Rusca Trail

The Rusca trail follows a historic route that runs along the Strada Cavallera, the ancient trading road that, passing through the Valmalenco, ran from Sondrio over the Passo del Muretto and ended in Engadine. The route is very interesting but sometimes difficult, with an altitude difference of more than 2300 meters, and takes at least two days to follow end to end.

The trail begins in via Nicoḷ Rusca, behind the Church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio, and passing via  Scarpatetti, climbs up to the hamlets of Ponchiera and Arquino, passing through all of the Valmalenco valley and touching all its principal villages (Torre, Chiesa, Chiareggio), before climbing up to the Passo del Muretto (2562 m), from where it descends to Maloja (1815 m), in Switzerland.

The Italian tract has been renamed the Rusca trail, because it was from there that, during the religious conflicts of 1618, the archpriest of Sondrio, Nicoḷ Rusca, was transferred to Coira.

The entire length of the foot and bike path is marked with directional signs and tourist information boards.