Monte San Martino church - a nice hiking near the city of Lecco

If you are looking for a mountain experience that doesn't take you too far from the city of Lecco, the hiking to the small church on Monte San Martino is the perfect destination for you.

This hiking is not long, yet it is quite challenging. The walk we will write about in this article is the shortest and also suitable for inexperienced hikers, but it will defintely reward you with a beautiful view. The trail is not dangerous, but it is completely uphill with a difference in altitude of 397 m, that you will cover in about an hour. The walk is also suitable for children, as long as they are used to walking in the mountains, because it could be quite tiring.

The initial part of the path is into the woods, but the last part is characterized by stone steps, some of them are quite high, but don't worry because in the most challenging areas there are chains that will make it easier for you to go up and down. No part of the route is exposed, so it is also perfect for those who suffer from vertigo. Once you reach the church, all your efforts will be rewarded by the incredible view you will enjoy over the city of Lecco and beyond.

Let's find out where to start for this trip. You can get close to the starting point by car, just reach the district of Rancio Alto in Lecco, precisely in via Quarto, through the old road to Valsassina which leads to Ballabio. You will find a car park on the left before a washhouse.

Your hike will now begin: walking through the streets, you will arrive at a small square where you will find the signs for path nr. 52, which is the one you will have to follow. Go straight on until you arrive at a villa and there you can take the path on the right. The first stretch is in the woods and rather flat, until you reach the icon of a Madonna, from there turn right and the path will turn into an uphill one. The hiking takes about an hour and the effort is absolutely worth it. Once you arrive at the little church, or chapel, you can rest while enjoying the beautiful panorama that the southern end of the eastern branch of Lake Como offers us.

Small practical tips: use comfortable trekking shoes, avoid sneakers or trainers as they may not adhere well to the rock. Bring water with you because there are no sources along the route. Not far away from your destionation there is the Piazza lodge, but it is not always open so we advise you to call to check the openings.

This is a short and pleasant excursion for anyone looking for a diversion from the buzzing of the city. Easily reachable from Milan in less than an hour, the excursion to the small church of Monte San Martino in Lecco is the ideal solution for a Sunday trip.