The Orrido di Bellano is a natural gorge cut by the Pioverna torrent in the heart of Bellano. It is visited on a system of walkways anchored to the rock walls, above the water. The half-stage of the Sentiero del Viandante linking Bellano and Dervio ends right by the Orrido.
History
The gorge was carved by the erosive action of the Pioverna torrent — according to the Comune di Bellano and the Lecco provincial tourism portal, together with the ancient Adda glacier — which shaped the rock into potholes, clefts and cavities; those same sources put its origin at about 15 million years ago.
The power of the torrent was long harnessed by Bellano’s industry: ironworks, silk mills and the Cantoni cotton mill, then a hydroelectric plant. The site is mentioned by travellers and writers, among them Stendhal. At the mouth of the gorge stands the Ca’ del Diavol (House of the Devil), a three-storey tower on a pentagonal plan overhanging the torrent; its name comes from the frescoes in the upper part of the building, in which the Devil and other figures can be made out. Today it houses a multimedia museum route on three levels.
What to see
- The walkways suspended over the Pioverna, recently extended as far as the large waterfall upstream.
- The forms carved by the water in the rock: potholes, clefts and cavities.
- The Ca’ del Diavol at the entrance to the gorge.
Getting there
The entrance is in piazza San Giorgio, next to the church of Santi Nazaro e Celso: take the staircase to the right of the church. Walking the route takes roughly half an hour.
Practical information
- Opening times and tickets are seasonal and are updated on the official management website (discoveringbellano.eu): it is best to check them before visiting.
- The route includes stairs and narrow passages and is not suitable for pushchairs.
- The Ca’ del Diavol is visited separately, with its own ticket, entries in small groups every quarter of an hour and a duration of about 45 minutes.
Climbing from Bellano towards Dervio, the next stage of the Sentiero del Viandante passes the Santuario di Lezzeno.