Piani di Artavaggio: from Culmine di San Pietro to the Nicola
Cassina Valsassina, Lecco · Lombardia•1 day · Sunday•Hiking · 1,870 m
Difficulty ?
INTERMEDIATE
Where?
Lecco, Lombardia
On your own?
No problem
Points
+18
Community photos
Overview
The experience
Difficulty
What's included
Itinerary
Carpooling
What to bring
Guiddy Experience
Reviews
Questions
WHY THIS HIKE
High meadows and mountain huts above Valsassina
The Piani di Artavaggio are among Lombardy's best-loved destinations, and in summer they are at their finest: green meadows, open views and that light mountain feeling everyone agrees on. It is a plateau at 1,650 metres ringed by peaks, with several huts that make it a small high-altitude village.
Group chat a couple of days before
Come alone, leave with new friends
The experience
We start from Culmine di San Pietro, on the border between the provinces of Lecco and Bergamo, following a pleasant, panoramic trail. The first part has no demanding gradients and lets you enjoy the landscape step by step, through woods, pastures and ever wider views of the mountains around Lake Como.
Once at the Piani the surroundings open completely and we stop at Rifugio Nicola for lunch. It is 17 kilometres and 840 metres of ascent: a full day but never a hard one, returning along the same route.
This is an intermediate hike for its length rather than its difficulty: 17 kilometres and 840 metres of ascent in six hours, on trails with no technical sections. You need to be used to walking for a few hours. Bring boots and water.
Come with the Guidders: book your place and let's walk up to the Piani.
GOOD TO KNOW
Group chat
It opens a couple of days before: that's where the meeting point is confirmed and carpooling is arranged.
Free cancellation up to 3 days before
For the selected date: by 28 October, 23:59. You pay nothing when you book.
Guiddy accident insurance
Included in the price.
+18 Guiddy points
Your points grow with every outing, level you up and unlock discounts, exclusive outings and goodies.
Guiddy Coordinator (runs the group, Telegram included)
Included in the price.
Dog friendly
Your dog can come: add them when you book.
How hard is it, really
Guiddy scale
INTERMEDIATE
F
F+
I
I+
D
D+
840 m D+ · 17 km · 6 h
Easy
Perfect for those who want to enjoy nature without too much effort. Short, well-marked trails with gentle slopes. No technical difficulties, just a desire to walk, breathe in the fresh air, and share the day with a group.
Ideal for: Beginners, families, those who want to take their first steps in trekking.
Easy Plus
A little faster pace, but still accessible. Slightly longer routes or with a few more hills, requiring some walking experience. The terrain is always easy and safe.
Ideal for: Those who walk regularly and want to challenge themselves a little.
Intermediate — this outing
Here we enter the world of true trekking. Steeper climbs, stretches on uneven or longer trails that require stamina. The physical effort is medium to high, and the fatigue is noticeable... but so is the satisfaction!
Ideal for: Those who already have experience and a good level of physical fitness.
Intermediate Plus
When the mountains begin to take their toll. More challenging routes in terms of gradient or duration, with technical sections or uneven terrain. Even a medium elevation gain can be tough if concentrated in just a few kilometers
Ideal for: Trained hikers, accustomed to walking on mountain paths
Difficult
Level suitable for experienced hikers with excellent stamina and surefootedness. The physical challenge is high, and there may be steep sections or possible exposure, which is always noted in the hike description. Perfect for those who enjoy pushing their limits and conquering significant peaks.
Ideal for: Those who already have experience in an Alpine environment and want to challenge themselves.
Difficult Plus
Only for true Guidders with their Wild Spirit at its peak Long routes, significant elevation gain (over 1,100 m), and technical or exposed terrain. Excellent physical preparation, sure-footedness, and the ability to manage fatigue at high altitude are required.
Ideal for: Highly trained and experienced hikers in the mountains.
Exposure and exposed sections
NONE
No exposed sections reported on the route.
VERTIGO RISK
WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU GO
✓
BEFORE YOU GO
Go to bed early, have a good breakfast and drink before you set off: you've got 6 h and 840 m of ascent ahead, if you go to the mountains a couple of times a month, you're fit enough
✓
IN YOUR BACKPACK
Warm layers, a windproof jacket, 1.5 litres of water and a headlamp: the days are getting shorter, plus poles. Always with you: a plaster, an antiseptic wipe and a small bag for rubbish
What's included in the price
✓INCLUDED
✓Guiddy accident insurance
✓Guiddy Coordinator (runs the group, Telegram included)
✕NOT INCLUDED
✕Packed lunch or lunch at the hut
✕Parking
✕Travel to Cassina Valsassina
To get there, there's Guiddy carpooling, below.
Itinerary
One day, approximate times. The final details come in the group chat.
Elevation gain
840 m
Max altitude
1,870 m
Distance
17 km
Duration
6 h
Sunday
1 Nov
17 km · D+ 840 m · 6 h
The stops · 17 km
Meeting point 8:30approximate
Parcheggio, Cassina Valsassina, provincia di Lecco, Italia. The exact time is confirmed in the group chat. We usually meet a little earlier for breakfast together, when possible.
We meet the Guidders at the Culmine di San Pietro pass, above Cassina Valsassina (LC), where we leave the cars. From here the panoramic trail towards the Piani di Artavaggio begins. The exact time is shared in the outing's Telegram group.
13:00MOUNTAIN HUT
Lunch at Rifugio Nicola
We cross woods and pastures to the Piani di Artavaggio, where the landscape opens completely: meadows, huts and peaks all around. We stop at Rifugio Nicola for lunch, with traditional Valsassina dishes.
15:30RETURN
Back to the Culmine
We return along the same route, with the view of the mountains around Lake Como ahead of us for much of the way down. At the cars we take the time for a toast before saying goodbye.
How do you get to Cassina Valsassina? By carpooling.
You say so when booking, then you get organised in the Telegram group. Contacts and costs are agreed between you: a seat isn't guaranteed.
WHO'S ALREADY GOING
for the selected date
Offering a seat Looking for a seat
Cars are added in the last few days, once the group is confirmed.
What to bring
A list made for this hike. No technical gear: just good shoes and a well-packed backpack.
Food supply
REQUIRED
Water supply
REQUIRED
Backpack
REQUIRED
Trail running shoes
REQUIRED
Trekking boots
REQUIRED
Windproof
REQUIRED
Trekking poles
RECOMMENDED
Guiddy Experience
Sunday 1 November
Hikes picked for you
Guides and coordinators we pick for you.
Upcoming Guiddy Experience outings
Picked for you, with guides and coordinators we choose.
Flat or slightly inclined sections with short stretches on steep slopes and rocks, not tiring or demanding. You need to be fit enough to walk for 6 h with 840 m of ascent. If in doubt, message Ibex on WhatsApp.
Can I join on my own?
⌄
How does carpooling work?
⌄
What happens if the weather is bad?
⌄
What if the group doesn't reach the minimum?
⌄
Until when can I cancel?
⌄
Book now, pay only if it goes ahead
MOST POPULAR
✓No charge now: the amount is only held on your card
✓Free cancellation up to 3 days before (for this date: 28 October, 23:59)
✓You're only charged once the group is confirmed, at 7 pm the evening before departure
✓Minimum not reached? No charge, nothing to do
Or pay straight away by card, PayPal, Satispay or Revolut. With Klarna you can also pay in interest-free instalments.
Still have questions? Message Ibex
Ibex is Guiddy's virtual ibex: it answers everything, 24/7. In two messages it tells you whether this outing is for you, how to get there and what to pack.
Piani di Artavaggio: from Culmine di San Pietro to the Nicola
Cassina Valsassina, Lecco (LC) · Lombardia
1 day · Hiking · 1,870 m
20 Guidders have already done it
Elevation gain
840 m
Max altitude
1,870 m
Distance
17 km
Exposed sections
None
Duration
6 h
Guiddy points
+18
▣ 4 photos
WHY THIS HIKE
High meadows and mountain huts above Valsassina
The Piani di Artavaggio are among Lombardy's best-loved destinations, and in summer they are at their finest: green meadows, open views and that light mountain feeling everyone agrees on. It is a plateau at 1,650 metres ringed by peaks, with several huts that make it a small high-altitude village.
Come alone, leave with new friends
The experience
We start from Culmine di San Pietro, on the border between the provinces of Lecco and Bergamo, following a pleasant, panoramic trail. The first part has no demanding gradients and lets you enjoy the landscape step by step, through woods, pastures and ever wider views of the mountains around Lake Como.
Once at the Piani the surroundings open completely and we stop at Rifugio Nicola for lunch. It is 17 kilometres and 840 metres of ascent: a full day but never a hard one, returning along the same route.
This is an intermediate hike for its length rather than its difficulty: 17 kilometres and 840 metres of ascent in six hours, on trails with no technical sections. You need to be used to walking for a few hours. Bring boots and water.
Come with the Guidders: book your place and let's walk up to the Piani.
How hard is it
Guiddy scale
INTERMEDIATE
F
F+
I
I+
D
D+
840 m D+ · 17 km · 6 h
Easy
Perfect for those who want to enjoy nature without too much effort. Short, well-marked trails with gentle slopes. No technical difficulties, just a desire to walk, breathe in the fresh air, and share the day with a group.
Ideal for: Beginners, families, those who want to take their first steps in trekking.
Easy Plus
A little faster pace, but still accessible. Slightly longer routes or with a few more hills, requiring some walking experience. The terrain is always easy and safe.
Ideal for: Those who walk regularly and want to challenge themselves a little.
Intermediate — this outing
Here we enter the world of true trekking. Steeper climbs, stretches on uneven or longer trails that require stamina. The physical effort is medium to high, and the fatigue is noticeable... but so is the satisfaction!
Ideal for: Those who already have experience and a good level of physical fitness.
Intermediate Plus
When the mountains begin to take their toll. More challenging routes in terms of gradient or duration, with technical sections or uneven terrain. Even a medium elevation gain can be tough if concentrated in just a few kilometers
Ideal for: Trained hikers, accustomed to walking on mountain paths
Difficult
Level suitable for experienced hikers with excellent stamina and surefootedness. The physical challenge is high, and there may be steep sections or possible exposure, which is always noted in the hike description. Perfect for those who enjoy pushing their limits and conquering significant peaks.
Ideal for: Those who already have experience in an Alpine environment and want to challenge themselves.
Difficult Plus
Only for true Guidders with their Wild Spirit at its peak Long routes, significant elevation gain (over 1,100 m), and technical or exposed terrain. Excellent physical preparation, sure-footedness, and the ability to manage fatigue at high altitude are required.
Ideal for: Highly trained and experienced hikers in the mountains.
WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU GO
✓
BEFORE YOU GO
Go to bed early, have a good breakfast and drink before you set off: you've got 6 h and 840 m of ascent ahead, if you go to the mountains a couple of times a month, you're fit enough
✓
IN YOUR BACKPACK
Warm layers, a windproof jacket, 1.5 litres of water and a headlamp: the days are getting shorter, plus poles. Always with you: a plaster, an antiseptic wipe and a small bag for rubbish
What's included
INCLUDED
✓Guiddy accident insurance
✓Guiddy Coordinator (runs the group, Telegram included)
NOT INCLUDED
✕Packed lunch or lunch at the hut
✕Parking
✕Travel to Cassina Valsassina
Itinerary
Sunday · approximate times
Stops · 17 km
Meeting point 8:30Parcheggio
We usually meet a little earlier for breakfast together, when possible.
We meet the Guidders at the Culmine di San Pietro pass, above Cassina Valsassina (LC), where we leave the cars. From here the panoramic trail towards the Piani di Artavaggio begins. The exact time is shared in the outing's Telegram group.
13:00MOUNTAIN HUT
Lunch at Rifugio Nicola
We cross woods and pastures to the Piani di Artavaggio, where the landscape opens completely: meadows, huts and peaks all around. We stop at Rifugio Nicola for lunch, with traditional Valsassina dishes.
15:30RETURN
Back to the Culmine
We return along the same route, with the view of the mountains around Lake Como ahead of us for much of the way down. At the cars we take the time for a toast before saying goodbye.
How do you get to Cassina Valsassina? By carpooling.
You say so when booking, then you get organised in the Telegram group.
WHO'S ALREADY GOING
for this date
Offering a seat Looking for a seat
Cars are added in the last few days, once the group is confirmed.
Flat or slightly inclined sections with short stretches on steep slopes and rocks, not tiring or demanding. You need to be fit enough to walk for 6 h with 840 m of ascent. If in doubt, message Ibex on WhatsApp.
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