Points of interest

The Renaissance-era Basilica Madonna in Tirano
Amongst Tirano’s bounty of architectural brilliance, the Basilica di Madonna di Tirano truly stands out: an age-old destination for believers from across Europe, it’s a reference point for the region’s past. In all its artistic grandeur, the sixteenth-century basilica represents one of the most monumental renaissance buildings in Valtellina. Inside it features a triple nave in the form of a Latin cross, plus a wealth of stuccoes, sculptures, and works of art. There’s also a grand organ featuring exquisite carvings, first begun in 1608 by Giuseppe Bulgarini from Brescia, and later completed by the Milan-based G.B. Salmoiraghi with the addition of three panels on the organ’s parapet.

The lavish Palazzo Salis
Sat in the heart of Tirano’s old town, Palazzo Salis is a spectacular property built between 1630 and 1690. For many centuries, this grand site was the official residence of the counts Sertoli Salis – the governors and Grison podestà of Valtellina – and it is, in fact, still owned by this noble family.
Back in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Salis’ ten grand rooms – all beautifully frescoed – were where all the major decisions for the valley were made, and now it is finally able to reclaim the same breath-taking splendour after a string of restorations. Attractive from the outside, its late-1500s façade is flanked by two towers with one central portal, done in a Baroque style and leaning on a design by the Italian architect ‘Il Vignola’.

The Bernina Express: a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In the heart of Tirano, just a few steps from the Basilica of Madonna di Tirano, the Bernina Express starts, not only a simple railway connection between Italy and Switzerland, but a real travel experience to discover unique landscapes, bre athtaking views of untouched nature, and fascinating places rich in history, culture and tradition. The engineering and architectural masterpiece from the beginning of the 20th century has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Albula line since 2008.
The Bernina Express runs all year round: in winter, amidst the beautiful snow-covered landscapes; in summer, with the possibility of using open convertible cars that allow travellers to “breathe in” the fresh and healthy air of the Alps; in spring, between flowering gardens and fields and some rare late snowfalls; in autumn, amidst panoramas with shades of bright orange, through yellow to red, almost like a painting.