Discover Malcesine: Monte Baldo, History and Trails

Malcesine combines mountain trails, historic religious buildings and museums with nature- and lake-related attractions. There is also a specific destination for water sports: EasyKite kitesurfing school offers kitesurfing courses for beginners and advanced riders at the historic site of Fraglia Vela Malcesine in Malcesine, as well as lift services for independent kiters. If you are planning accommodation in Malcesine, you can therefore choose your location based on the experiences you want to shape your trip.

Ride the cable car into the mountains

The Funivia Malcesine Monte Baldo takes passengers from Malcesine or San Michele to Località Tratto Spino at an altitude of 1,760 metres. A cable-car ride from Malcesine to Monte Baldo takes around 20 minutes. At the cable-car station in Tratto Spino, there are easy trails with scenic views. This gives you the option of combining a trip into the mountains with walks that are less demanding.

Hiking trails with varying levels of difficulty

Hiking trails begin just a few metres from the beaches; some lead as far as the 2,218-metre-high Cima Valdritta. Those looking for a more demanding tour will find a difficult, 5-kilometre-long trail on the Sentiero del Ventrar, with 500 metres of elevation gain and exposed sections. The hike to Cima Pozzette reaches the summit at 2,125 metres; the 7-kilometre route is classified as moderately difficult.

Discover nature and learn about mountain traditions

The Prà Alpesina nature trail on Monte Baldo invites visitors to discover the local wildlife, flora and traditions. Numerous information boards provide interesting facts about the mountain. Another way to explore the area is the Museo di Storia Naturale del Baldo e del Lago: the visit is designed to be multimedia-based and sensory, combining sight, touch, smell and hearing with interactive touchscreens.

Churches and palaces in historic Malcesine

The ancient Pieve di Santo Stefano dates back to the 8th century. It has a single-nave layout, a vaulted ceiling and an 18th-century medallion depicting the Glory of Saint Stephen. The Chiesa della Disciplina stands on Piazza Cavour in the upper part of the town and is dedicated to Saints Benigno and Caro. Its interior contains a Renaissance painting depicting the healing of a blind man, as well as a Baroque altar made of red and white marble with an old crucifix. The Palazzo dei Capitani was built by the Scaligeri between the 13th and 14th centuries over Roman and Romanesque remains.

Cassone: river, harbour and fishing history

The Museo del Lago di Cassone is located at the harbour of Cassone. The Museo della Pesca e del Lago di Cassone offers insights into the lives of fishermen on Lake Garda through historic boats, nets, hooks, original fishing equipment and historical photographs. The Aril River can also be found in Cassone: it is 175 metres long, crosses three bridges and has a waterfall before flowing into Lake Garda. During the Christmas celebrations, a floating nativity scene is displayed at its source; it has been set up by the Associazione “Amici del presepio” di Cassone for more than 20 years.

Plan your trip around your personal interests

When choosing accommodation, you can take different travel interests into account in Malcesine. Local experiences include hiking trails that begin just a few metres from the beaches, a ride to Località Tratto Spino, demanding mountain tours, as well as historic interiors and museums. This allows you to shape your stay according to your own pace without losing sight of the varying demands of the trails and the thematic diversity of the attractions.

If you would like to consider other places for your trip to Italy, also discover Volargne, Festara, San Martino Buon Albergo, Grezzana, Tacconi, Isola Della Scala, Cavalo and Montorio.

To the higher-level travel overview: Verona.