ON YOUR BIKE FOR 60 KM: THE TOUR FROM MORBEGNO TO ALBAREDO WITH FOUR FOOD STOPS DEDICATED TO LOCAL CHEESES. «GIVING TOURISTS ACCESS TO THE HERITAGE WE’VE INHERITED IS THE PATH WE SHOULD TAKE»

Something genuinely authentic, like a piece of cheese, which is the symbol of a history that goes back centuries. The value of a route, which may change but never loses its worth—like the Via Priula, originally built as a commercial link and now a route for leisure time. The bike brings all these elements together, and so—on Saturday 17 October—60 cyclists pedalled “IL GIRO DEL GUSTO – PedalArzo” from Morbegno, to Arzo, Valle, Campoerbolo and then on to Albaredo for San Marco, before heading back.

«The ancient roads, like the Priula, were once vital for trade and for bringing goods down from the mountains. Today, those very same routes are an extraordinary tourism resource, allowing us to offer experiences that combine discovering the places, learning about our history, and tasting the area’s top food and wine products—comments Camillo Bertolini, director of the Porte di Valtellina tourist consortium—“Il Giro del Gusto - PedalArzo” was born from exactly this idea: giving a new tourism purpose to a heritage we’ve inherited from the past. The success of this first edition confirms that it’s a path worth continuing to follow», concludes Bertolini.

The ride included every element that best tells the story of Morbegno and the Orobie mountains. The route—with guides to keep you company, or at your own pace—had four shared stops: the refreshment stages. The menu paid tribute to the most typical and representative product: cheese.

Semigrasso from Latteria, with blueberry juice, at the Crotto di Arzo; Bitto DOP 2025 and Valtellina Casera DOP, matured, with apple juice at the Porta del Parco delle Orobie Valtellinesi in Albaredo. The museum contributor, Natan Gottari, rebuilt the local cheesemaking tradition which—aligned with the philosophy of “nothing goes to waste”—anticipated the idea of a circular economy; hence the different types of production, each made using the “leftovers” from the more “refined” one: from mountain fat to matusc, once made at home by women.

The third refreshment stop—downhill—took riders to Il Borgo Weiss Cafè in Valle. The space is that of the old school, recently restored, with taròz, venison salami and a good glass of Valtellina Superiore Perlegia D.O.C.G.

As tradition has it, dessert came as the finish point after around 16 km of cycling to the Town Hall in Morbegno: cake made with spelt flour with Bitto DOP and a heart of jam with forest fruits, ricotta foam with chestnuts and chestnut honey, and Il vino del Presidente Moscato Rosa IGT Triacca in the glass at the Mostra del Bitto—while the 119th edition was in progress.

«Seeing so many people smiling, cycling and enjoying the beauties of our land together was a truly wonderful feeling on this splendid autumn day of sunshine», says Anna Gusmeroli, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Morbegno and the project’s driving force. «We’re lucky to live in such enchanting places, and initiatives like this are the most genuine and warm way to showcase them and experience them fully. The response was exceptional: the enthusiasm was unanimous, and everyone asked—loud and clear—to repeat the experience. It was a spontaneous and winning meeting between sport, culture and food and drink, and we’ll certainly bring it back next year. From the bottom of my heart, Gusmeroli says, a big thank you goes to the Porte di Valtellina tourist consortium, which welcomed and developed the project with great care and enthusiasm as co-organiser, and to everyone who helped make this day special—also organised thanks to the contribution from Regione Lombardia, call “Itinerari ed eventi inLombardia 2026”, project “Via Priula slow”».

“Il Giro del Gusto – PedalArzo” was organised by the Porte di Valtellina tourist consortium and the Municipality of Morbegno, in collaboration with the Municipality of Albaredo per San Marco and the Bitto valley ecomuseum of Albaredo, with support from Pietro Mazza and 360 Valtellina Bike, cycle tourism guides, and Bike Della Cristina, bike hire.

Activity carried out with the support of resources from Regione Lombardia.