milking competitions, demonstrations of dairy art and the “cheese platter” and “Caprino della Valmalenco” competitions could not be missing. The latter is a creamy, soft or semi-hard cheese made from goat's milk and which is finding more and more space in the Mallero valley. There will also be opportunities to get to know the territory, also thanks to the guided visits to the Malenche farms, the real protagonists of the day. And you can end the day with a flourish by tasting, on both Saturday and Sunday, the themed menus offered by the numerous restaurants participating in the initiative.
But Saturday 31 March is also the day on which one of the most popular tourist and cultural events in Valtellina opens. Until 6 May the “Ponte in Fiore” will characterize, for the 41st time, the splendid village of Ponte in Valtellina. And it will do so in a period in which the beauty of the country is appreciated even more: choral meetings, concerts of bands, art and photographic exhibitions, theatrical and dance performances, documentary screenings, conferences, a literary festival for children that will see guests among the most famous authors and illustrators in the world of children's publishing (biblioponte.eu).
A Easter Monday, as always unmissable, the night visit inside the Bagnada di Lanzada mine (18 pm) followed by a typical dinner (sondrioevalmalenco.it/notturnainminiera.htm). Without forgetting that in Valmalenco there is never a lack of snow and all Alpe Palù slopes and lifts are also open at Easter. To conclude a record season for the Bernina Cable Car Ski Area (valmalencoskiresort.com). Finally, last but not least, the official presentation of the stage of the Giro Rosa 2018 takes place in these hours, which on 11 July, exactly 30 years after the Bergamo - Chiesa in Valmalenco, will bring the pink jersey back to the valley. The Lanzada-Campo Moro time trial is expected, which will certainly be a highlight for the definition of the final classification of the race.
Sondrio and Valmalenco, in the heart of Valtellina, is a territory characterized by a wild but generous nature, nestled between the Orobic and Rhaetian Alps, among which the Bernina lace stands out with its 4.050 meters. Kingdom of snow in winter with 60 km of ski slopes, a snow park and a boundless offer of outdoor activities, between beautiful and majestic mountains, it can offer a scenography of colors, scents and flavors that change with each season. There is no shortage of natural, artistic, historical beauties and unique scenarios, such as the terraced vineyards, on the Rhaetian side of the Adda, on which fine wines are produced that go well with the best products of the Valtellinese food and wine tradition.
For more information: www.sondrioevalmalenco.it