Location
Valmadrera overlooks Lecco, after Malgrate, along the inland road of the Lecco branch towards Bellagio.
History
A tomb find in the historic centre attests to a Roman settlement. The village was at the centre of medieval conflicts between Como and Milan, including the storming of the Castello di San Dionigi. The Mandelli and Bonacina families developed the districts of Caserta and Sant’Antonio respectively, while the Gavazzi family established an important silk industry, which flourished from the 18th century until the first half of the 20th century.
What to see
- The Fatebenefratelli Botanical Garden, with over 450 species of medicinal, dye and aromatic plants arranged in four themed plots, next to the cultural centre of the same name.
- The church of Sant’Antonio Abate, with one of the tallest bell towers in Italy.
- The Sanctuary of San Martino (or Madonna del Latte), a former military outpost on a promontory above the Inferno stream.
- The Sanctuary of San Tomaso, in an elevated position above the village, on a natural terrace.
- Villa Gavazzi, 17th-century architecture with a former silk mill, courtyards and garden.
What to do and excursions
A panoramic path along a mule track climbs up to San Tomaso. In the gorge of the Inferno stream runs the Sentiero delle Vasche, amid water features and small waterfalls. The Sasso di Preguda, a seven-metre-high granite erratic boulder, is a regional natural monument. For those seeking altitude, trails also climb Monte Cornizzolo and Monte Moregallo.
Getting there
Six minutes by train are enough to reach Valmadrera station, on the line to Lecco; bus lines C140, D150/D151 and D160 cover the same route in about 11 minutes.
Festivities
6 November, Saint Lawrence, patron saint of Valmadrera.