This small mountain town in Lombardy sits at 1,258 meters in the Italian Alps. Winter sports center with ski slopes and a cable car connecting to Tonale Pass.
Ponte di Legno, an alpine village of 1,729 residents in Italy's Lombardy region, welcomes visitors with its flower-decorated wooden bridge across the Oglio River. You can ski down the Presena Glacier at 3,000 meters, walk the medieval streets to see 13th-century frescoes in the Church of St. Appollonio, or hike through pine forests to Alpine lakes in Adamello Park. The village transforms from a calm mountain community of 1,800 people to an active ski destination hosting 25,000 visitors in winter.
Getting to Ponte di Legno
You can reach Ponte di Legno by train from Brescia to Edolo, followed by a connecting bus to the village. The SAB bus line runs daily services from Milan. By car, the village is 160 km from Milan, about 2.5 hours via Bergamo and Edolo.
Winter Sports and Skiing
The Pontedilegno-Tonale ski area connects three base villages: Temù, Ponte di Legno, and Passo del Tonale. A 14-minute cable car takes you from Ponte di Legno to Passo Tonale, where you can access 41 marked slopes. Beginners can practice on the gentle slopes near Ponte di Legno, while experienced skiers can tackle black diamond runs at the Presena Glacier, which stays snow-covered until late spring at 3,000 meters. You can rent equipment at several shops near the main lift station and book local guides for off-piste adventures.
Summer Mountain Activities
Operating ski lifts give you access to high-altitude trails during summer. Walk the Sentiero dei Fiori (Flower Trail) to spot Alpine wildflowers and mountain wildlife, or take day hikes to clear mountain lakes. The Valbione golf course at 1,530 meters sits among pine forests, with Mount Salimmo rising in the background.
Local Life and Practical Information
Shops in Ponte di Legno follow Italian hours: 8:00 to 12:30 and 16:00 to 19:30. You'll find drinking water fountains throughout town and along hiking trails. The central pedestrian zone has restaurants serving local specialties like polenta with Silter cheese and chamois stew. Watch or participate in the Adamello Sky Raid mountaineering race in April, or join crowds cheering on cyclists during Giro d'Italia stages.
Historical Churches and Architecture
The Parish of the Holy Trinity (built 1685) contains artworks from the Ramus workshop and a wooden door carved in 1929. In the Church of St. Appollonio in Plampezzo, you can see 13th-century frescoes painted by Johannes from Volpino. Austrian artillery destroyed much of the village in 1917, leading to its reconstruction in the following years.
