Even Bergamo has its first spiritual walk!
The “Alta Via delle Grazie” itinerary has been designed to connect 17 sanctuaries and numerous Marian churches between the Seriana Valley and the northern end of Lake Iseo.
THE ROUTE
The 315km long path is divided into 12 days and is a ring route that begins and ends in Bergamo (beginning in the lower town at Santa Maria delle Grazie Basilica and ending in the Upper Town at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica) and, through spectacular scenery, it connects the places devoted to Our Lady in the naturalistic context of the Serio River and Lake Iseo.
Twelve Days of walking, twelve stages and twelve "hospitalero", where you can stay and rest.
The arrival on the first day is in Selvino, where you can sleep in the parish house, the second day you go up to Vertova, where you can rest in the oratory and on the third day you reach Premolo, where the Hotel Primolus opens its doors to pilgrims.
From Premolo you head to Gromo and B&B Cà Rosei offers its rooms, from Gromo you reach Valbondione and you can rest in the parish house in Lizzola.
The sixth day stops in Ardesio, where there is the "Casa del Pellegrino" and the sanctuary dedicated to Madonna delle Grazie which is one of the best known and most famous points of the entire itinerary.
On the seventh day the pilgrims will arrive at the Dance of Death in Clusone (Disciplini Oratory) while for the eighth day the arrival is foreseen in Sovere and the pilgrims can stay in the convent of the Capuchin friars.
The ninth day is dedicated to Monte Isola and Lovere, with a visit to the sanctuary of the Saints Bartolomea Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa immersed in breathtaking panoramas and on the tenth day pilgrims will go from Sovere to Gandino where they can find hospitality in the house of the Ursuline nuns.
From Gandino you go to Fiobbio for the eleventh stage and the twelfth day you return to Bergamo, to the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in the Upper Town.
A FEW CURIOSITIES
The "Alta via delle Grazie" walk is connected with two other walks in Lombardy: the "Cammino di Sant'Agostino" and the "Rosa Rampicante", the connecting network between these three paths has been created to propose a different approach to the territory and favour slow and sustainable tourism. A different type of holiday, including trails, nature, sanctuaries, churches, art, cuisine and low cost hospitality, these are the key words of this journey and are synonymous with regeneration and reconquest of their time.
The symbol to identify the “Alta via delle Grazie” walk is a blue four-leaf clover on a square yellow base, all inside a circle of the 12 stars of United Europe. The four petals of the four-leaf clover symbolise the four themes of walking: art, nature, spirituality and traditions.
The “Alta via delle Grazie” is already provided with its own Credential, that is the Pilgrim's passport and to request it you have to write to altaviadellegrazie@gmail.com. The Credential accompanies the pilgrim along the way, allowing them to qualify their status as Wayfarer of the walk and obtain the stamps, accessing the reception facilities along the “Alta Via” walk.
