The smell of the olive trees, the birds singing, the rustle of the wind touching your skin. You are crossing the Santa Lucia trail! One of the most exciting strolls.
This trail was the ancient communication route between Lake Garda and the Adige Valley. The history of this wild dale among the overhanging Penede rocks and the Brae ridge (quoted from the book Torbole Nago by F. Martinelli) is fascinating: for centuries, it was the main connection between Lake Garda and Nago. It takes its name from a small niche in Roman Empire style dedicated to the saint from Syracuse.
A bronze tablet remembers the story connected to this place: the brave feat carried out by the Venetians led by Sorbolo da Candia in 1439. Once up the Adige River in Ravazzone, they made huge galleys and many boats come down the uneven path until Torbole, where they were put into the water, launched and used in the famous Ponale battle.
This trail, winding through an olive grove, is perfectly considered “family-proof”; it can in fact be listed among the best hiking itineraries for mum, dad and kids! (actually, to me it is also very romantic… remember it, loving couples!) Thanks to this easy and panoramic stroll, children can learn, love and be astonished by Mother Nature’s work.
As real masterpieces, twisted hollowed and punched olive trees smell of nature,but also of history: big personalities from the past have walked here: from Saint Vigilius of Trento to kings and emperors. But if you think there are tourist businesses and it is possible to buy souvenirs here around, you are wrong! The one and only gift is the one Mother Nature makes us in this relaxing and silent place, overflowing with history and beauty.
Here you can breath the real LakeGarda Trentino, the soul of a place in peace with the past and with a closer look to the future. With Saint Lucy’s blessing!
The Garda Trentino region is the undisputed realm of hiking, of those long treks setting off from the lake and going up to the mountains, where you will enjoy a lot of breathtaking views! Hiking and diving into nature is sometimes hard with the high summer temperatures. That’s why, in this period, strolling and devoting yourself to hiking is a real pleasure!
END-OF-SUMMER HIKING
The end of the summer season offers a multitude of opportunities to live and find out lots of easy paths without making too much effort. They will allow you to come in contact with nature, and enjoy the last sunbeams that are turning lukewarm from very hot, until leaving the place to the autumn and its golden tones.
There are plenty of treks, some of them also pretty demanding. Thanks to less “boiling hot” temperatures, these treks are able to take us on the lookout for the great variety of trees and plants all over Garda Trentino, the sound of the thriving nature, the perfumes of the woods and the endless shapes of the mountains, from the most curious like Mount Brione (the “little cap” of the lake), to the famous Mount Rocchetta.
A trek up to the Bastione
It is really too hot in the summer, but at the end of August, when the temperatures become pleasantly warm, going on hiking is pure poetry! If we want to paraphrase Aerosmith and a bit of good rock music, why don’t we “walk this way” up to Mount Rocchetta, until reaching the Bastione? Leaving from the town center of Riva del Garda, you take the footpath up to the mount until getting there, to the Bastione, which is one of the symbols of the town. From the center you get to the rampart in about 15-20 minutes. If you would like to, you can also go on on the 404 path that will take you to the Santa Barbara church in about one hour. During the spring and summer season a restaurant-bar is open as well, to enjoy a cool drink once you get to the top! No stress at all, the path is suitable to everybody, but the view you will enjoy is undoubtedly outstanding.
Hiking in Tenno and nearby
Lago di tenno
An awesome itinerary that slightly follows the Garda Trek Medium Loop will help us find out Tenno and its peculiarities. The medieval hamlet of Canale (that dates back to 1211) is an ancient hamlet that has arrived almost untouched until the present day. This tiny timeless spot will touch you and take you straight back to the time of Lords and Ladies thanks to its ravines, its picturesque wooden balconies and stone vaults. In Tenno, you will breath a sort of mystic air and your hiking session will be almost… meditative!
Once there, you can go on to the San Pietro mountain hut hiking into the woods, and once at the hut the panorama will open on the splendor of Lake Garda. Trying out this path at the end of the summer season is a great emotion: the woods is getting ready for the upcoming autumn, and some trees are already starting to turn their leafy branches yellow. A magical scenario!
The end of the summer is the perfect moment to visit the mountain huts. The temperature is pretty cool, no sweat nor dangerous winter ice. Only the splendor of the nature that changes its clothes and turns golden to welcome the autumn season and its warm tones. Together with the San Pietro hut, we would suggest you a trek to the Marchetti hut on Mount Stivo. From up there you will enjoy an amazing view on the Brenta group and on the Ledro Alps, in addition to the Alto Garda area. It is also open every day until the 20th of September!
The Damiano Chiesa mountain hut on Mount Altissimo is worth a pleasant hiking excursion as well! From the lake to the peaks of this mount that has a lot of signs of the Great War you will meet trenches, bunkers and some spots in the woods that were both hideouts or camps for the soldiers back at that time. A hiking excursion packed with history, but also surrounded by the unspoilt nature, because the area is in the Monte Baldo Local Natural Park, a protected area famous for its outstanding biodiversity. Once on the top, some refreshment and excellent dishes are awaiting to be tasted. The Damiano Chiesa hut will give you the chance to taste some great typical Trentino food, as you were at your granny’s house!
GardaTrek – Top Loop: The Garda Trentino crown.
Do you fancy a proper hiking full immersion? The most expert tourists could live it spending their holiday on the Top Loop, the high crown of the Garda Trek. Some 94,4 kilometers to be treaded. 7 legs from hut to hut, passing by all the peaks surrounding the northern tip of Lake Garda. An itinerary that will give you some unforgettable views at the end of the summer season, when the peaks aren’t covered with snow yet and the paths are safer without the ice.
An undoubtedly demanding hiking session (and for expert hikers, equipped with all the necessary stuff) that will pay you back with some fabulous racing pulse and a deserving end for the hot season.
Autumn is just round the corner, but these end-of-the-summer treks will still give you a golden tone on your skin and a well-being feeling you will hold in your heart for the whole year. Until next summer. Lake Garda Trentino will always be there, waiting for you with the light blue colour of its crystal clear waters.
The
Road of Ponale between Riva del Garda and Valle di Ledro is on the
northern side of Lake Garda, in
Trentino.
Undoubtedly,
Ponale is
the most famous and popular route of Lake Garda – perched over the
lake, this panoramic route is a wealth of history.
The
contour of the old road of Ponale can be easily seen from the beach
of Riva and from Torbole.
In
the past, this road was the only one to connect Alto Garda to Valle
di Ledro. Along the route, you can still see the signs of the passage
of carts and donkey’s hooves.
And,
between the second and the third tunnel, you can see the ruins of
Tagliata
del Ponale,
a huge fortification the Austrians built from 1860. The tunnels and
foxholes carved in the rock were then used during the World War I.
Today,
trekkers and mountain bikers love taking pictures along the Road
of Ponale,
the most popular, the most appreciated route you can experience!
Ponale
Have
you already decided to cover it by your Mtb or are you going for a
trek? Whatever you will do, our tip is to leave early in the morning
– most of all if you plan to come in summer – from Torbole to enjoy
the stunning beauty of Lake Garda. Get dressed adequately and bring
some food and drinks with you. Don’t forget some bottles of water,
you will need it until you reach the Bar/Ristorante Belvedere Ponale
Alto).
Get
ready. The Road of Ponale will leave you speechless. During the
uphill, the immense and deep blue lake will be on your left! You will
take dozens of pictures to such a marvel while reaching the Waterfall
of Ponale. There, have a break and a cup of coffee on the panoramic
terrace of the café, then you can come back or keep on walking
towards Valle di Ledro and its wonderful lake.
Your
wayback to Torbole
If
you are riding your Mtb, pay attention to the steep downhill! If you
walking, pay attention to the bikers who are riding downhill. The
less fatiguing route will let you fully enjoy the natural beauty
around you. If you are with your partner, what about stopping and
taking a picture – and giving him/her a kiss – at Belvedere degli
Innamorati (the lover’s panoramic viewpoint)? They reported that,
in 1852, the Austria emperor Austria Franz Joseph wanted his
bodyguards to cover an unplanned route. They dedicated it to lovers
because it is one of the most romantic and immortal places of the
world!
When you come back after the efforts and your eyes full of beauties, nothing is better than the swimming pool of your Residence Toblini. In our green garden, our large outdoor swimming pool – we have an indoor one, maybe after a sauna – is the best solution to stretch your muscles. Afterwards, come and have a drink or something typical to eat in our café. In love with Lake Garda, with Ponale and with yourself. You deserved a top-level holiday like that! Book it, click here. The Road of Ponale is waiting for you.
Nature tinged with pink, orange, yellow, and even deep red: this is autumn, the most beautiful season for hiking around Lake Garda!
Hiking around Lake Garda is something that should be experienced year round, because this is the land of the outdoors, where the lush green mountains blend with the blue of the lake, offering scenic and exciting hiking trails and itineraries.
If it’s true that every season has its own uniqueness, there’s no doubt that autumn is absolutely the ideal season for being outdoors, and especially for hiking.
The end of August, and especially the beginning of September, offers mild temperatures, never too sultry, with the colors of nature in summer, which gradually veer towards more vivid colors and, of course, hiking trails and itineraries you can enjoy almost all to yourself! This is when crowds disperse, and a month like September (but also October), allows you to experience a more exclusive outdoor-based vacation.
Garda Trek on Lake Garda in Trentino
Trekking Monte Baldo -foto Garda Trentino
A wonderful hiking excursion on Lake Garda Trentino? Here, between Torbole sul Garda and Riva, but also Arco and Dro, you’ll get the chance to experience the well known Garda Trek, with three different loops, based on your skill and the level of difficulty you feel you can undertake.
But besides the three Garda Trek loops, falling in love with these locations, step by step, is really easy.
One of the most well-known, panoramic hiking trails of all of Lake Garda is the Busatte-Tempesta. Wonderfully scenic, to be experienced on foot (thanks to its over 300 steps), for true enthusiasts in search of a thrill, but also for those who aren’t afraid of heights. In fact, these steps are literally “suspended” in a void with a magnificent 360° lake view.
Hiking in autumn isn’t just great because of its mild temperatures and the privacy you’ll love, but it’s also a delicious experience! You’ll be able to combine a vacation in the outdoors with visits to wine cellars busy with their autumn production of new wine, and maybe even enjoy some tastings of local products.
Loges are generally open until the end of October and, if you’d like, you can combine a fun hike at higher altitudes – like on Mount Altissimo or Mount Baldo – with a nice lunch among friends in a mountain hut!
Tour of Lake Tenno on foot
Another easy hiking trail for everyone is the tour of Lake Tenno. It takes about an hour to hike and, when you’re done, you definitely have to have a taste of one of the traditional dishes from this area: carnesalada con fasoi, prepared following an ancient recipe (link interno)! This invigorating dish is a classic in autumn and winter, since it’s definitely too hearty and hot to eat during spring and summer.
Are you convinced, yet? If you’re looking for a modern apartment for your stay, maybe even with a swimming pool, theResidence Tobliniis for you!
If you instead prefer to wake up lulled by the waves of the lake, ourCasa Toblini “Al Lago”has6 totally independent apartments with lots of privacy directly on the beach of Torbole!
Come and discover an autumn outdoor hiking vacation on Lake Garda. You’ll experience the lake like you’ve never experienced it before!
Hiking in Lake Garda has a completely different flavor: easy walks for families with children while you admire the blue skies, lakeside walks as you breath in the scent of the Mediterranean, uphill trails towards infinity for true experts, or romantic excursions for couples with breathtaking views.
From the Trentino side to the Brescia side, passing through Veneto, Lake Garda is undoubtedly a paradise for lovers of the outdoors.
Choosing an itinerary is almost impossible but, in this article, we have five suggestions for five itineraries in Lake Garda you definitely have to try!
Ponale. Perhaps the most well-known. Take a bike and pedestrian trail (on foot – even with a stroller – or by mountain bike), starting from Riva del Garda all the way to Val di Ledro. Not only is this really panoramic, but it’s also very romantic for couples seeking a place where they can steal a kiss. We wrote about ithere.
Strada del Ponale
Busatte-Tempesta. Located in one of the prettiest villages near the lake: Torbole, the colorful town so loved by Goethe. This exclusively pedestrian trail includes a thrilling staircase with a steep overlook, from where you can admire the lake from above. Simply spectacular. Find out more at thislink.
Monte Baldo. They call it the “Garden of Europe”, and you can easily see why. In spring, it’s an explosion of colors and inebriating scents. To reach its peak at 1,700 meters, you can take the 360° cable car that starts from Malcesine. From there, it’s just a short walk to the natural terrace, from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view. And those who feel courageous enough can also try paragliding!
Rocca di Garda. From the center of the beautiful town of Garda, you can hike up to the the Rocca, entering the green woods by way of a staircase. Once you reach the Rocca, the view is spectacular. From here, the beauty of Garda and of Punta San Vigilio from above is incredible. At sunset, it all becomes very romantic!
Belot tacà via. This is a trail that very few are familiar with. The name itself, in Venetian dialect, translates into: “boulder set between two rock walls”. Just one kilometer long, it’s still very “scenographic” and worthy of a photo. It can be reached from Sommavilla di Brenzone by walking for about forty minutes up the dry bed of the stream in the Val Torrente.
Of course, these are just five excursions you can experience during a vacation in Lake Garda, but there are lots more, both for hiking and mountain bike lovers.
Starting from Torbole, these five are all in the vicinity.
In the heart of this colorful postcard village, you’ll also find our two accomodations:Residence TobliniandCasa Toblini “Al Lago”. Stefano, the owner, is a great hiking enthusiast, so he can offer you advice or even accompany you for free towards exploring the lesser-known trails of Lake Garda.
So all you have to do is put on your backpack and head on over! But remember to first book your ideal accommodation here.
Lake Garda is the perfect holiday destination for hundreds of Italian and international tourists. No matter if you just need to relax or practise outdoor sports, Lake Garda – and even more at its northern side – offers everything you need to spend an unforgettable holiday: sailing and windsurfing, wall climbing, panoramic cycling or walking. If you love walking, Lake Garda and especially Torbole gives you the chance to try a lot of often easy paths where you can stare at beautiful views. Well, the fabulous landscape of a huge lake surrounded by green mountains can bewitch everyone going for a trek.
From Residence Toblini, very close to the lake, and Casa al Lago, situated at the beach, you can leave for various trekking courses. Here our Top 5 and, when you are back, you can get relaxed even more in the swimming pools of Residence Toblini or by watching the restful panorama of Casa al Lago. And, if you are a gourmand, the heady fragrances from the restaurants of Torbole will be the best way to end your day without feeling guilty thanks to the long calorie-burning walks!
Busatte-Tempesta. About 400 steps to get a breath-taking view over the whole Lake Garda. It is called the “balcony over the lake”. Five thrilling kilometres that cannot be missed. You can also leave from Tempesta and get to Torbole then go back by bus or viceversa. This trek takes half a day or even a whole day, but don’t worry! At Busatte you can have lunch in an excellent restaurant!
Sentiero Busatte Tempesta ph Garda Outdoors
Walk to Castel Penede. A course from Torbole in Piazza Vittorio Veneto of about one hour. Walk up towards Nago on an old panoramic 1-kilometre road, then through a green park – illuminated at night – until the ruins of Castel Penede. Finally, the amazing view over Lake Garda.
Marmitte dei Giganti. What are the “marmitte”? They are boulders vertically digged in the ice age (130,000-10,000 b.C.) in the living rocks. You can reach the main wells from the left side of the main road from Torbole to Nago or walking on a path leaving from the end of Via Strada Granda in Torbole and arriving at Marmitte (1.5 km). A unique landscape, it seems like being on the moon!
Torbole- Altissimo. The real trekking experts will love this path. Altissimo is the highest mountain of Baldo in Trentino (2,090 metres) and to walk to its top from Torbole it takes about five hours (path no. 601), but you can drive until Doss Casina then walk for about two hours. This path is one of the most beautiful ones – you can see ruins of foxholes, sheltered walkways and artillery posts of the First World War. The boundary between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy passed here. Nature and history, what a legendary combination.
Trekking Monte Baldo -foto Garda Trentino
From Torbole to Monte Brione. Nice walk along the north shore of Lake Garda from Torbole to the harbour San Nicolò, in Riva del Garda. You can leave from the harbour of Torbole and walk along the lake until the mouth of river Sarca, towards Riva. The keep walking along the climbing walls of Monte Brione until the harbour, where you can find pretty boats, coffee bars and restaurants. Here you can decide if walking up to Monte Brione – it is a wonderful biotope where there are many historical proofs of the First World War – or walking back to Torbole. Walking to the mount – you will climb many wood steps through the wood – takes about one hour. From the top, the view is simply amazing!
From Torbole there are many courses you can take, but you will need more than your leg muscles: open your eyes and heart and let the beauty overwhelm you! You just need to book your dream.
387 steps, a breathtaking view, a thick vegetation among blue, sky and stones. Where are you? You are treading the Busatte – Tempesta path! A path for those who are not afraid of heights, but rather love them as well as the garish colours of the unspoiled nature. Opened in 2005, this wonderful 4-km semi-flat path passes over two ridges: Corno di Bò and Salt de la Cavra. It is the ideal choice for those who love to walk in order to work out heart, mind and soul overlooking the biggest lake in Italy.
The Busatte – Tempesta path
STARTING POINT
You leave from the Busatte parking lot where the slightly-sloping path starts among trees (mainly Holm oaks) that are about to shed in this period, turning the route yellow. In autumn, this path is perfect because it is low and so you don’t run the risk to be cold; the mild temperatures and the still shining sun make it rather enjoyable despite the physical effort on the three stairways. Nevertheless, families with kids can also take on this adventurous walk because the route is undemanding and also marked.
Because of the steps it isn’t suitable for buggies, but the little ones could enjoy the fabolous view in any case, maybe in dad’s backpack (mums will relax their shoulders at least this time!!). You will cross many highly-panoramic spots with benches from where to take pictures (it is in fact one of the most suitable paths for photography enthusiasts!) or to rest if you need to. But we are stoical and… we keep on going on our path!
JUMPING OFF THE EDGE: THE 400 STEPS
Let’s brave our first descending stairway now. A green metal structure that enables you to cross the rocky parts along the path. A feeling of vertigo starts to seize us! It seems like walking among the rocks hanging on the lake. A thrilling emotion for those of us who challenge the heights with a bit of fear. But it’s known that fears are made to be suppressed. And so, let’s go on to brave other two stairways.
Perfect training for both buttocks and legs, if carried on with a fast pace it’s a route that can be trodden in one hour and a half round. If you rather prefer to walk enjoying the view, it will take you one hour and a half to go from Busatte to Tempesta (just one way, though)! (Here you can see some pictures!). You can also choose to come back by bus (but we won’t do it, will we?!) or to cover the same path challenging the about 400 steps, but ascending this time!!
SUGGESTIONS
It’s not necessary any specific clothes, but the suggestion is to be careful with the steps that could be slippery during autumn. If you have some hiking shoes, use them, otherwise also sneakers will be fine. My hint? Carry a lot of water with you! Along the path there aren’t any fountains and the only bar (well-equipped and surrounded by trees) is exactly at the starting point, Busatte.
Once back with our backpack on the shoulders, we feel our head light, our heart full of goodwill thanks to the beauty around us and in the small simple things of life. Things like a hiking day on the Busatte – Tempesta path, a bear hug closely connected with mother nature.
