Lake Como, Italy has all the ingredients to make for the perfect holiday.

The best months of the year for rock climbing are; from late March to June, and September to October. Summer can be too hot and in the winter it gets lots of rain and snow. Ideally for the sports routes a 70m single rope is required, though a 60m rope will be fine for a good percentage of the routes. For the long mountaineering style multi-pitch routes twin 50m ropes are required.

The granite crags near Lecco offer a great range of rock climbing from single pitch sports routes to long multi-pitch routes up to 500m long that demand a mountaineering approach. There are 65 crags to choose from and numerous routes at various grades.

• There are many places for climbing in Lombardy region.
• The Antimedale is a limestone wall, in the Province of Lecco, has several activities for experienced climbers
• The Erna wall, also in the Province of Lecco, has about 60 climbs for experienced climbers
• In Val Camonica, the pink-marble wall of Rogno has many intermediate level climbs/more experienced climbers.
• The Falesia di Valgua, in the Province of Bergamo, has climbs for all preferences and levels of experience.
• Palestra di Roccia (rock climbing wall) heading north from Menaggio (west side of the lake)

You can find out more information on rock climbing along with many other specialized sporting activities such as; winter mountaineering, canyoning, ice-climbing, fixed rope routes, trekking etc at the following websites:

www.caimenaggio.it/palestra_roccia.htm Club Alpino Italiano, Menaggio,tel: 0344 30312

www.casadelleguide.it

www.bellagio-mountains.it

www.caimilano.it Club Alpino Italiano (covers the Lombardy region), tel: 02 365157