The Ponale Trail, north of Lake Garda, is one of the most famous and popular trails in Europe and connects Riva del Garda to the Ledro Valley.Surely it is one of the most beautiful hike in Italy andone with the best views in Europe
The walk can be done on foot in about three hours each way, or by mountain bike or bicycle.
It is recommended before taking the walk to make sure the trail is open and accessible.
Originally built in the second half of the 19th century, it was replaced by a modern tunnel only 20 years ago. Since 2004 it has been closed to traffic and limited to cyclists and hikers. Thanks to its position and architecture, the old Strada del Ponale is one of the most beautiful historical panoramic roads in Europe.
We start our hiking tour in the centre of the village Riva del Garda and You can see the profile of the old Ponale road from the beaches of Riva and Torbole. This easy route starts from Riva del Garda, near the port and the HydroElectric Plant and steadily goes uphill to the Regina Mundi statue on the terraces of Pregasina.
This path isn’t difficult technically but it goes up along a rock wall which does suffer rock falls sometimes. For this reason, it is classified as an Alpine walk for expert walkers and needs to be undertaken with care.
After about 1 km we cross the Gardesana road and follow the signpost D01 towards Ledro. Soon we reach the wonderful panoramic trail carved into the rocks and leading through small tunnels.
After further two km of steady and gentle gradient the trail turns right and we look down to the beautiful bay at the entrance of the Valle di Ledro. Here, the road divides into a bicycle track and a hiking trail. We cross a bridge before we hike up some steps to reach a forest road. From here, we continue our tour into the Valle di Ledro. After a short asphalted section (Pregasina road) we pass the village Biacesa. Crossing the village Pre di Ledro we hike upwards towards Molina di Ledro and finally reach Lake Ledro with its very interesting pile-dwelling museum.
