Passion, Courage and an Eye on the Future

Funivia al Bernina: Tradition and Innovation

Francesco Vismara, a knight of the Italian Order of Merit for Labour, originally developed the resort with great dedication, realizing the long-held dream of a local group of mountain enthusiasts. Some years later, Francesco Vismara’s son Franco, who took over operations from his father, joined forces with resort director Livio Lenatti, who comes from a family of mountain guides and climbers. Together they made the resort into a highly successful enterprise.
The resort's success is the result of tenacity and respect – respect for history, the land, people and tradition. There is also a strong determination to accept new challenges with an eye to the future, through pioneering ideas and solutions and technological innovation.

The Land

Chiesa in Valmalenco is the main village in the Valmalenco valley, which is located 15km above Sondrio. The village is framed by spectacular scenery dominated by three mountains chains: Disgrazia, Bernina and Scalino. Valmalenco, which also includes Caspoggio and Lanzada, is a fantastic tourist destination, a rare gem set among the majestic peaks and uncontaminated nature, and the ideal place to enjoy sports, wellbeing and leisure activities.
The valley is also popular with hikers and bikers, cross country afficionados and freeriders, but the jewel in its crown is the ski area, which offers a wide range of trails and lifts for alpine and Nordic ski and snowboard enthusiasts of all levels, from beginners to professionals. Fans of snowshoeing and “slow” tourism at one with nature will also love it here.

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Prior to 1960, tourism in Chiesa in Valmalenco tourism was mostly confined to the summer months. However, with the construction of the ski lifts in Caspoggio and Alpe Palù, the valley became a winter destination too. Since then, Valmalenco’s winter tourist attractions have continued to evolve, and be assured, dear reader, they will never stop evolving! State of the art technology helps us to continually improve the quality of services on offer. The Snow Eagle opened in1999 and boasts the largest aerial cable car capacity in the world. In 2004, the San Giuseppe – Alpe Palù chairlift was refurbished, with the addition of protective domes and automatic coupling. In 2005, the long-dreamed-of Sasso Nero slopes were opened. In 2008, the resort became an FIS World Cup venue for Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding. In 2016, the Alpe Palù – Cima Motta chairlift was finally replaced.
And what does tomorrow look like? For us, tomorrow looks like a pristine slope that we will ski with courage and determination, at full speed!