The Stelvio National Park is located in the north-east of Lombardy and in the north-west of Trentino Alto Adige, near the border with Switzerland.
In the center of the Alps, the Stelvio is the largest national park in Italy and one of the largest in Europe, with breathtaking mountains and landscapes, wide valleys and many glaciers such as Ortles-Cevedale.
Not all of the park is at high altitude (it reaches 3,900 meters above sea level with Mount Orltles), most of it is located around 600 meters above sea level. In the Stelvio area there is a wide range of different environments to discover, with a surprising variety of flora and fauna and a landscape that stretches between woods, alpine meadows and high mountains.
Most visits to the park are based in Bormio (on the western border) and Santa Caterina in the southeast, where there is an information center providing useful information on itineraries and guided tours.
Other popular centers in the area include Castelbello, Sluderno, Valdisotto (south of Bormio) and Vermiglio (south of the park).
As in Bormio, in any direction there are always mountain huts that serve as a refreshment point and information center for hikers.
Among the wildlife the most common of the Stelvio are deer, ibex, chamois, golden eagles and numerous small mammals such as ermines and foxes. As always, patience and silence are necessary elements for the possibility of seeing animals up close without frightening them; in fact, many visitors who do not take these precautions often have to be content with meeting only a few squirrels.
As for the flora present in the park, a visit to the Botanical Garden near Bormio is recommended, where numerous species of alpine plants are preserved and cultivated. Of course, as with all natural parks, the Stelvio National Park is also an area suitable for exploration and outdoor activities, excursions and walks through the paths and cliffs.
Although there are areas quite large but inaccessible to visitors, there are nevertheless numerous valleys with paths more suitable for walking and hiking in the mountains and for the more adventurous some rocks to climb of low range. The park managers organize many guided tours that provide all the information to discover a unique environment of its kind.
The presence of snow all year round due to the glaciers surrounding the Stelvio pass allows ski and climbing lovers to practice the activity at any time of the year, which justifies the presence of many tourists (especially Italians) in the period. in July and August. To reach the Stelvio National Park it is possible to do so by car following the road north of Bormio (state road 38) near the border with Switzerland.
The route, however, despite being full of bends and curves from start to finish, is offset by a truly unique spectacle of nature, surrounded by breathtaking views.
For the tourist who wants to visit Trentino and in particular the Stelvio National Park, he can spend a holiday between the silence and the incomparable beauty of a landscape that knows so much of the last earthly oasis.