In Colico two forts stand on different hills of the Adda plain: Forte Montecchio Nord, built between 1912 and 1914 for the «Frontiera Nord», and Forte di Fuentes, Spanish, from 1603. They are joined by a circular path marked by the CAI, which Colico’s tourist board calls the Anello dei Forti (Ring of Forts): you walk through woods, meadows and small villages, with views of the Pian di Spagna and the Valtellina, and return along the Adda. It can be done all year round even without going into the forts, but going in means checking the calendar.
The route at a glance
| Item | Visit Colico | Other sources |
|---|---|---|
| Time | about 2 hours 30 | about 3 hours (Gite in Lombardia); 2 hours 30 with the visit to the Fuentes (Trek’n’Trip) |
| Climb | 80 metres | 80 metres (Gite in Lombardia); 150 metres (Trek’n’Trip) |
| Length | not given | about 8.5 km (Trek’n’Trip, which in its text also writes 8-9 km) |
| Difficulty | tourist (T) | not given |
The sources do not agree on time, length and climb, and they start from different points: the Gite in Lombardia entry from the square in front of Colico station, Trek’n’Trip from the junction between via alle Torri and via Forte Fuentes, where you leave the car. Half of the ring is on a cycle path and flat roads.
From Montecchio Nord to Fuentes
From the station you follow the road towards Forte Lusardi and the CAI waymark «sentiero dei forti», cross a small bridge and climb through the wood to the entrance of Forte Montecchio Nord, about ten minutes’ walk from the station according to the fort’s website. You enter only on an hourly guided visit of about 50 minutes, during which you see the interiors and the original guns.
Back at the junction, you continue following the signs for Erbiola and the Forte di Fuentes, among clearings, stone houses and dry-stone walls, and at one point the eye reaches the first Montecchio and the Valtellina. You pass through the small hamlets of Monteggio and Erbiola and a stretch of country roads, up to a short climb that leads to the Forte di Fuentes, on the hill of Monteggiolo: the ruins of the 1603 fortress remain, with information panels, and it is visited without a guide.
The return along the Adda
From the fort you take CAI path number 9 again and, at the fork, head for Canale Borgofrancone and the mouth of the Adda, passing a short flight of steps and an uneven stretch with roots and stones. Then you follow the cycle and footpath parallel to the river, the Sentiero Valtellina, with small beaches along the bank, as far as the camper area; from there you walk towards the Centro Nautico, the playground, the little harbour and piazza Garibaldi, and return to the station.
When to go: the forts’ calendar
The forts have no fixed hours: they follow a calendar by season, which Visit Colico publishes by period (consulted on 4 October 2026, to be checked again every season).
| Period | Forte Montecchio Nord | Forte di Fuentes |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026, Saturday and Sunday | 10-17 | 10-17 |
| November 2026, Sunday 1 | 10-17 | 10-17 |
| From November, Saturday and Sunday | 14-16 | 10-13 |
| 26-30 December 2026 and 1-6 January 2027 | 14-16 | 10-13 |
On the other days the forts are visited by booking. Since the ring can also be walked in reverse, from November it is best, at weekends, to go to the Fuentes in the morning (10-13) and to Montecchio Nord in the early afternoon (hourly visits between 14 and 16).
The Montecchio Nord ticket is 10 euros (6 for young people aged 6 to 17), the Fuentes one 8 (4 for young people), and the combined ticket costs 15 euros (8 for young people). The two pages give all the conditions.
To go further
On the Olgiasca promontory is the Piona Abbey, with the Laghetto di Piona; in Colico there is also the Colico beach, and from the viewpoints on the path you see the Pian di Spagna reserve.
Practical information
- By car: leave it at via Forte di Fuentes 1, where there is an unpaid dirt car park, or in the paid car park at via alle Torri 33 (Trek’n’Trip). Alternatively arrive by train at Colico station.
- On the route there are no bars or signposted fountains: to eat you have to return to Colico, where the ring ends.
- The path is marked by the CAI; for GPS tracks see the guides listed in the sources.
- For the forts: Montecchio Nord, info@fortemontecchionord.it, +39 0341 940322; Fuentes, info@fortedifuentes.it, same phone.
Sources
- Visit Colico, «Anello dei Forti» (brochure, PDF)
- Gite in Lombardia, «Passeggiata lungo il Sentiero dei Forti di Colico»
- Trek’n’Trip, «Sentiero dei Forti a Colico»
- The pages of Forte Montecchio Nord and Forte di Fuentes on this site, with their own sources (Visit Colico for hours and prices).