Soglio

Soglio stands on a shelf on the northern side of the Bregaglia, the Italian-speaking valley that runs from the Maloja pass down toward Chiavenna, and its position is what makes it: the village faces directly across at the Sciora peaks, Piz Badile and the Bondasca granite, so a compact cluster of grey stone houses and chestnut terraces sits opposite one of the most severe rock walls in the Alps. Giovanni Segantini called it the threshold of paradise, a line the village has not let go of. The Palazzo Salis, seat of the family that dominated the valley, is now a hotel with a formal garden. Chestnut woods below are still harvested, and the Sentiero Panoramico runs the terrace to Casaccia.

What you actually see

• Granite spires opposite - the Sciora, Piz Badile and the Bondasca wall.
• A grey stone village - houses and lanes on a chestnut terrace.
• Palazzo Salis - the ruling family's seat, now a hotel with a garden.
• The terrace path - the Sentiero Panoramico toward Casaccia.

When to go

May to October. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The village is small and parking above is very limited - the postbus is easier. It is on a dead-end branch road with few services. Facilities are a handful of guesthouses. Cloud often hides the peaks that are the whole point.

Nearby

The Maloja pass is up the valley; Chiavenna and Italy are down it.