Bormio, Italy

“It seems that Bormio is one of the few places on the planet created by God at the moment when he dreamed of the beautiful and sublime …” M. Kotlyarsky “Alpine Ballad”

At an altitude of 1225 m above sea level, in the heart of the Alpine mountains, among the picturesque landscapes of the Stelvio Park, Bormio is located – a charming town with almost 2000 years of history, which breathes old cobbled streets, ancient Roman buildings, medieval churches and towers. A magnificent ski resort where world-class championships are held; healing thermal springs, known for over a thousand years; cozy restaurants and pubs interspersed with souvenir shops and fashionable boutiques, hospitable elegant hotels – all this is Bormio, a city where modern European comfort is combined with unique centuries-old traditions.

History
The history of Bormio begins with the arrival of the Germanic tribes in Lombardy, and the mention of its famous thermal springs dates back to the 1st century AD. The ancient Romans, who founded the city, made it the northern outpost of Italy. Many conquerors, rulers and clergy fought for the possession of the lands of Bormio, located on the border with Austria and Switzerland. In 1376, the Visconti family took over the city, which is commemorated by a giant bronze bell cast in the same year. In 1721, Bormio became part of Lombardy, and the Valtellina Valley, where the city is located, became an important strategic and commercial zone between Italy and the countries bordering it in the north. Many great people came to the thermal waters of Bormio for treatment; Leonardo de Vinci himself admired these wonderful places. In the 60s of the last century, the resort became a favorite place for skiers, in 1985 and 2005 Alpine skiing world championships were held here, and now Bormio constantly hosts the Alpine Skiing World Cup stages.

Monthly average daily air temperature (°C):

Geography
Bormio is located in the northern part of the Italian region of Lombardy, in the heart of the Stelvio National Park and at the foot of the Stelvio Pass, at an altitude of 1225 m above sea level, close to the Swiss and Austrian borders and is part of the Alta Valtellina ski region.

Getting
there The nearest international airports are in Bergamo (170 km) and Linate (190 km) in Milan.
Slopes, pistes, lifts
The resort of Bormio, located at an altitude of 1225 m, offers an extensive ski area, the total length of the pistes is more than 50 km.
Elevation difference: 1225 – 3012 m.
The total number of lifts – 14.
The length of the track for cross-country skiing – 13 km.
Most of Bormio’s pistes are of medium difficulty. For experienced skiers, there is a slope from the top of Cima Bianca (3017 m), which offers stunning views of the Valtellina valley. There are also off-piste areas and trails for beginners. More than 30 km of slopes are served by two cable cars Bormio 2000 and Cima Bianca, which lift from 1203 m to a height of 3017 m.
Here is the Stelvio Circuit (“track of champions”), which hosts the world championships in alpine skiing. It starts at 2250 m with a drop of 1010 m and an average slope of 33%.
Bormio also has one of the largest artificial snow runs in Europe, and in summer you can ski on the Stelvio Glacier.
Ski schools and kindergartens

Bormio has 6 ski schools, a cross-country ski school, kindergartens and mini clubs.
Sports
Bormio offers conditions for a wide variety of winter and summer sports. There is an indoor pool, an outdoor pool on the mountain, a tennis court, a squash court, an Ice Palace with a skating rink, a 9-hole golf course. Offered: snowboarding, mountain biking, climbing, hiking trails in the mountains.

Thermal complexes
Bormio has long been famous throughout the world for its thermal springs. There are 2 thermal centers here: “Old Baths” 3 km from Bormio and thermal springs with a sports thermal pool in the city center. The old complex, built back in the days of the Roman Empire, is carved into the rock and divided into three parts: the Roman (ancient) part – old baths in caves, the medieval one – warm baths with hydromassage and the Austrian one, which includes relaxation rooms and mud baths. The new thermal complex has a thermal pool, a mud bath, a sauna, a Turkish bath, hydromassage, a fitness room and massage rooms.

Sights
Bormio is a city with a long history and many architectural and historical sights:
The historical center of the city is rich in ancient Romanesque buildings and ancient churches, and the picturesque Alpine parks are a great place for walking and relaxing:

Saint Gervasio & Saint Protasio Church – a church dating from 1200 dedicated to the patrons of Bormio.

Church of St. Antonio Abate (Church of Sant’Antonio Abate) – built in 1356, and famous for its bell tower in the Lombard style.

Church of San Vitale – built in 1196, ancient frescoes have been preserved on the walls of the church.

Church of S. Ignazio – 1635-1674, a magnificent baroque church.

Church of the Sasselo – 1405, ancient frescoes have been preserved above the entrance to the church.

Church of Santo Spirito – a small church from the 14th century. at the entrance to Bormio, built in the Gothic style.

Torre delle Ore is a clock tower built in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Torre degli Alberti (Alberti Tower) – tower of the 15th century.

Simoni Palace (Palazzo de Simoni) – a building of the 17th century, owned by a noble family. Today it houses the Museum of Arts, History and Ethnography and the city library, the palace is surrounded by a garden, and behind the palace is a historic medieval tower.

Mineral Museum – the museum displays all kinds of minerals from the Alpine region.

Alpine Botanical Garden Rezia – a garden representing the flora of the Alps, open in summer.

Scianno Fauna Centre, located in Isolaccia, presents the Alpine fauna in its natural environment.

Stelvio National Park (Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio) – occupies 1340 sq. km, almost all ecosystems of the Alps are represented in the park, starting from high-altitude glaciers and alpine meadows, and ending with forests and valleys, here you can find a wide variety of species of alpine flora and representatives of alpine fauna.

Food & beverage
Numerous restaurants and bars located in the old center of Bormio and on the slopes of the mountains, offer local, traditional Italian and international cuisine, as well as a variety of cozy interiors.
Restaurant Kuerc (piazza Cavour, 7) – a cozy restaurant in an old building in the center of Bormio, offers traditional Italian dishes and local delicacies, open terrace in summer.

Restaurant Al Filo (Via Dante, 6) – famous for the delicacies of the Valtelina Valley and an excellent wine list.

Restaurant l’Osteria de I Magri (via Galileo Galilei, 1) – located near the historic center of the city, in an old building, designed in an Alpine rustic style, offers traditional Italian cuisine.

La Nuova Pastorella (Via Roma, 20) – located in the city center, specializes in pizza.

Clem Pub (Via Fiera, 4) is a cozy pub-steakhouse with a bar with billiards and karaoke.

Restaurants La Rocca and Rododendri Chalet are cozy alpine-style restaurants located in the mountains at an altitude of 2126 m.

Restaurant Bormio 2000 is a self-service restaurant located at an altitude of 2000 m.

King`s Milenium Club is one of the best discos in the Alps.

Shopping
In the shops and stalls in the historical center of Bormio, you can buy all kinds of souvenirs, products made from mountain minerals, fashionable clothes and shoes, as well as alpine cheeses, jams and the famous local liqueur Braulio. Many shops are located on the main street of the resort – Via Roma.