Tirano: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Tirano sits a couple of kilometres from the Swiss border, and for almost three centuries it was ruled from the other side: the Grisons held the Valtellina from 1512 to 1797. The town still has two railway stations side by side, one Swiss and one Italian. This walk goes from the stations to the pilgrimage basilica on the edge of town and back through the walled old town. About two hours on flat ground; time it to see a Bernina train cross the basilica square.
A short history of Tirano
Tirano is a town in the Valtellina, a few kilometres from the Swiss border. In 1504 a resident reported an apparition of the Virgin Mary on the edge of the town, and the great sanctuary of the Madonna di Tirano was built on the spot. From 1512 to 1797 the valley was ruled by the Swiss Grisons, and in July 1620 the massacre known as the "Sacro Macello" (Holy Slaughter) broke out here, when Catholics murdered their Protestant neighbours throughout the valley. In 1910 the Bernina Railway, which descends here from St Moritz and runs right through the town's streets, was completed, and in 2008 the line was declared a World Heritage Site.
The ten best sights in Tirano
1Madonna di Tirano SanctuaryRenaissance basilica on the edge of town; the carved organ is the highlight
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2Tirano Ethnographic Museum
Valley life and crafts in the old pilgrims' house beside the basilica
3Palazzo Salis17th-century palace of a Swiss noble family, with gardens and a wine cellar
4San Martino ChurchThe town's parish church, on the old-town side of the Adda
5Palazzo Besta, TeglioRenaissance palace with frescoed rooms, 20 minutes west
6Rupe Magna, GrosioA huge rock covered in prehistoric engravings, 20 minutes north-east
7Porta PoschiavinaOld town gate on the road to Switzerland; start of a walk through the lanes
8Porta BorminaThe gate toward Bormio, at the east end of the old town
9Porta MilaneseThe southern gate, toward Milan
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10Piazza della Basilica
The Bernina train rolls right across this square; wait here to watch it
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Tirano →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Tirano:
Free walking tours in Tirano
Tirano, between two countries
Tirano sits a couple of kilometres from the Swiss border, and for almost three centuries it was ruled from the other side: the Grisons held the Valtellina from 1512 to 1797. The town still has two railway stations side by side, one Swiss and one Italian. This walk goes from the stations to the pilgrimage basilica on the edge of town and back through the walled old town. About two hours on flat ground; time it to see a Bernina train cross the basilica square.
- Tirano RhB Station · The Bernina line was opened through to Tirano in 1910 to bring tourists to the Engadine from Italy. It is one of the steepest adhesion railways in the world, climbing grades of 7 percent without a rack.
- Piazza della Basilica · The Swiss train leaves its station and runs along the street like a tram, crossing the square in front of the basilica. Cars and pedestrians stop to let it through.
- Madonna di Tirano Sanctuary · On 29 September 1504 the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared here to a local man, Mario Omodei, and work on the church began the next year. Its huge carved wooden organ took nearly a decade to build in the early 1600s.
- Tirano Ethnographic Museum · The museum fills the building where pilgrims once lodged beside the basilica. It shows the farming year of the valley, from vineyards on terraces to the summer pastures.
- Porta Poschiavina · The town walls and gates were built at the end of the 15th century under Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, to guard against raids from the north. This gate faced the road to Poschiavo and the Bernina pass.
- Palazzo Salis · The Salis were one of the great families of Graubünden, and they built here while the Grisons ruled the valley. The palace still makes wine from the Valtellina's terraced vineyards.
Up the Bernina line
From Tirano at 430 metres the Bernina railway climbs to 2,253 metres at Ospizio Bernina without any rack, past palms, a lake, glaciers and a high pass. Together with the Albula line it was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. This route follows the line by train or by the road beside it. A full day there and back; sit on the right going up for the lake and the glacier.
- Brusio Spiral Viaduct · Opened in 1908, the viaduct carries the train in a full circle so it can gain height in a narrow valley. It has nine stone arches, and the train passes under its own track.
- Miralago · The station's name means lake view, and the platform sits right at the water's edge. This is the warmest stretch of the line, with chestnut trees around the lake.
- Lago di Poschiavo · The lake was formed when a prehistoric landslide blocked the valley. Today it also serves as a reservoir for the valley's hydroelectric plants.
- Poschiavo · The town is Swiss but speaks Italian. Its Spanish quarter of colourful villas was built by local men who emigrated to Spain as pastry cooks and café owners and came home rich.
- Alp Grüm · There is no road here, only the station and a restaurant on a ledge above the valley. Below the terrace the line drops in tight curves toward Poschiavo, and the Palü glacier hangs opposite.
- Ospizio Bernina · At 2,253 metres this is the highest point of the line and of any Rhaetian Railway route. The water on one side of the pass flows to the Black Sea and on the other to the Adriatic.
Buckwheat and stone
The Valtellina is a long wine and cheese valley, and its signature dish, pizzoccheri, is buckwheat pasta baked with potatoes, cabbage, cheese and butter. The route goes west to the village that claims the dish and then east to rocks carved by prehistoric hunters. Half a day by car, with lunch in Tirano between the two halves. Wine lovers should look for the local Nebbiolo, called Chiavennasca here.
- Teglio · Teglio is the home of the Accademia del Pizzocchero, founded to protect the original recipe. The village gave its name to the whole valley: Valtellina comes from Val Tellina, the valley of Teglio.
- Palazzo Besta · Built in the 15th and 16th centuries by the Besta family, the palace has a two-storey courtyard with frescoes of scenes from the Aeneid. It is the finest Renaissance house in the valley.
- Bar Trattoria Valtellinese · Back in Tirano, order sciatt: crisp buckwheat fritters with a cube of melting Casera cheese inside. The name means toads in the local dialect, for their lumpy shape.
- Grosio · The village sits under two castles on a ridge, the old and the new, which guarded the road to Bormio. Between them lies the rock-art park.
- Rupe Magna · This single rock is covered with about 5,000 engravings, among the largest carved rocks in the Alps. Most are human figures with raised arms, made in the Bronze and Iron Ages.
- Villa Visconti Venosta · The Visconti Venosta family's villa in Grosio has a garden open to visitors at the foot of the castle hill. Emilio Visconti Venosta, born here, served as Italy's foreign minister several times.
Getting to Tirano and getting around
- Tirano RhB Station · End of the Bernina Express from St. Moritz; Swiss trains, Swiss timetables
- Tirano FS Station · Next door to the Swiss station; Trenord trains to Lake Como and Milan
Cheap eats in Tirano
After Switzerland, Tirano feels cheap: an espresso at the bar costs a euro or a little more, and lunch is a real meal. The Valtellina kitchen is built on buckwheat, cheese and cured meat: pizzoccheri, sciatt fritters, bresaola and the Bitto and Casera cheeses. Many restaurants close one day a week and in the afternoon, so eat lunch at Italian hours.
- Panificio Della Pona · Bakery in the old town; focaccia and buckwheat bread, about €2-5
- Lo Scrocchiaro · Quick bites near the stations, about €4-8
- Profumo di Pizza · Pizza by the slice on Viale Italia, about €2-4 a slice
- Buffet della Stazione · Coffee and panini between trains, about €2-7
- Dulcidea · Pastries and gelato on Piazza Marinoni, about €2-5
- Il Siciliano · Arancini and cannoli on Piazza Cavour, about €2-5
- Conad · Bresaola, Bitto cheese and bread for a picnic, about €5-10
Museums in Tirano
- Madonna di Tirano Sanctuary · Basilica and its organ; free, modest dress
- Ethnographic Museum · Tools, costumes and farm life of the valley
- Palazzo Salis · Guided visits of the rooms and gardens; wine tasting
- Palazzo Besta · Renaissance frescoes in Teglio; also a small museum of prehistory
- Rupe Magna · Prehistoric rock art park in Grosio
Nature and day trips near Tirano
- Lago di Poschiavo · Flat lakeside walk on the Swiss side
- Alp Grüm · Glacier view terrace; walk down to the next station
- Lago Bianco · Milky glacier lake at the Bernina pass
- Teglio terraces · Views over the vineyard terraces of the valley
- Bormio · Old spa town with hot springs, 40 minutes away
Things to do in Tirano with kids
- Watch the street train · The red train crossing the square is a hit with kids
- Brusio Spiral Viaduct · Watch the train loop over itself from the field below
- Miralago · Lakeside stop for skipping stones
- Ospizio Bernina · Snow patches in summer at the top of the line
- Villa Visconti Venosta garden · A garden to run around in under the castles of Grosio
Where to eat in Tirano
- Antica Osteria dell'Angelo · Old-town osteria for pizzoccheri and Valtellina dishes
- Trattoria Gagin · Trattoria on Piazza Cavour; local home cooking
- Bar Trattoria Valtellinese · Simple trattoria; order sciatt and a glass of red
- Parravicini Restaurant & Wine Bar · Wine bar with Valtellina wines by the glass
- Corona · Restaurant on Viale Italia near the stations
Frequently asked questions about Tirano
What is there to see in Tirano?
The top sights in Tirano are Madonna di Tirano Sanctuary, Tirano Ethnographic Museum and Palazzo Salis. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Tirano?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Tirano without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Tirano?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Tirano, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Tirano, between two countries.
How do you get to Tirano and get around?
The main ways are Tirano RhB Station and Tirano FS Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Tirano, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Tirano that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Tirano for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.