After spending just over a week in the Bergamo Alps exploring as much as we could we’re officially in love with northern Italy! The Monte Blum hike up to the famous chapel that overlooks the small city of Rovetta is the perfect morning or afternoon hike to get a small taste of how amazing the scenery is in this part of Italy.
Monte Blum is more known among the locals of this area since most tourists and explorers more often make their way to Cascata Del Serio to see the second-tallest waterfall in Europe (we recommend this hike as well).
However, we also love following local recommendations and going away from the crowds, so when our Airbnb host recommended this hike to us we jumped on it!
For a short, quick, and more local hike, the trek up to Capella Alpani just north of Rovetta is perfect!
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What to expect when hiking up Monte Blum to the famous chapel
To get to the chapel at Monte Blum, there are many different trails that all end up leading you there.
We did follow the trail we wanted to go up (by following the Monte Blum hike trail map – more on this later in the post). But after doing the hike we realized that actually there are quite a few trails up the mountain that leads to the top.
We took the most convenient (and maybe the least pretty) way and that’s the way we’re going to share in this post. However, if you prefer to take a different way, we also share the resources in this post on how to find those other parallel trails.
Once you look at the map you’ll see all the different ways to hike up to the chapel.
This hike is a proper leg-burner! Just keep that in mind so you can mentally prepare for a bunch of elevation and incline in a short amount of time.
Rovetta is somewhere around 650 meters above sea level and the Capella Alpani Monte Blum is around 1250 meters.
That’s a good 600 meters in a short while so you will really feel how steep some of the sections of this hike are. It feels so good though when you’ve accomplished it!
You’ll have about 80% of the hike shaded while you hike in the forest. Then when you get to the last bit, it opens up right before you get up to Monte Blum.
You will be rewarded with some amazing views overlooking Rovetta and the neighboring towns once you reach the chapel.
Practical information about the Monte Blum hike
Distance: 7 km return / 4.34 miles return
Elevation: Roughly 582 m / 1909 ft. elevation gain
Type: In and Out trail (can walk a different way back if you want)
Length: 2.5-3.5 hours total (with a break at the Capella Alpani)
Difficulty: Hard (lots of elevation in a short time and quite steep)
Rating: 4/5
Click here to see a map of the beginning of the Monte Blum hike.
Here’s a picture of the beginning of the Monte Blum hike:
Starting the Monte Blum at the edge of Rovetta
If you’re coming from Bergamo (or somewhere else nearby), you’re going to want a car to get to Rovetta. We recommend parking your car here at the starting point for Monte Blum. There should be room either in the parking lot or next to it.
We hiked up to the Capella Alpani on a sunny weekday in October so the trail and parking lot wasn’t busy at all but we could see how it would get pretty busy during the summer months with locals and other hikers who know the area.
You can park further down as well but it’s a pretty steep uphill to start the hike. So parking close to the trailhead is recommended.
The nice thing is that once you park your car the hike basically starts right there. You’ll see a sign in Italian that has some information about the region and Monte Blum.
Here’s a picture of the parking at the Monte Blum hike trailhead:
Also read: How to Hike the Breathtaking Corna Trentapassi Trail
Up the mountain towards Capella Alpani
The easiest way to make your way up the mountain is to follow our trail map here. As we’ve already mentioned, you’ll quickly notice that there are quite a few trails going up to “Monte Blum” and “Capella Alpani”. I think we probably took the least scenic route up but it was also the fastest.
While you’re in the forest within the trees there aren’t really many views other than the few small houses/mountain cabins we walked by and some pretty trees.
What there is instead is a few cute Italian mountain houses that you pass by. Even though this part of the hike is super steep and not that exciting, the views at the end are worth it.
The best part is that even though the forest section of the hike is quite challenging the hike isn’t that long. Once you get out of the forest it’s one last small (steep) push to get to the top of the Monte Blum Hike.
The last stretch to Monte Blum and Capella Alpani
As you reach the final bend to the top of the hike you can go one way to Monte Blum or the other way to the alpine chapel (Capella Alpani). We chose to visit the alpine chapel since the views are basically the same if not better from the chapel.
As you walk up to the chapel you’ll pass by a mountain house where you’ll most likely see a herd of cattle enjoying this beautiful alpine meadow.
It’s hard to miss since all the cowbells will be ringing nonstop. We somehow ended up right in between all the cows which was quite the experience! It felt like such an authentic experience being up in the Begamesque mountains hiking to this tiny little alpine chapel.
Take in the view at the Capella del Monte Blum
After all the crazy incline and elevation you now have the perfect place to relax and have a snack or some lunch. There’s a big picnic table next to the chapel where you can relax and enjoy a snack with a view.
The view from outside the chapel is absolutely amazing because you can have a panoramic view of all the surrounding mountains and the towns below.
If you look close enough you may even be able to see where you’re going to grab coffee once the hike is done! 😉
Unfortunately, when we went, it was quite foggy/smokey due to nearby wildfires so hopefully, you’ll have a better panoramic view than what you see in our pictures. Smokey or not, though, the views were incredible!
Spend some time at the top because the views are absolutely worth it! If you want to get down fast and run a little down the mountain you can easily get down in half the time it took you to get up here.
You can go down the same way you came up (that’s what we did) or you can be a little adventurous and take one of the other trails back down to your car.
The views are going to be similar but one of the other trails may be nicer than the main trail we took.
What to bring on the Monte Blum hike
The nice thing is that the hike up to Monte Blum isn’t that long and as long as you bring a few snacks and water for the top you should be fine!
You have the town of Rovetta right below in case you forget something too! Rovetta is also a good place to grab coffee and cake after the hike. 😉
Monte Blum hike packing list:
- 💦 Water! We always fill up our LifeStraw bottles before hikes and even during them when we can. Make sure to fill it up beforehand. There isn’t anywhere along the trail you can fill it up though.
- 🧴 Sunscreen is highly recommended when hiking in Italy. Even though you’re in the Bergamasque Alps up north, even in October you can get +20 degrees celsius. So bring sunscreen!
- 🔋 A power bank is always nice to have on a hike! You don’t want a dead phone halfway through a hike. Especially if you need your phone for navigation after the hike.
- 🥾 Proper hiking shoes are recommended for not only this hike but for the majority of the hikes in the Bergamasque Alps!
- 📸 A camera (we use our Sony a6000 which is great for beginners)! If you’re the least interested in photography, this is a spot you want to capture!
You can check out this hiking gear list to get some more inspiration!
How to get from Bergamo to Rovetta
Having a car to explore the alps north of Bergamo is going to be the best option but thankfully for this hike, you can actually get from Bergamo to Rovetta fairly quickly by bus as well.
Bergamo to Rovetta by public transport
From downtown Bergamo to Rovetta you can take a bus that takes roughly 1 hour. It runs fairly frequently (every 2 hours) and only costs about $5 per person. It really isn’t that inconvenient to take the bus to Rovetta.
The only downside is that you will get dropped off at the base of the city and have to hike up to the trailhead so that will add a bit of distance + incline to your hike. But you can still get to the hike from Bergamo even if you can’t rent a car!
Rent a car in Bergamo
Another great option if you don’t want to take public transport is to rent a car from the Bergamo Airport. Cars are fairly affordable to rent here in Bergamo and being able to drive will save you lots of time in the Alps.
You can also make a day trip from Bergamo to Lake Iseo if you rent a car and explore one of the most beautiful lakes in the area!
You can look at different rental car options from the Bergamo Airport here.
When is the best time to hike Monte Blum?
Fall is a stunning time to be in the Bergamasque Alps with all the fall colors really coming to life. You’ll find a lot fewer people on the hiking trails as well.
Since this area gets completely packed with all the people coming from Milan in the summer months, we recommend visiting either in the late spring or during fall.
If you’re here during the summer it might be nice to get up bright and early and get up to the top before most people even start the hike (also so you can snatch one of the few parking spots 😉).
Then you can be back down in time for lunch and an afternoon coffee, cake, or whatever else you like to enjoy after a hike!
Tip: If you’re looking for a good cafe near Monte Blum, check out Pasticceria Fantoni or Minuscoli Store.
You may also like…
- How to Hike the Breathtaking Corna Trentapassi Trail
- 4 Beautiful Lake Iseo Boat Tours & Trips [2023]
- Hiking to the top of Monte Colombina near Lake Iseo
- Hiking to the Tallest Waterfall in Italy – Cascate Del Serio
- How to Get From Bergamo to Lake Iseo
Recap of the Monte Blum hike to the alpine chapel
That’s it for this hike up to Monte Blum! The way up is quite the battle but the views at the top are sweet and it is absolutely worth it.
If you’re in or near Rovetta and looking to get out for the day and explore the mountains, this hike is perfect. It’s not the most breathtaking hike you’ll do in Italy but for a nice morning or afternoon hike, it’s perfect.
You’ll get to hang out next to the chapel, enjoying the views, and maybe enjoying a snack while looking back down the way you came up. The Alps here are amazing and this is a nice little taste of what’s to come if you go deeper into the Bergamasque Alps!
Enjoy the hike and if you have any questions about hikes in this region or about the trail up to the alpine chapel then ask away! You can leave a comment below or DM us on Instagram and we’ll get back to you.
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