From 16 to 18 October 2026, Lecco celebrates its vertical soul with three days of talks, climbing, exhibitions and leading figures from the world of mountaineering, marking the 80th anniversary of the Ragni di Lecco.
In Lecco, the mountains are much more than the spectacular backdrop surrounding the city. They are an integral part of its history, culture and identity. From 16 to 18 October 2026, this deep connection will take centre stage at the Lecco Climbing Festival, three days dedicated to climbing, mountaineering and outdoor culture, taking place in the year in which the Ragni di Lecco celebrate their 80th anniversary.
The Festival brings the mountains directly into the city centre, involving locations such as Piazza Cermenati, Palazzo delle Paure, Palazzo Falck and Teatro Sociale. The programme combines sporting activities, encounters with international climbers and mountaineers, exhibitions, presentations, talks and evening events.
The mountains come to Piazza Cermenati
One of the main hubs of the Festival will be Piazza Cermenati, overlooking the lake, where the Festival Village and a climbing tower will welcome both beginners and children.
On Saturday 17 October, the streets and urban spaces of Lecco will also host Rampegamma, a street bouldering event that transforms the city itself into an unconventional climbing ground.
It is precisely this encounter between sport and the urban environment that makes the event particularly interesting: for one weekend, climbing moves beyond the mountain walls and becomes part of the city, its squares and its architecture.
80 years of the Ragni di Lecco
2026 also marks an important anniversary. The Ragni di Lecco, founded in 1946 and instantly recognisable by their iconic red sweaters, celebrate 80 years of history.
At Palazzo Falck, an exhibition will retrace, through photographs and documents, the expeditions and achievements that have taken Lecco mountaineers from the Alps to Patagonia, and from the Himalayas to the Karakoram.
The Festival will also welcome leading figures from Italian and international mountaineering, with talks and events dedicated to their experiences on some of the world’s great mountain walls.
Not just for climbers
The Lecco Climbing Festival is also an opportunity for those who have never tried climbing to discover mountain culture from a different perspective. Exhibitions, books, live podcasts, discussions, music and talks broaden the programme beyond sport, while some activities are specifically designed for families and children.
Above all, the Festival offers an opportunity to better understand the special relationship Lecco has developed over time with the mountains that surround it.
The Resegone, the Grigne and the rock faces rising above the lake are not simply part of the landscape: they have shaped generations of mountaineers and created a mountain culture that has carried the name of Lecco around the world.
For anyone visiting the eastern shore of Lake Como from 16 to 18 October, the Festival is therefore another reason to spend time in Lecco and discover a city where, perhaps more than anywhere else, lake and mountains are part of the same story.
