The hamlet of Bratto-Dorga were vacationer destinations since the beginning of the last century, as evidenced by the numerous Art Nouveau villas.
Starting point for the summit of Presolana (2,521 m), called the ‘Queen of the Orobie,’ because of its spectacular limestone walls, the same as the Dolomites.
WHAT TO SEE.
The village of Rusio, a small hamlet that is only 2 km from the main town, is one of the few remaining examples of rural architecture; the ancient agricultural nucleus has an urban structure reminiscent of the districts of past centuries.
Rural houses and narrow streets are concentrated around the small church of St. James, which, located in the center of the village, has an interesting wooden altar inside.
Rusio is the starting point of many itineraries: Via del Latte, Rifugio Olmo, Rifugio Malga Campo, Chiesetta di San Peder, Denzil and the Valle dei Mulini.
The latter has been a place of human settlement since prehistoric times, flows deeply incised between walls and pinnacles forming a canyon with very high walls and an unspoiled landscape, also of special interest to sport climbers, with its four crags.
The 15th-century Lantana Sanctuary is rich in history and art and contains numerous frescoes.
There are numerous historic villas from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, evidence of époque tourism in Alta Valseriana, designed by prestigious architects.
The Bride and Groom’s Leap is a splendid lookout that can be reached by a pleasant walk; it recalls the legend associated with the Polish musician Maximilian Prihoda and the well-known painter Anna Stareat, who decided to throw themselves into each other’s arms from here to sanction their eternal love.
The Mill Museum “Le Macine” houses relics of rural life from the last century.
Then one cannot fail to enjoy the naturalistic setting in which Castione is immersed, namely the Orobie Bergamasche Park: many activities for the family and for the more sporty, such as trekking, nature walks, adventurous mountain bike and e-bike tours, cliff climbing, and, in winter, ski slopes suitable for everyone, cross-country ski trails, trails for ski mountaineers and snowshoers, skating rink, and snowmobile tours.
PRODUCTS AND TRADITIONS
Cheeses and dairy products to satisfy the taste buds, artifacts and wood carvings regarding traditional handicrafts, available at various outlets in the area.
EVENTS
Among the most important and participated ones are: the historic Christmas Markets that reached its 20th edition in 2022, from the end of November to the end of December; the Feast of St. Alexander (Aug. 25/26, patronal feast in Castione); “PegherFest” in the locality of Bratto the first week of October, a folk festival inspired by peasant life with a parade of floats/ allegorical groups whose protagonist is sheep; and the Lantana Festival, a religious feast dedicated to the Shrine in the first weekend of July.
ORANGE FLAG
Since 2022, Castione della Presolana has been a Touring Club Orange Flag village.
These are the reasons:
‘The locality is nestled in a fine landscape setting and effectively promotes the natural resources and outdoor activities that can be done in the area.
The tourist information service is efficient thanks to the dedicated information point, and the locality, as a whole, is lively with dining and accommodation facilities and outlets selling local products and handicrafts. ‘