What to do in Valtellina at a glance
The list is a selection, not a ranking. Entries 1 to 4 are a railway and two old towns. Entries 5 to 8 are baths, lifts and slopes around Bormio and Livigno. Entries 9 to 12 are a pass, a waterfall park, a protected valley and the vineyards. Each one comes with its limits: opening hours, seasons and access rules differ from place to place, and none of them is open every day of the year.
Prices are for adults in 2026 and can change. Several entries depend on the season, so read the dates before you plan around them. For the lakes and cities of Lombardy beyond this valley, see things to do in Lombardy.
Rail and old towns (1 to 4)
Tirano and Bormio, with the Bernina railway in between.
1. Ride the Bernina line from Tirano
The Rhaetian Railway runs from Tirano via Brusio, Poschiavo, Alp Grüm and Ospizio Bernina to Pontresina. From there, trains go on to St. Moritz or on the direct route toward Chur, and these are separate connections. As a guide, St. Moritz is about 2 hours 15 minutes away and Chur about 4 hours. Panoramic cars need a paid reservation; regional trains do not.
Bernina Express guide →2. Visit the Basilica della Madonna di Tirano
A Renaissance church on the Piazza della Basilica, built on a Latin cross plan with three naves. Tradition places a Marian apparition on 29 September 1504, and the foundation stone was laid on 25 March 1505. From 1 October 2026 it is listed as open daily from 07:00 to 11:45 and from 14:30 to 18:45. It is a working church, so services limit quiet visits.
Tirano guide →3. Walk to Tirano's old town gates
The documented walk links the Porta Poschiavina, Porta Milanese and Porta Bormina with the remains of the Castello di Santa Maria, known as the Castellaccio. In summer 2025 the town offered free guided walks of 1 hour at the basilica and 1.5 hours at the walls. That was a past program, not a confirmed offer for 2026.
Tirano guide →4. Stand on Bormio's Piazza del Kuerc
The historic center has the Torre Civica, also called Torre delle Ore, the Kuerc as a former place of jurisdiction, and the church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio. As a look back, Bormio hosted alpine men's skiing and ski mountaineering at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Games are over, and the old town is the part to see.
Bormio guide →Our picks: things to do
A scenic train ticket, a Renaissance palace in Teglio and a soak in the thermal baths.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Bernina Red Train return ticket, Tirano to St. Moritz
A return rail ticket with a timetable and a mini guide to the stops. No guide travels with you; food, drinks and the trip from Milan to Tirano are extra.
Check availability →
Bagni Vecchi thermal spa admission
Spa admission with bathrobe, towel and flip-flops. Massages and other treatments cost extra.
Check availability →
Entry ticket to Palazzo Besta in Teglio
Entry to the Renaissance palace, with the €3 booking fee included. A guided tour and getting to Teglio are not part of it.
Check availability →Valtellina tours and experiences
Bernina Express trips, wine experiences and day tours in and around Valtellina, with live prices and availability.
Baths, lifts and slopes (5 to 8)
Bormio and Livigno in the cold and warm seasons.
5. Soak at Bormio Terme
The day ticket is €35 for adults from 16 and €26 for juniors aged 6 to under 16 and for over-65s. The operator's menu page shows €28 for the adult day ticket, so check the price at the desk. Entry is without reservation until the capacity limit. A swimming cap is compulsory. The day ticket is not sold from 31 October to 2 November 2026, 5 to 8 December 2026 and 26 December 2026 to 6 January 2027, when only timed tickets are available.
Thermal baths compared →6. Try QC at Bagni Vecchi
QC is a separate spa with its own terms. Day-visitor prices start at €58 for 5 hours, €72 without a time limit, €54 from 5 p.m. and €44 from 7:30 p.m., depending on date and availability. Bathrobe, towel and slippers are included. Day guests under 14 and pregnant women are excluded.
Thermal baths compared →7. Take the Livigno summer lifts
In summer 2026 the Carosello lifts ran from 20 June to 13 September, with a foot return at €21 for adults (€23 from 8 to 23 August) and a daily bike pass at €40. The Mottolino bike park ran from 13 June to 27 September, with bike passes from €29.50. The tourism portal also lists kayak, SUP and pedal boat rental at the lake. Check the dates for the next summer.
Livigno guide →8. Ski around Bormio and Livigno
Bormio lists 50 km, Santa Caterina 35 km and Cima Piazzi-San Colombano 25 km, 110 km in total, linked by a ski bus rather than one continuous network. Livigno's tourism organization names 115 km of slopes. A one-day pass in Bormio is €59 on sample dates in 2026/27. Bormio's planned season is 4 December 2026 to 11 April 2027, without a snow guarantee.
Ski areas compared →Passes, water and wine (9 to 12)
The high road, a waterfall park, a protected valley and the terraces.
9. Drive or cycle toward the Stelvio Pass
The pass is at 2,758 m. It is a summer road, and the Gavia Pass is closed in winter. A tourism portal showed both passes open on 14 September 2026, which is not a live status and not an official order. Check the road before you set out. The Stelvio Bike Day took place on 29 August 2026 with 18,600 participants, and the next one is announced for 28 August 2027.
Stelvio Pass guide →10. See the Acquafraggia falls near Chiavenna
A waterfall park with viewpoints, assigned by the local portal to the Val Bregaglia. In summer 2026 access cost €3, free for residents of Valchiavenna, people with disabilities, over-75s and children under 5. The fee applied at set times from 08:30 to 18:30, for example daily from 25 July to 31 August 2026. Check the rules for the next summer.
Chiavenna guide →11. Hike in the Val di Mello
A nature reserve with strict protection zones, not a bathing or camping area. Access on foot is free. By car, a maximum of 40 vehicles a day enter with a €12 tourist pass bought at the machine at the San Martino car park. Paid parking elsewhere is €10 per day, and the old shuttle has not run since 2019.
Val di Mello guide →12. Walk among the terraced vineyards
Valtellina Superiore DOCG and Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG are red wines made from at least 90 percent Nebbiolo, called Chiavennasca here. The Superiore has five subzones: Maroggia, Sassella, Grumello, Inferno and Valgella. One producer, Arpepe, lists visits and tastings by appointment only.
Wine guide →Plan the rest of your trip
Where these experiences fit.
Valtellina things to do: frequently asked questions
Are these 12 experiences ranked?
No. The list is an editorial selection that mixes rail, towns, baths, mountains and wine. The numbers only keep the entries in order.
Which experiences need a reservation?
The panoramic cars of the Bernina Express need a paid reservation. Bormio Terme admits visitors without reservation until the capacity limit. For the QC baths, the tourism portal describes advance booking on the QC website as required for Bagni Nuovi. Winery visits such as the one at Arpepe are by appointment.
What can I do in winter?
Skiing at Bormio, Santa Caterina and Livigno, the thermal baths, the old towns and the Bernina line, which has a winter timetable from 26 October to 12 December 2026. The lifts in entry 7, the Stelvio Pass and the Acquafraggia fee period are summer topics.
Can I do this without a car?
Partly. Trenord runs from Milan to Tirano, the Bernina line starts in Tirano, and buses link Tirano, Bormio and Livigno. There is no train to Bormio or Livigno. The getting there page has the details.
Where do I find the prices for the baths?
On the thermal baths page, with the date ranges in which Bormio Terme sells only timed tickets.