On a beautiful September day, a group drove from Poggio Verde Country Villa to Civate, about 20 minutes from the villa, parked along a street and began walking, following the signs for San Pietro al Monte, an 11th century church and oratorio on the site of what used to be a monastery complex believed to have been founded in about 700 AD.

The walk to the beginning of the path gained a few hundred feet in altitude and passed a newly-built “rifugio” that is very likely filled with visitors enjoying picnics and a nice view on weekends and during the summer. It would be a good spot to fill up a water bottle, too. As the group continued on up, they passed a very likely-looking restaurant that might be worth checking into on the way back down, which might be right around lunchtime.

The beginning of the path was paved with stones and and fairly flat but it wasn’t long until the it began to climb at a greater angle and became bumpier. (Hiking boots or tennis shoes with good support are a good idea.) After about an hour of hiking, much of which essentially began to feel like stair-climbing, the gate to the complex came into view and then the Oratorio of St. Benedict. A few steps later and the view opens up over lakes and across to the Grigna, and the beautiful San Pietro al Monte comes into view. Up the steps to the entrance of the church provide an even better vantage point for the magnificent view.

The group found the doors to the church locked but thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful “porch” area and its stone arches just outside the door. After taking in the views from that vantage point, the group walked back down the steps and found a spot on the lawn for a little rest before heading back down the path.

One of the group went to find a restroom (they are on the back side of the church, to the right of the steps down some stairs) and as he passed by he noticed that the doors to the church had been opened so the group went up to have a look. The main level of the church has some beautiful old frescoes and some stairs lead down to a crypt, which is also beautiful.

It was indeed lunchtime when the group reached the bottom so a table was chosen on the outdoor patio where they had a simple but very good lunch with housemade pasta and locally-grown or produced ingredients. It would be worth planning a hike around, either at the beginning or end.

As an aside, one of the Fitbit-wearing members of the group noted that the hike was recorded as 135 sets of stairs and about 16,000 steps. 🙂