Grigno between Caves, Nature and Culture

Grigno between Caves, Nature and Culture

Grigno combines caves, nature trails, wintry expanses and traces of cultural history to create a destination with many different sides. Stretching for 5 kilometres, the Grotta del Calgeron is one of the largest caves in the region. Depending on the season and your personal interests, you can focus on landscapes, activities or history.

Caves and Trails in the Landscape

The entrance to the Grotta del Calgeron can be reached in about 40 minutes via a fairly well-developed and frequently used trail. This makes it possible to combine a visit to the cave with a hike. The approximate time indication helps you fit the excursion into a suitable daily schedule.

Just above the hamlet of Selva di Grigno, the Grotta della Bigonda opens up. In the Fontanazzo Provincial Nature Reserve, visitors can follow a trail measuring approximately 4.3 kilometres. The two natural attractions differ in their character: here, the focus is on a cave near a hamlet, while there, it is on a visitor trail in a protected area.

In winter, the trails on the Marcesina plateau become a network of around 200 kilometres for cross-country skiing and snowshoe hikes. The range therefore extends from a trail to a cave entrance to extensive winter activities; the right time to travel consequently depends largely on your interests.

Prehistoric Traces and Regional History

Grigno's cultural history also reaches far back into the past. The Calchèra de bòro in Grigno was included in the 2013 edition of the “Guida ai musei etnografici del Trentino” published by the Museo degli Usi e Costumi della Gente Trentina in San Michele all’Adige. At Riparo Dalmeri, research uncovered the richest collection of painted stones found at prehistoric sites in Europe.

The Grotta di Ernesto is located in the hamlet of Stivai. From the road to Enego, it can be reached via a turn-off to Frizzone and then in about half an hour on foot along a forest road towards Val d’Antenne. The remains of a hearth found there confirm that the cave was used by a prehistoric human settlement. The Trincerone di Grigno formed the second line of Grigno’s wartime defensive system.

The interior of the Chiesa di San Giacomo Maggiore houses frescoes by the painter Lucilio Grassi from the first half of the 19th century. In this way, sacred art adds another cultural accent to the older traces and evidence of military history.

Active Days and Getting There

Canyoning is possible on the Grigno River, while the Alla Curva climbing wall in Grigno is used for climbing. Grigno can be reached via the SS 47 of the Valsugana and by the Trento–Venezia railway line. When choosing a hotel or other accommodation in Grigno, you can base your decision on your preferred travel rhythm: nature, activities, winter experiences and culture each offer their own focus.

More destinations for planning your trip: Livo, Levico Terme, Cavalese, Sporminore, Civezzano, Taio, Drena, Vigo Di Fassa

To the higher-level travel overview: Trentino.