Codera, the village you can only reach on foot
A mule track of granite steps climbs steeply above the gorge of the Val Codera to a roadless stone village: Codera can only be reached on foot or by helicopter.
- Difficulty
- E Hiking
- Length
- 6.2 km
- Elevation gain
- +570 m / −570 m
- Time
- 3–3.5 hours
- Route
- Out and back
- Altitude
- 332–792 m
- Season
- Spring Summer Autumn
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The story
For centuries Codera was home to farmers and granite quarrymen, who carried everything on their backs up this stairway. Depopulation has nearly emptied it, but the village has never had a road: today a handful of people live there all year, and many more return in summer. The village has a small museum on the history of the valley.
Why go
Because it is one of the last villages in Italy where life still moves at walking pace, less than an hour by train from Lake Como.
Practical information
- Start
- Mezzolpiano (Novate Mezzola)
- Finish
- Codera (about 800 m), back the same way
- Best time
- April–November
- Parking
- Car park at Mezzolpiano, above Novate Mezzola.
- By public transport
- Colico–Chiavenna train to Novate Mezzola, then about 30 minutes on foot to the start of the mule track.
- Water
- Fountains in Codera.
- Shade
- Woods and rock walls for much of the climb.
- Huts and refreshments
- Osteria and huts in Codera (seasonal).
- With children
- Yes, with children used to steps: the mule track is made of thousands of granite steps.
Weather at the start
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
What to see on the route and nearby
After the hike, into the water
More hikes in Lombardy
- 1Sentiero del Viandante, Lierna–VarennaE 7.4 km · +580 m · 3–3.5 hours · point to point
- 3★ The Earth Pyramids of ZoneE 2.1 km · +170 m · 1–1.5 hours · loop
- 4★ Monte Isola, the climb to the Madonna della CeriolaE 5.5 km · +470 m · 2.5–3 hours · out and back
- 5★ The Forni glacier trailE 4.1 km · +460 m · 3 hours · point to point
- 6Lake Como Greenway, from Colonno to CadenabbiaT 11 km · +170 m · 3–3.5 hours · point to point
- 7The Via Sacra of the Sacred Mountain of VareseT 3.4 km · +200 m · 1.5–2 hours round trip · out and back
- 8Val di Mello to Cascina PianaT 6.8 km · +160 m · 2.5 hours round trip · out and back
- 9Rifugio Curò and Lago del Barbellino from ValbondioneE 9.8 km · +960 m · 5–5.5 hours round trip · out and back
- 10Laghi Gemelli from CaronaE 10.6 km · +860 m · 5 hours round trip · out and back
- 11Corni di Canzo: from Fonti di Gajum to Rifugio SEVE 10.3 km · +770 m · 4.5 hours round trip · out and back
- 12Lago Palù from San Giuseppe in ValmalencoE 7.9 km · +520 m · 3–3.5 hours round trip · out and back
Routes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via Waymarked Trails and BRouter; elevations from a digital terrain model. Times and elevation gains are indicative: waymarks on the ground and closure orders always take precedence.