Location
Magreglio lies in the Triangolo Lariano, at 750 metres above sea level, in a panoramic position overlooking Civenna and the Bellagio area.
History
The earliest finds date to the Neolithic and the Iron Age, in the Buco della Strega cave. The name comes from the Latin “Ager magris” (dry pastures), first recorded in a 9th-century document: it was originally probably an alpine pasture belonging to Barni. It has been an independent comune since 1951, after separating from Barni and Civenna, and has been a holiday destination since the 20th century.
What to see
- The Santuario della Madonna del Ghisallo, a small church founded in 1623 that from the mid-20th century became the shrine of cyclists worldwide.
- The Museo del Ciclismo Madonna del Ghisallo, opened in 2006 by the champion Fiorenzo Magni: the only museum in the world entirely dedicated to the bicycle, with sections on its technical evolution, the pink jerseys of the Giro d’Italia, and a cinema room.
What to do and excursions
From the Belvedere Romeo there is an open view over the Grigna and the lake. Other excursions lead to the springs of the Lambro, the Menaresta spring, or Pian Rancio, the starting point for Monte San Primo — the same peak described in the dedicated itinerary linked to this page. For cyclists, the climb to the Ghisallo is a classic stage of the Giro d’Italia and the Giro di Lombardia.
Festivities
29 July, Santa Marta, patron saint of Magreglio.