Sunday, 16 April 2023
The project to enhance and promote the Marian Way of the Alps has come to fruition. It now allows a connection between the Via Valeriana, in Valle Camonica, and Valtellina, starting from Aprica and ending at the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Tirano (15 km). A variant called 'Della Dea Madre' (Of the Mother Goddess) was also created for the occasion, connecting Aprica with the Marian Path of the Alps and Teglio.
For organisational reasons, the inaugural walk scheduled for Sunday, 16 April will be walked in the opposite direction (14 km).
The event foresees the departure of two groups, one from Aprica and one from Teglio, which will rejoin in Stazzona and then reach the Basilica of the Madonna di Tirano together. In Aprica the meeting point is at 8.45 a.m. at the Church of S. Maria Assunta, at 10.30 a short break is planned at the former primary schools in Motta. In Teglio the starting point will be in Piazza Credaro at 8.45 a.m., at 10.30 a short break is planned at the Tresenda oratory. The estimated time for the two groups to meet at the Stazzona sports ground is 12.00 noon. At 14.30 the Holy Mass will be held at the Basilica of Our Lady of Tirano, after which there will be institutional greetings. Each participant will have to provide their own lunch. There will also be a bus service for the return from Tirano, to be booked at the Teglio Infopoint no later than 10 April, telephone 0342.782000, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The event will also be held in the event of bad weather. The event involves the municipalities of Aprica, Villa di Tirano, Teglio and Tirano with the collaboration of many associations (Cai Teglio and Aprica, Alpini di Teglio, di Tresenda and San Giacomo).
The CammIKAndo O.d.V. association, as part of the valorisation and promotion of the Marian Way of the Alps project, had made contact with the creators of the Via Valeriana walk in Valle Camonica (which starts in Pilzone and arrives at the Tonale Pass), proposing to them a 'variant' stage starting in Edolo and ending in Aprica.
These meetings gave rise to the idea of a possible 'collaboration' so that the two valleys could be linked by a path and thus connect Aprica to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Tirano. The CammIKAndo association, after some research and evaluation, identified the Zapei d'Abriga path as the ideal route to create this connection. Having listened to a number of opinions, it then found in the Aprica section of the CAI and in the Motta association maximum agreement and willingness to implement the project.
