Via Bregaglia 1st stage: Maloja - Vicosoprano

Our tips for the stage:

• Glacial mills in Maloja: Marvel at one of the largest collections of glacial potholes in Europe in Maloja and learn exciting facts about their formation on a nature trail.
• Detour to the ruins of the church of San Gaudenzio in Casaccia: the late Gothic building was a popular pilgrimage destination in the time of Charlemagne.

The route Maloja - Casaccia, also called "Malögin," runs along the remains of the Roman road. 
With a short detour from the official path, you reach San Gaudenzio, where the restored ruins of a majestic late Gothic church are located. Then you return to the Via Canova path. Along the village of Casaccia, the route continues towards Vicosoprano.
Vicosoprano was the old main village of the valley. Interesting in the village are the church of San Cassiano built around the year 1000, the church of Santa Trinità, a building from the early Baroque period, the "Pretorio" with the torture chamber, the tower of the von Salis family and the old bridge over the Maira river. At the village exit towards Borgonovo are the two pillars of the former gallows. 

Important note: There is a detour before the ruins of San Gaudenzio on the new route.

It is recommended to visit the glacial mills before starting in Maloja.

From the Maloja information point, turn onto the driveway leading to the nearby Belvedere Castle. From the viewpoint in front of the fortification, a path leads downwards. Upon reaching a marshy plateau, continue right along the watercourse and cross it. Afterwards, you come to a rocky ridge where a signpost points to the rock slab with the tracks of cart wheels from the 1st century. Descend the steep forest slope down to the foaming stream from the Val da Pila. After crossing it, continue to the plain of Cavril, where you meet the Maloja pass road again. The footpath runs parallel to the road for some time before sharply turning right uphill and winding around the ruins of San Gaudenzio.
- To visit the ruins, turn off about 500 m further onto the path on the left and follow the watercourse "la Canaleta" until you reach the former church -
Continue over the pastures above Casaccia to the field path "Via Sett", which leads us to the first houses of the village.

Opposite Hotel Stampa, a bridge crosses the Orlegna stream. From there, it leads through a magnificent fir forest, mostly flat, to the buildings of Löbbia. Here the path climbs through the forest to the hamlet of Ca d’Faret, where the view opens both down into the valley and up into the Murtaira gorge and towards Albigna. For a short stretch, follow the paved road, then turn onto the historic path which crosses the cantonal road and descends to the cluster of houses of Röivan. At Pranzaira, you return to the road and follow it towards the cable car station, near which you pick up the footpath again, leading back into the forest. At a fork with a small road, you can turn right to the medieval village of Vicosoprano or continue straight through the forest, then across a bridge over the Albigna stream and into Vicosoprano.