The best traffic-free bike rides around Lake Nero

The Ginami castle or Buccelleni castle is located in the ancient market square then Piazza Dante in Gromo in the upper Seriana valley, it was built in the 13th century by the Buccelleni family for military use as evidenced by the armigerous tower, a symbol of the town. Built on a spur, height or grumo of rock, it will probably be this position that gives the name to the village, which in fact is not mentioned in official documents until the dawn of the 13th century.

Gromo, which is part of the circuit of “The most beautiful villages in Italy” and has obtained the “Orange Flag” from the Touring Club Italiano, rises on a rocky promontory, surrounded by meadows and fir forests. The town, famous in antiquity for its iron and silver mines and for its white weapon factories, maintains the compact medieval fabric in the upper part of the inhabited area.

In the 1950s, the painting of Saint Christopher was created to cover new modifications.

Built in 1226 by the eldest son of the Ginami dei Licini family on a rocky spur overlooking the Serio river, an obligatory transit point. The complex, built as a refuge and family residence, consists of a rectangular central body, two wings, and the central tower that stands out over the square. An elegant courtyard has been created in the space between the two wings; the garden has been laid out on several levels, separated by stone walls and connected by staircases. The masonry of large, roughly squared blocks remained unchanged until the 16th century when the Venetian Republic imposed the replacement of the small drawbridge with a larger one; the entrance door was also enlarged and now the large round arch portal, which leads into the central courtyard, is clearly visible. There were then further changes that altered the medieval character even inside the building.

The erratic boulder, a reddish-purple Verrucano parallelepiped, has a volume of approximately 20 m3 and protrudes approximately 130 cm from the ground. The east and west walls have detached from the boulder due to weathering, rotating slightly outward and reveal the outline of steps carved to facilitate access to the boulder. The upper part, slightly concave and sloping toward the valley, features several incisions, cup marks, and channels, roughly crafted but arranged with a certain symmetry: they are distributed mainly along three parallel lines. The north-facing face also displays a series of cup-marked incisions arranged in an oblique line. The shape and distribution of these incisions are such that they cannot be considered natural in origin. This altar boulder was presumably a sacred place of the ancient priests, the Celtic Druids. Perhaps a place of sacrifice. According to studies conducted here and elsewhere in the Alps, it is believed that the altar stone was used for sacred rites between the third and first millennium BC. In reality, the sacredness of this place extends beyond prehistory. The name "Sedornia" is a transformation of the Roman name "Sáturnia," thus another religious element, the god Saturn, god of nature, prosperity, and abundance.

small bridge that allows you to safely cross the Val Sedornia stream

remember to take the scratch and park ticket

The climb to Valcanale begins in Ponte Seghe and, although it's not particularly long (7 km), it has sections with double-digit gradients that make it challenging. If, once you reach the village, you want to reach the lake, be prepared for two very pleasant climbs before reaching the Babes district. Once you arrive, however, you'll be rewarded with a kiosk where you can enjoy some excellent food!