Perched on a cone-shaped hill at the foot of the Rhaetian Alps, the small town of Bianzone boasts one of the best climates around, making it a thriving zone for agriculture, characterised by apple orchards and terraced vineyards.
For centuries, wine production was the stronghold of Valtellina’s economy and the zone benefited from its sandy, sun-drenched terroir that is particularly fertile, boasting a wine-making history that goes back to the year 1,000 – nowadays here’s where you’ll find grapes grown for Valtellina Superiore DOCG and Valgella wines.
Bianzone’s well-to-do heritage is visible in the Baroque architecture, particularly the San Siro Church, built in 1100 and containing frescoes inside from locally born painter Cipriano Valorsa, known as the ‘Raffaello of Valtellina’, as well as the elegant Palazzo Besta, currently closed to visitors because of its need for renovation. It was built by the Besta family from Teglio and stands as one of the most prestigious buildings in the town, known for its vaulted ceilinged room depicting scenes from the Gerusalemme Liberata (‘Jerusalem Delivered’).
Heading out from Bianzone towards Tirano, the sight of the Baroque-style Santuario della Madonna del Piano confirms why it is one of the most admired buildings in the valley. Note the tall pilasters and a series of symmetrical niches dominating the facade and conserving the fifteenth-century bell tower within, part of the remaining structure from the time it was rebuilt.
Days out in the open should be spent on the Via dei Terrazzamenti route or the Cammino Mariano delle Alpi pilgrimage trail, which links Tirano with Teglio, traversing vineyards and wine cellars including the historic Tenuta La Gatta, a former Dominican convent built in the year 500 and now home to a prestigious wine producer.
