Walking in Italy's Stelvio National Park. Gillian Price

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      The famous Stelvio road on the Südtirol side

      From Gomagoi the road continues southwest up Trafoiertal/Valle di Trafoi, steep-sided, narrow and edged by a stunning line-up of glaciers and soaring peaks – the setting for Trafoi (Walks 27 and 28). This tiny village serves the great Stelvio Pass, and is the destination of the road and the summer SAD buses. In winter when the road is closed the village’s 80 residents enjoy peace and quiet with no through traffic. The name comes from the ancient Ladin language spoken by the original inhabitants. Sources link the meaning with ‘clover’ or ‘three springs’, in view of the much-visited Drei Brunnen sanctuary nearby (Walk 28). It is home to the 1970s Italian ski champion Gustav Thöni of ‘Valanga Azzurra’ (‘blue avalanche’) fame. It has an ATM, groceries, a fair sprinkling of hotels as well as a camping ground and well-run visitor information centre.

      Martelltal/Val Martello turns south off Vinschgau and the train line at Goldrain/Coldrano, not far from Latsches/Laces (tourist office). This magnificent unspoilt alpine valley is a superb introduction to the nature and glacial environment of the Stelvio National Park and it has a good scattering of hotels and guesthouses. The lower–mid reaches are occupied by thriving settlements of shepherds and farmers who have branched out into growing strawberries, while further up the slopes are heavily wooded and home to deer and chamois. A great bonus is the absence of bulldozed ski slopes and lifts.

      Year-round SAD buses run via Gand to the lively village of Martell Dorf/Martello (shops and ATM). Here a side road goes on to terminate at the renowned family-run Stallwieshof and start of Walk 37 to Orgelspitze.

      From Gand a summer extension serves the upper valley via Waldheim (Walk 38) as far as Gasthof Enzian. This cosy establishment makes an excellent base for Walks 32–36, which wander up paths to natural belvederes taking in waterfalls and glaciers in the shadow of the majestic Cevedale.

Getting there

      By plane

      Handy airports are located at Milano (Linate and Malpensa www.sea-aeroportimilano.it), Bergamo (Orio Al Serio www.sacbo.it) and Brescia (www.aeroportobrescia.it) for the western valleys of Lombardia, while Verona (www.aeroportoverona.it) is better placed for accessing the Trentino and Südtirol sections. Innsbruck airport (www.innsbruck-airport.com) is useful if approaching from Austria and the north.

      By train

      From Milano Centrale, Trenitalia trains run via Lecco then along the Valtellina to Tirano, which doubles as the terminus for the Bernina Express from St Moritz in Switzerland. From Brescia, the Trenord railway via Iseo goes as far as Edolo. The main Verona–Brenner Pass line served by Trenitalia is good for Trento, where the FTM branch line heads off to Malè. Further north is Bozen/Bolzano where a line forks off for Meran/Merano and from there Vinschgau/Val Venosta and the terminal of Mals/Malles. Travellers arriving from Austria on the Brenner Pass line can use either Trenitalia or Austrian Rail.

      By road

      Via Europe’s extensive network of motorways, useful entry points to Italy for the Stelvio National Park are from Austria via the Brenner Pass and the A22 autostrada (motorway), or via Landeck through the Reschenpass. From Switzerland the Umbrail and Bernina passes will be open in summer, otherwise there is the A9 via Como to Milano.