Madesimo, Madesimo

A friendly traditional resort located in a sunny valley on the Swiss border. For a comparatively small resort it has a strong international reputation, including the famous 3km 'Canalone' black descent.Madesimo is a friendly traditional resort located in the sunny Spluga Valley on the Swiss border. For a comparatively small resort it has a strong international reputation, but manages to remain unpretentious and full of Italian charm. Fopr skiers its famous for the near three kilometre 'Canalone' black descent and has also recently invested in a new underground funicular railway which lifts skiers from Campodolcino (a separate resort down below at 1096m) to Motta Alp (1720m, above Madesimo) in just three minutes. The resort has a long history as a ski destination, with the first reported winter tourism in 1910. Thanks to high altitude slopes in the area up to 3,000m and extensive snowmaking the resort is relatively snowsure and boasts a season from November to May. The scenery is spectacular with fir and larch forests in the valley and majestic Alpine peaks above.The resort today is a colourful mix of old and new buildings. There's a wide range of activities to enjoy on and off the slopes and the atmosphere is normally lively. Once part of Austria, the local industry of the 19th century, apart from agriculture, included cotton mills and beer breweries. Local produce including cheese and cold meet were stored in storage places called 'crotti' which became synonymous with the area. Crotti were the natural spaces that existed between large boulders that had fallen, creating a constant temperature of six degrees Celcius.According to a mid-nineteenth century document, the people of the local Chiavenna region, &are lively, cheerful and obliging by nature and very kind and friendly with foreigners. The area's history dates back much further than this however, with the pass over Monte Spluga that runs by the village known to be a mule train route at least as long ago as Roman times and its mineral water springs appreciated since even further back in time.