Οι 20 κορυφαίες σπηλιές στο Τρεντίνο

The via ferratas on Cima Rocca are easy to do and lead through historic trenches and long tunnels through the mountain. An experience following historical traces with fantastic views of Riva, the Ledro Valley, and Lake Garda.

Spectacular tunnel from the First World War: endless, steep, humid, and completely dark. A flashlight is essential. Currently (2025), the summit is closed due to a collapse: from below, it is accessed via the Franco Galli Equipped Path; from above, by circumnavigating the Corno bastion and climbing a challenging vertical metal ladder about fifteen meters high. EE. Corno Battisti is a rocky outcrop dominating the Vallarsa Valley. Due to its strategic position, it was fiercely contested during the First World War. At the beginning of the conflict, it was in Italian hands, but with the Strafexpedition of 1916, the Austro-Hungarians occupied it; the Italian army, unable to retake it, dug a mine tunnel from below to pierce the Corno and blow up the summit; the Imperials, in turn, dug a countermine tunnel from above. Everything was ready for the detonation, but a coup by a few brave men allowed the Italians to conquer the summit, which they held until the end of the war!

Corno Battisti, an isolated rocky bastion of the Pasubio Group, overlooking the Vallarsa Valley, offers a spectacular view of the long valley and the surrounding mountains: Pasubio, Sengio Alto, Carega, and Monte Zugna. Precisely because of its strategic position, it was fiercely contested during the First World War: the ability to monitor all troop and supply movements along the valley floor from up there made Corno a crucial point to be occupied and defended at all costs... it was in fact nicknamed "the eye of Pasubio" or "the spy of Vallarsa." At the beginning of the conflict, it was a garrison of the Italian army, but with the Strafexpedition of 1916, it was occupied by the Austro-Hungarians. Unable to recapture it, the Italians dug a mine tunnel from below to pierce the Corno and blow up the summit; the Imperials, in turn, dug a countermine tunnel from above. Everything was ready for the detonation, but a coup by a few brave men allowed the peak to be retaken by the Royal Army, which held it until the end of the war. The Austro-Hungarian observatory still survives at the summit. The bowels of the promontory are instead carved out by a surprising and easily navigable labyrinth of dark, damp tunnels with steep steps (EE). In 1916, near the summit, the Austro-Hungarians captured the irredentists Cesare Battisti and Fabio Filzi. They were immediately taken to Trento and hanged at Buonconsiglio Castle as traitors. For this reason, the peak, known at the time as 'Corno della Vallarsa', was renamed 'Corno Battisti' after the war. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Corno_Battisti https://www.esercito.difesa.it/storia/pagine/monte-corno.aspx

More information about opening times etc. can be found here: https://www.cascata-varone.com/de/ Make sure you take a rain jacket with you... no one comes out dry here 😜😂! We were there at the end of October and were glad to have a change of clothes in the car 😉. Definitely a welcome refreshment in the summer ☀️

Oolite stone quarries dug in the Vastrè hills. The extracted stone, called "statuary stone", was used above all for portals, fountains and statues as it is easily workable. The stone extracted from the quarries was used to create statues that adorn the Taro bridge in Parma, the fountain in Piazza Duomo in Trento, the statues that adorn the Prato della Valle in Padua, some statues found in the Collegiate Church of Arco and the statue of Moses located in the square of Arco. I advise you to enter the quarries and tackle the route inside. The location is truly very suggestive and I would say unique. The extraction planes are inclined about 30° towards the west and in the middle there are rock columns which were used to prevent the roof from collapsing.

Nice rest area with a great view.

Small Madonna in a rock cave on the Ponale

galleries from the First World War, with a panoramic view of the Adige valley... the municipality of Ala provides helmets free of charge, it is advisable to bring a torch