Italy's via Decia Revives Mountain Valley Through Hiking

In Val di Scalve, Italy, a group of volunteers from the CAI (Club Alpino Italiano) connected forgotten trails, creating a 95-kilometer hiking path called Via Decia to promote sustainable tourism and revitalize the mountain community. The project, inaugurated in 2023, links the four municipalities of the valley, Colere, Vilminore di Scalve, Schilpario, and Azzone, and follows existing paths once used by miners and pilgrims.

Approximately 100 people contributed to the initiative over a year and a half, including local experts, photographers, and administrators. The path highlights the valley’s mining history and commemorates the centennial of the Gleno disaster, a dam collapse that killed 359 people.

Via Decia is already fostering new economic activity, from pizzerias catering to hikers to churches opening their doors to visitors, in a valley facing depopulation. Organizers hope the project will encourage residents to stay or return, fostering a sense of community and preserving local culture.