Tirano: The Italian Gateway to the Bernina Railway

Especially when coming from expensive Switzerland, the significantly more affordable prices in Italy for drinks and food will come as a great relief.

I arrived in Tirano in the evening, just as the sun was about to set behind the mountains.

To make use of the limited daylight hours that still remained, I immediately set off on my walk through town as soon as I had arrived.

Tirano is divided by the River Adda, with the stations situated on the north-western side of the river and the old town on the south-western side.

Although Tirano’s old town is rather small, the cobblestoned streets and fine squares such as Piazza Cavour make for a nice walk.

Within the old town, you will discover several historic palaces dating back to the Renaissance era, as well as the Collegiate Church of Saint Martin (Collegiata di San Martino).

The most famous church in the region, the early 16th century Sanctuary of the Madonna of Tirano, is however located at the far western end of the town.

Sadly I didn’t have the time to visit this church.

Dinner

I ended up having dinner in an old town restaurant called Foglia d’Oro, which had an attractively priced set menu featuring some local dishes with wine and water included.

My starter of Bresaola (air-dried and salted beef) and fried cheese balls was delicious, while the local pasta dish was quite good.

Although I was satisfied with the meal, the service at the restaurant was shockingly slow as it took ages to flag down one of the waiters and to finally receive my dessert, a piece of cherry pie.

Accommodation

I stayed the night in Tirano at a place called Eco Rooms&Breakfast.

The place appears to be under the ownership of the same family who manages Restaurant Liberty Street and Restaurant Merizzi, as I enjoyed my complimentary breakfast at the former and checked in at the latter.

I was certainly pleased with my double room, situated in an apartment building that offered stunning views from the balcony, overlooking the town centre of Tirano and the railway station.

The room was perfectly clean and comfortable and featured a kettle and espresso machine with complimentary tea and coffee.

For my one night stay I paid €67, a rate which included breakfast.

Morning

The next morning, I enjoyed a tasty complimentary breakfast at Liberty Street, where along with the more traditional Italian breakfast fare of a croissant and espresso, there were also several yummy pies available.

From the restaurant, it was just a short walk to the Rhaetian Railway station, where I would board the Bernina Express for one of the world’s most beautiful train journeys all the way to Chur in Switzerland.

If you wish to experience the full length of the Bernina Railway, your journey will take you through its southern terminus of Tirano.

Although it is certainly possible to transit through the town and immediately continue to destinations further afield, Tirano can also serve as a convenient place to break up your journey.

With its range of tourist facilities including hotels and restaurants, Tirano is a pleasant destination to visit for a few hours or even for an overnight stay.