Last week, Seba and I took a day-drive through the Italian
and Swiss Alps, and celebrated Canada’s birthday in (Livigno) style in the
mountains.
After a couple of hours’ drive through the Valtellina, a region carpeted with vineyards (and plenty of factories closing up shop—eek), and along the scenic Foscagno Pass, we arrived in Livigno. Considered Europe’s highest inhabited town, Livigno is a traditional alpine village known for its duty-free status. I always thought duty-free shopping was restricted to airports and cruise ports, so I didn’t know what to expect; but, sure enough, Italian VAT has never been applied here. While there are some restrictions on tobacco products and alcohol, our sunnies were cheap as. Fuel is also half the price here than it is in the rest of the country, meaning we actually ended up saving some cash by taking this road trip!
After a couple of hours’ drive through the Valtellina, a region carpeted with vineyards (and plenty of factories closing up shop—eek), and along the scenic Foscagno Pass, we arrived in Livigno. Considered Europe’s highest inhabited town, Livigno is a traditional alpine village known for its duty-free status. I always thought duty-free shopping was restricted to airports and cruise ports, so I didn’t know what to expect; but, sure enough, Italian VAT has never been applied here. While there are some restrictions on tobacco products and alcohol, our sunnies were cheap as. Fuel is also half the price here than it is in the rest of the country, meaning we actually ended up saving some cash by taking this road trip!
Italian Alps
Foscagno Pass, Italy
Just outside of Livigno, Italy
New sunnies!
After an unhealthy dose of pizza and pizzoccheri, Seba and I crossed the border
into Switzerland via the Munt la Schera Tunnel, and drove through the Swiss
National Park. Founded in 1914, it is the oldest national park in the Alps and
central Europe, and the largest protected area in Switzerland. I was also surprised
to learn that it is the country’s only National Park. Just one National Park?
In all of Switzerland?
At the Italian-Switzerland border
Swiss National Park
Swiss National Park
A chamois (a goat-antelope hybrid thing), Swiss National Park
Though I've never been to Canada's parks out west, I imagine they look a little something like this, and so I felt as though I was fulfilling my patriotic duty by being here on July 1. If only the Molson Canadian Beer Fridge could have found its way to me there and then!
Swiss National Park
Afterwards, we drove through the Engadin, weaving our way through the valley's time-warped and sgraffito-ed villages, before meeting Seba's friend Franco, near St. Moritz, for a drink.
Wildflowers and mountains in the Engadin
With Franco, in the Engadin
Before our drive down the Maloja Pass into Chiavenna in Italy, we pulled over at a lookout to snap some picts. We were directed to the back of the parking area, behind three identical vintage Jags and a very, very old man in a Hugh Hefner smoking jacket, and informed we had stumbled on to the set of Ich Und Kaminsky, a German production starring DANIEL BRUHL (who I did lock eyes with, but sadly, do not have a picture of). A very, very happy Canada day, indeed!
On the set of Ich Und Kaminsky, with DANIEL BRUHL
