Only an hour away from the Bergamo airport and Milan lies a lovely Alpine landscape. These Italian mountains and the cable car are still somewhat unknown to the general public, so it’s worth checking them out before they enter the mainstream. How to get to Lecco and Piani D’Erna? How much do the tickets cost? What to see once there?
How to get to Lecco and Piani D’Erna
Lecco is located right next to the Como lake, near the Bergamo airport and Milan itself. It’d be best to go there by train or by car. If you chose train, you can get there from the Milano Centrale or Porta Garibaldi, the ticket costs only a few EUR and the ride takes less than an hour. Similarly, from Bergamo, the ride takes about 50 min from Stazione Centrale, the ticket costs less than 4 EUR.
Once in Lecco, we only need to get to the lift’s station, located at Via Prealpi 32. A bus nr 5 can take us right to the station, the ride takes roughly 25-30 min, if we’re using a car, it’ll take half as long. The parking spot is right by the building.
The Funivia lift – Piani D’Erna
The lift station looks quite inconspicuously with Monte Resegone (1875m masl) in the background. We can buy the tickets right by the entrance, for a two-way ride you’ll have to pay 9 EUR (6 EUR for children). The car leaves every 30 mins, with one bigger break during siesta around 12:30, depending on the season. The ride takes only a few minutes.
What to do and see on Piani D’Erna
Piani D’Erna gives many options for active recreation. You can admire the incredible panorama of Lecco, Lago di Como, Lago di Annone, Lago di Garlate, Lago di Pusiano, all the mountain peaks in the area, not visible from the level of the lake. You can take the best photos from Punto Panoramico, next to the Pizzo D’Erna cross. What’s more, it’s the spot where Lago di Como splits the Alps into two halves: the Lugano Prealps and the Bergamasque Prealps (on which the viewpoint is located).
You can also take the trekking trails under Cima Pozzi.
You can set up a picnic on one of the meadows on the mountain, or have a nice coffee in one of the rare few cafes with the view of the Bergamasque Prealps, the views are magnificent.
You can also go to Parco Avventura, a rope park near the lift station’s exit
We recommend equipping oneself with good sturdy boots and a jacket, if you want to visit one of the mountain refuges, or even the peaks of the nearby mountains. It’s also wise to take sunglasses and some sunscreen – it can get quite scorchy up there!
