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sustainable tourism - Lake Como - Menaggio shelter

The rifugio Menaggio can be reached by more than one path. The most classical ones departing from Plesio and Breglia. The first one begins near to the Mulini Spinzi (620 m) (just past the factory of the Acque Minerali Chiarella) from which, proceeding in the direction of Ponte, the rifugio can be easily reached in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

The second path leaves from Breglia that, set at 797 m of altitude, is the most elevated borough of Plesio. From here Ponte can be reached with no problem whatsoever and from there a climb leads to the rifugio in 1 hour. The most travelled and the fastest route begins in the Monti di Breglia, at a height of about 1000 m, that can be reached by car. Leaving behind you the pic-nic area and the asphalted road, take the dirt road on the left that leads to the Valle di Greno. The comfortable path runs through a highly fascinating environment, in a forest of birch-trees, up to a crossroads where signposts point out a high and low itinerary.

I’d suggest the high path which is certainly more panoramic but in case of serious snow-drifts, it is advisable to take the lower one. Walk on through birch-trees and gorse-bushes until you reach the junction for S. Amate. From there, keeping to the left and along the ridge, you should reach the rifugio (1400 m) quite soon. From here the view on the Lake Como, Mount Legnone and the Grigne is unrivalled. The rifugio is property of the C.A.I., Menaggio department and is open every day from the 20th June to the 15th October and on feast-days all year round. It vaunts 30 beds, a dining room that can hold 40 people, lights, heating and indoor and outdoor services.

From the Rifugio Menaggio (1400 m), set in an environment rich of the typical Alpine fauna (it is common to spot roe-deer and chamois and sometimes even an eagle), many are the itineraries that can be undertaken. These go from the easy paths that lead to the peak of Monte Grona (1736 m) to the track of the “Ferrata”, equipped for expert mountain climbers, please visit The Rifugio Menaggio itinerary to get more information about those itineraries.

How to get there
Take the Provincial road to Plesio, Breglia. Bus service (C13) Menaggio-Breglia (Plesio).

The itinerary
dirt-roads, mule tracks.
Unevenness: from the 620 m of the Mulini spinsi to the 1400 m of the rifugio.
The time required: from Plesio, 1 hour and 45 min; from Breglia, 1 hour and 15 min; from the Monti di Breglia, 45 min. Difficulty: easy up to the rifugio and then varied according to the itineraries.

More information
I would like thank the Comunità Montana Valli del Lario e del Ceresio who gave me thir information about the Rifugio Menaggio. 

Comunità Montana Valli del Lario e del Ceresio (phone 0344/85218);

Thanks to my photo models: Rosanna Giannino and Paolo Aspromonte to let STouW publish these two pictures took during their walk to the Rifugio Menaggio.