Early July 2024 - we'll arrive at MXP Milan and have 3 nights, 2 days to spend hiking in the mountains. We have to turn around and head to Genoa after the mtns, so we're trying to be economical with driving. I've identified Alagna Valsesia as a good option for a base camp within 2 hours from MXP, with plenty of hikes nearby. That said, I'm not 100% set on it. I can't tell if it's going to be just a bunch of ski lifts/runs and not much of the cows-in-meadows/Alps feel. Anyone been there? Or have any other suggestions? We've loved hut-to-hut hiking in the Dolomites and Alps, but are opting for day-hikes from a quaint village instead for this trip.
Posted by
Paris
7312 posts
I have only been to Alagna in the winter. It is not your usual ski resort: it is a very small place, relatively well preserved (I wasn't staying there so details are hazy), and there is just one gondola out of the village, and one run down to it. So, it should not look too 'barren' in the summer. And just up the road there is a nature reserve with waterfalls and various hikes. It does look like a good option; maybe someone in the know can chip in!
Other options that come to mind are Macugnaga, very close to Alagna but on the other side of a mountain ridge and with more "glacial" scenery, and Cogne, at the foot of Gran Paradiso. Cogne is a longer drive.
Posted by
OP
Seattle
9 posts
Thanks, Balso! That sounds promising. 👍