On the water route

Follow the water between Switzerland and Italy.

"Along the waterway from the Maira to the Mera" is a project that was created within the European cooperation programme between Italy and Switzerland 2007-2013. In spatial terms, it refers to the cross-border area linking the commune of Villa di Chiavenna, the mountain community of Valchiavenna and the commune of Bregaglia, canton of Grisons. Water plays the main role in this project.

Water is the basis of life. It is a renewable but not inexhaustible element and is therefore one of the resources worthy of protection. Faced with the current problem of water supply, everyone is called upon to use the resources responsibly and to pass on to future generations the awareness of the importance of this natural element. The project therefore focuses on the dissemination of knowledge about the resource water and its use, an element that connects these areas from both an environmental and economic point of view.

The central theme is the river that flows through the whole of Bregaglia, initially called Maira, but in Italy it is called Mera until it flows into Lake Como. The valley was a popular link between the two sides of the Alps for traders, but also a controversial passageway for armies. The bridge in Castasegna over the Lovero river, which was newly built and reopened, therefore embodies a place of encounter rather than a dividing line between nations that were and are linked by a common language and common historical events.

You can download the booklet with a lot more information and pictures here (in Italian only)