Val Codera Museum of Novate Mezzola: an authentic journey through nature and memory

🧭 Where the road ends, wonder begins

There is a place in Lombardy where cars do not arrive, but emotions do. A place you must walk to reach, climb and sweat a little, but that’s exactly why you carry it in your heart. We are talking about the Museum of Ethnography and Natural History of Val Codera, a genuine ecomuseum hidden among the mountains of Valchiavenna, in the municipality of Novate Mezzola.

🎒 Here there are no roads, only mule tracks. There are no crowds, only silences and bird songs. It is the only valley in Lombardy without road access but inhabited all year round, a small miracle of resistance and authenticity. And for this reason, its museum is an experience to be lived… step by step.

🪵 A diffused museum among the villages of Codera and San Giorgio

Established in 1982 on the initiative of the Friends of Val Codera ONLUS Association, the museum is now recognized by the Lombardy Region as a Museum Collection. It is not located in a single building, but develops across multiple locations between Codera and San Giorgio, two villages accessible only on foot.

🏡 The exhibitions are hosted in ancient stone houses and carefully and simply tell the daily life of the valley: craftsmanship, pastoralism, chestnut cultivation, linen processing, and much more. It’s like opening an old family trunk and finding a lost world inside.

🚶 How to get there: a memorable hike

To reach Codera (and the museum), you must start from the Mezzolpiano fraction of Novate Mezzola. Here you leave the car, strap on your backpack, and take the historic stepped mule track that rises through woods, panoramas, and stones that tell stories.

📏 The trail is about 4.5 km long, with an elevation gain of 580 meters. The average ascent time is 2 and a half hours, but it is worth every step.

⛺ Along the way, there are rest areas where you can stop, drink, take photos, and catch your breath. It is suitable for anyone with a minimum level of training, including families with children used to walking.

🌦️ When to go and what to expect

Val Codera is accessible in every season, but the best time for the hike is from April to October, when the weather is more favorable and the path is free of snow and ice.

In winter, with the snow, the trail becomes more challenging and suitable only for experienced hikers.

🕰️ Museum hours:

• Open every day from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Evening openings during the “Salita al Plenilunio”
• Guided tours by reservation for groups of at least 5 people
   

🎫 Entrance ticket:

• Full price: €2.00
• Reduced: €1.00 (students, over 60, school groups and groups of 25 people)
   

📞 Useful contacts:

• Phone: 0343 62037
• Email: aavc@libero.it
• Website: www.valcodera.org
  
   

🚗 How to reach Novate Mezzola

✈️ By car: easily reachable from Milan or Como by taking the SS36 dello Spluga, then following the signs for Novate Mezzola.
 🚉 By train: stop at the Novate Mezzola station, on the Colico-Chiavenna line.
 From there, you reach Mezzolpiano on foot, the starting point for the trail.

❤️ Why it’s worth it

The Museum of Val Codera is not just a place to visit: it is an experience to live. A way to know the collective memory of a valley, but also to reconnect with nature, with slowness, with the beauty of simple things.

📸 If you are looking for something authentic that leaves a mark on you, this is your destination.