On the popular and heavily frequented path to Lake Garda, few people actually make the spontaneous decision to "leave Rovereto behind" and head north towards the area around the lake. This is a mistake, because Val di Gresta is a small green oasis away from the bustling life around Lake Garda. Lush green landscapes, solitary hiking trails, cycling routes and challenging mountain bike trails. Culinary specialties, fresh from nature. Welcome to Val di Gresta!
Between Rovereto and Lake Garda, in the province of Trentino, there is a valley that is hardly known even by many locals: Val di Gresta. A place that reveals itself differently with every step, footstep and breath: quiet, original and incredibly diverse. For hikers, cyclists and climbers, Val di Gresta is a real insider tip.
Val di Gresta – the hidden, green garden paradise
Val di Gresta stretches between Rovereto to the east and Lake Garda to the west at an altitude of around 1,000 meters. It is known as the first organic area in Trentino. It is a valley full of orchards, vegetable fields and blooming meadows. These are characterized by the characteristic dry stone walls, which create an impression of a mosaic of small to medium-sized fields, adapted to the terrain.
Those who drive from Riva, Arco or Torbole uphill, barely realize what a quiet world lies hidden below Monte Stivo. A place where time seems to pass a little slower. And a place where you can observe Lake Garda from its tranquil side. Lake Garda, a remnant of a large, ice age glacier tongue that extended south from the Central Alps, leads into Mediterranean Italy. Its northern shore, with the lively Riva de Garda, is visible from almost everywhere in Val de Gresta, provided that the corresponding height is reached, and offers a picture of tranquility from this distance. Its northern neighbors, the Trentino Dolomites, Adamello and Brenta, which rise to heights beyond the 3,000-meter mark, provide a contrasting challenge. In between lie the less spectacular local mountains of Val di Gresta, Monte Creino and the characteristic Monte Stivo with its valleys. The latter is a powerful limestone block over 2,000 meters high, with a high plateau as its summit, a steep eastern slope and a gently sloping western side, where the characteristic gardens, above which are cypress trees and even higher alpine flora and fauna, can be found. The mountain is a first-class viewpoint, both in the north with the snow-capped peaks and in the south with the Gardasee, which is not unlike a Norwegian fjord, offers rewarding views and almost invites you to dream and relax.
The nature in Val di Gresta offers a harmonious picture. There are no outstanding, spectacular highlights here. On the other hand, this quiet, balanced and idyllic place, which is pampered by the large lake with its mild winds, is exactly that – a real highlight. Anyone who appreciates the mixture of southern pre-alpine vegetation, flower meadows, mountain forests and the almost chessboard-like small-scale farming, together with its rich insect and bird world, will find his happiness here – definitely!
Those who, perhaps also, are interested in history, will find themselves in the first world war. A section of the front line between the Habsburg Austrian Empire and Italy once ran through Val di Gresta. Numerous trenches, shelters and caves that were adapted for defense still bear witness to this unpleasant chapter in European history. But as if by a secret, benevolent magic, this aspect is also integrated into the harmonious landscape – more so than in other places of this gruesome event.
My outdoor experiences in Val di Gresta
Björn Arndt, the author of bergparadiese.de, has visited Val di Gresta. Here he describes his impressions:
I got to know this valley from all sides in autumn: by mountain biking, hiking and climbing. Each of these tours showed me a different facet of this special landscape.
Monte Stivo is the mighty guardian of Val di Gresta – and one of the most scenic mountains in Garda Trentino. From Passo Santa Barbara, the path leads over historical remains of fortifications and wide pastures up to the summit at 2,054 m.
From up there, you can see Lake Garda, Brenta and the glacier-capped peaks of Adamello.
How to get to Val di Gresta?
- Arrival by car:
By taking the Brenner Autobahn A22, you will reach the Rovereto South exit. From there, follow the SS 240 towards Mori and at Loppio, turn right into Val di Gresta towards Ronzo-Chienis. - Arrival by train:
You can also reach Val di Gresta by train. First, take a train to Rovereto and then change to a local bus. This will take you directly to Ronzo-Chienis.
When is the best time to visit?
The climate is mild all year round – green in spring, pleasant in summer and golden in autumn.
My personal conclusion about Val di Gresta
Val di Gresta is one of those valleys that you don't stumble upon by chance, but you have to look for it to really find it. It combines everything that makes the Garda Trentino so special in a small area: scenic peaks, quiet paths, historically significant traces and a landscape that shines in the most beautiful colors in autumn.
For me, Val di Gresta is no longer a secret tip. It is a place that I definitely want to return to.
https://www.gardatrentino.it/de/ortschaften/val-di-gresta
Here is the article on Bergparadiese.de:https://bergparadiese.de/das-val-di-gresta-geheimtipp-fuer-wanderer-und-biker-am-gardasee
