 Poster: A snowHead
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Quick question for the collective.
I'm overnighting in Como on the first Friday of Feb half-term.
On the Saturday my destination is Madonna di Campiglio, which I need to arrive at around 3pm.
If the weather is fair, I was thinking of taking the scenic route - Lecco, Morbegno, Aprica, Passo del Tonale, Dimaro.
Anyone got any experience of driving these roads? SS38, SS39 & SS42?
Do they regularly close them, or is there prohibitive traffic in this region on Saturdays?
Google reckons it's around 4 hours.
Basically, is it worth the detour, or am I better slogging it round Garda?
Many thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We are at Lake Como every summer, and two years ago we visited in march on a daytrip from Milan. We were a bit disappointed. Huge difference between summer and winter. In winter all the lush green beauty that makes Lake Como so special in summer, was missing. (Apart from that you are aware that Como-city is not at the most beautiful part of the Lake? Como-city is a bit so-so…there are better options….)
Apart from that the road through the mountains to Madonna di C. is bound to be extremely long and tiresome. Too many villages, traffic lights, slow traffic, turns…..
The Valtellina (Sondrio) is known for its wineries (nothing in winter), quite developed and not a big name touristically. The lower large Alpine valleys are not very attractive in winter anyway. No snow in general, very brownish….
Our experience with driving ‘scenic’ routes in the Alps in general are not that great anyway. Simply too long, and too tiresome. And the scenery hard to really enjoy from the car.
I would suggest to take the fastest road, and enjoy your time in Como and Madonna.
A stopover for lunch in Saló maybe?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I have never been on that route but I did make a wrong turn once and tried to go on the bottom bit of it ...I couldnt as the roads where blocked with snow ...it happens!
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I have driven to Bormio a few times, it is slow going after Morbegno.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Bearing in mind Langerzug and RJS's good advice which I would probably take then if the weather is fair then I guess it will make a change if you have done the Garda route before but there isn't much difference in distance and going over mountain passes is a bit of a slog tbh.
That said, I sometimes drive the Bellegio / Verbania route across the mountains via Lugano but it is slow going with a lot of 50kph sections. The alternative via the autostrada is faster but longer distance wise. The journey is the reward, after all.
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Great advice, thanks all. Looks like a panini in Saló.
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There’s nothing wrong with the route over Sondrio, Edolo, Ponte di Legno then over Passo Tonale to Dimaro. It’s not a super spectacular Stelvio type of road but it goes through some typical Italian alpine towns and villages with some decent places to stop for breaks. The roads aren’t bad but not many overtaking opportunities if you get stuck behind a coach or lorry. Ponte di Legno to Tonale is the highest point and I’ve never seen that road closed even after 24hrs of heavy snow. It has to be open to get the punters into the resort.
If it were me I’d definitely go that way but then I love mountain routes. It doesn’t actually look much better/quicker going the Garda route either.
If you take scenic route then take 10 minutes to stop at Passo Tonale to have a look at the war memorial dedicated to the Italians and Austrians that died in the Alps in WW1. It’s right at the side of the road with parking nearby.
The road over from Dimaro to Madonna is ok and gets spectacular towards the end as the views of the Brenta Dolomites open up.
I wish I was doing it!
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I'd agree with @japes1275, on this one.
If the weather goes snowmageddon you will have problems whichever route you use, similarly both will require chains or winterish tyres. Anyhow, if the weather is that bad (on either route) would you really want to drive or just go and hide?
As I recall Ponte di Legno was rebuilt after heavy shelling during WW1, but it now has a bypass.
+1 for the War Memorial/ossuary which welcomes a new arrival every few years! (https://www.difesa.it/Il_Ministro/ONORCADUTI/Trentino_Alto_Adige/Pagine/Tonale.aspx)
The only dreary part of the route is Aprica which, even in winter, I always say looks like a ski resort in summer.
Lastly, check your various maps and route planners carefully. Looking at viaMichelin (which I normally rely on pre-departure) it plots via Aprica, Tonale, Vermiglio and then all the way to Trento before climbing up via Tione and the Val Rendena - 6:35 against Google Maps at 4:18 (which is possibly optimistic). I'd follow @japes1275 route turning south at Dimaro.
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I've done the Aprica - Ponte di Legno - Passo Tonale - Dimarro part and would agree that it's reasonably scenic but nothing special by Alpine standards.
When we went over the pass on summer tyres in late March (with chains in the boot) it had a thin layer of snow that hadn't been cleared. It was OK but a couple of slightly hairy moments.
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Have you booked accommodation in Como? Varena, about half way up the lake on the eastern shore is a better option. That side of the lake is very steep so most of the drive will be through tunnels up towards Colico. From there the Sondrio valley is fairly Italian until you start climing in to the mountains.
We've done it a few times from Menaggio.
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