It is a small town with an old centre of stone houses, narrow streets and a clock tower, and it has been a spa town since Roman times, drawing on hot springs that still feed the baths.
Everything starts here. The Stelvio Pass, at 2,758 metres, climbs from Bormio in a series of hairpins to one of the highest paved roads in Europe, and the Gavia Pass leaves from Santa Caterina Valfurva, about fifteen kilometres away, and reaches 2,621 metres on a narrow road with few barriers on the west side. Livigno, over the Foscagno and Eira passes, is another day's ride. The roads are usually open from late May or June to October or November, depending on snow, and early starts help to avoid the crowds and the afternoon storms. Surfaces are generally good, though the Gavia can be rough and narrow, so meeting a coach is an adventure.
Bormio has a long mountaineering and skiing tradition. It has hosted World Cup races for years, and the Olympic downhill races of 2026 were held on its slopes. The town is also known for its food, especially pizzoccheri, buckwheat noodles with cabbage, potatoes and cheese, and bresaola, air-dried beef from the valley. The local cheese, Bitto, is made in the high pastures.
Fuel is available in Bormio, with stations on the main road, and it is wise to fill up before heading into the mountains, as the passes have none. Tirano, thirty-two kilometres to the south-west, is the nearest large town, and the Bernina railway runs from there across the border to Switzerland.
Slip into the thermal baths in the evening if your legs allow it, or at least walk the old streets. The valley is quiet after the day-trippers leave.