How to get there
The itinerary departs from the Passo del Giovo pass (1706m), where there is a water fountain.

Route
The route goes along the dirt carriage road, which is closed to road traffic and climbs up the western side of the Valle del Liro valley until it reaches the San Jorio shelter.
The ascent is quite easy and you can reach the shelter within around 50 minutes. Along the route you can see the signposts signaling the border of the Valle Albano park, put in place as part of the “Confini didattici” [Educational Borders] project. The signs also provide information about the park and some naturalistic facts about the protected area.
Once you have reached the San Jorio shelter (1980m – water available) you must take the path that runs next to the shelter with a short, yet rather steep, uphill stretch, which will lead you to the San Jorio pass (2012m) in just a few minutes.
The view from the Passo San Jorio pass is particularly impressive on clear days, enabling you to admire the Bellinzona plain and Lake Maggiore on the Swiss side, as well as the Valle del Liro valley and the peaks of the Valtellina region on the Italian side. From the pass you can easily reach the small church of San Jorio, which is located just a few metres above the pass itself.
To make the return journey simply take the route you just followed, which takes around 35 minutes.

Rest stops
- Rifugio San Jorio (1980 m) – Loc. Germasino, Municipality of Gravedona ed Uniti - +39 331 7276587 - www.rifugiosjorio.it – Open from mid-June to mid-September every day, from mid-September to late-October only on Saturdays and Sundays

Warnings
Check the weather forecast before starting your hike.

(Text by Istituto Oikos)

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