The Gorgeous Italian Valley Filled With Hikes And Ancient Rock Art That Carves Through The Alps

Sometimes it can seem like every turn you take in the Italian Alps brings you into another Shangri-La of snow-capped summits and alpine pastures. From the breathtaking mountain roads of Passo Gardena to the utterly incredible Aosta Valley on the verge of the Matterhorn, it's a land tailor-made for travel brochures and screensavers. Another such paradise awaits in the wild and wonderful Valcamonica, a gap in the Alps that's likely to have you gasping with awe.

Stretching a touch over 60 miles, the Valcamonica is legendary for its ancient rock art, some of which dates back a whopping 8,000 years. But there's more: the area also flaunts alluring medieval hill villages, soothing hot springs, and an abundance of fantastic hiking trails. It's got something for a whole host of travelers, from the dedicated history buff right up to the hardcore trekker.

Unlike some other quarters of the Alps, such as the remote and pristine Seealpsee in Switzerland, for example, the Valcamonica is easily accessible. Bergamo's busy international air hub at Orio al Serio is about an hour away by car, a scenic drive through the low foothills of the Alps. There are also direct trains heading through the valley, from the city of Brescia all the way to Edolo at it's northernmost end.

If there's one thing that's truly put the Valcamonica on the map, it's the awesome displays of prehistoric rock art that adorn the valley. There are over 300,000 individual examples of it peppering the area. That makes it one of the most abundant displays of its kind in the world. Unsurprisingly, it's all now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you're keen to lay eyes on the ancient depictions, there are a few key spots to know about. The Naquane Park in the town of Capo di Ponte has to be one of the standouts. It has over 100 large rocks scrawled with petroglyphs that portray mysterious religious figures, soldiers on horseback, and plenty more.

Over on the other side of Capo di Ponte town is the National Archaeological Park of the Boulders of Cemmo. As the name implies, the exhibits there focus on a duo of huge boulders that dropped into position a dozen millennia ago, only to be covered in depictions of warriors, chariots, various fauna, and farming scenes in the thousands of years that followed.

The Valcamonica is known as a gateway to the high Alps, but also bridges the gap between the lower Italian mountains, with all the stunning trails for hiking and walking that implies.

Start at the southern end of the valley. There, the glimmering waters of under-the-radar Lake Iseo, a fine alternative to Como, are threaded with enchanting towns like Lovere. Stop there on your trip and you can easily access a web of trails. Some go to the rocky tops of the Corna Trentapassi, while others top out at the summit of Mount Colombina for a view over sweeping pine woods and the lake below.

It's a different story at the top end of the Valcamonica. This is a land of jagged, snow-mantled peaks, summed up perfectly by the sheer drama of the Adamello Regional Park, where the eponymous summit clocks up over 11,600 feet. There are even glaciers, and trails that'll take you through high-up ruins of bunkers used in the First World War. Pull on the boots here in spring or summer to witness blooming wildflowers below the great peaks.