Chiavenna and the Acquafraggia waterfalls
The crotti and the waterfalls
Near the Swiss border, at the meeting point of the Splügen and Maloja pass roads, Chiavenna owes its name to its role as the "key" (clavis) of the Alpine passes. It is a charming town of stone houses, palaces, the collegiate church of San Lorenzo, with a precious twelfth century gold book cover, the Pace, and the Paradiso botanical and archaeological park on a rocky hill.
Chiavenna is famous for its crotti: natural caves at the foot of the mountains, where a constant current of cool air, the "sorèl", blowing from the cracks in the rock, keeps the temperature at about 8 degrees all year. For centuries they were used as cellars to age wine, cheese and cured meats, and many are now rustic restaurants serving local dishes, such as bresaola, polenta and the "violino di capra", goat ham carved like a violin. A few kilometres away, at Piuro, the Cascate dell'Acquafraggia are a double waterfall plunging about 170 metres down a rock face; Leonardo da Vinci mentioned them in his notes. Piuro was destroyed by a landslide in 1618, and its ruins can still be seen.
Tip: in September the Sagra dei Crotti opens the caves to the public with food and music; a path climbs alongside the waterfalls.
Where it is
More things to see in Lombardy
Where to stay near Chiavenna
Tours and activities nearby
Offers from GetYourGuide. Some links are affiliate links: if you book we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.