01 ... Donauwörth and Donau-Ries
02 ... Between Donauwörth and Augsburg
03 ... Augsburg
04 ... Between Augsburg and Landsberg am Lech
05 ... Landsberg am Lech
06 ... Between Landsberg am Lech and Schongau
07 ... Altenstadt, Schongau and Peiting
08 ... Between Schongau and Füssen
09 ... Füssen and Schwangau
10 ... Between Füssen and Reutte
11 ... Breitenwang, Reutte and Ehrenberg
12 ... Heiterwang and Bichlbach
13 ... Lermoos, Ehrwald and Biberwier
14 ... Across the Fernpass
15 ... Between the Fernpass and Imst
16 ... Imst
17 ... Between Imst and Landeck
18 ... Zams, Landeck and Fließ
19 ... between Landeck and the Reschenpass
20 ... The Reschenpass
21 ... The Upper Vinschgau valley
22 ... Laas/Lasa und Schlanders/Silandro
23 ... Goldrain/Coldrano, Latsch/Laces und Kastelbell/Castelbello
24 ... The Lower Vinschgau valley
25 ... Algund/Lagundo, Meran/Merano and Marling/Marlengo
26 ... Between Meran/Merano and Bolzano/Bozen
27 ... Bolzano/Bozen
28 ... Bolzano/Bozen and Environs
29 ... Across the Piana Rotaliana
30 ... Val di Cembra, Pinè
empty ... Trento > Verona > Ostiglia/Po (TRENTINO, VENETO, LOMBARDIA)
31p ... Trento (towards Verona, Ostiglia, Po)
32p ... The northern Vallagarina
33p ... Rovereto
34p ... The southern part of the Vallagarina in Trentino
35p ... The Veronese part of the Vallagarina
36p ... Rivoli Veronese and Lake Garda
37p ... Valpolicella
38p ... Verona
39p ... The Po Plain between Verona and the Po river
40p ... Ostiglia and the Po river
Text of the historical map of ...
100 AD
Gateway to the Alps
The Roman road entered the Alps as if through a gateway. As the Lech often occupied the entire valley, it already had to overcome two elevations up to the Reutte valley basin – between Stiglberg and Kratzer and at the Kniepass. The route of the Roman road remained in use until 1784 and the modern road still crosses the Kniepass today. Before climbing to Ehrenberg, the Via Claudia Augusta passed through the municipality of Breitenwang, where a road station (mansio) and the fifirst small settlement in the valley basin are thought to have been located. Reutte developed at a later stage – on the salt road. Breitenwang still remains the district’s ecclesiastic centre today.
1504
Reutte flourishes
With its extensive floodplains, the Lech also shaped the valley basin back in 1504 that depended significantly for its livelihood on the salt road between Hall in Tirol and the Lake Constance area. A bridge was built in 1464 between Lechaschau and Reutte that replaced the Lech ford near Höfen. With its salt depot and numerous roadside inns, Reutte grew into the centre of the Ausserfern district and in 1489 it was granted market rights by Sigesmund “the Rich”. Ehrenberg Castle throned above the valley. A wall blocked the gorge and all traffic had to pass through the customs station gate. There was an ironworks near Pflach. Vils, not yet part of Tyrol, was a town since 1327 and enclosed by a wall with two gates in the north and south.
1780
strongly fortified
Numerous fortifications in the border area between Bavaria and Tyrol shaped the area around 1780. In addition to the dam at Ehrenberg that had grown around two further fortresses, there were several outer fortresses. The market town of Reutte at their feet already had around 1,000 inhabitants and several new roads were completed. The road from Reutte via Vils to Kempten now passed by the walled city to the south, while that from Füssen to Pinswang went around the Stiglberg. The Ulrichs-brücke bridge was not constructed until 1914. Shortly after the turn of the century, the existing Bavarian local railway was also extended to join the Ausserfern railway that initially went to Reutte. The river was largely unregulated even around Reutte.
Text of the historical map of ...
400 AD
Masterful roads
The aim of the Roman road builders was to construct the quickest route from the Adriatic and the Po to the limes. Even in Tirol the Via Claudia Augusta therefore only has four hairpin bends. Nevertheless, the ffiirst trans-European road has a relatively constant incline even over the challenging sections across the passes. Another outstanding feat is the section on 1,000 tree trunks across the ‘Moos’ wetland habitat between Lermoos, Ehrwald and Biberwier, near to which two settlements were located – one in Ehrwald that already existed before the arrival of the Romans and continued to exist during the Roman era, and one founded by the Romans in the area surrounding the road station in Biberwier, immediately in front of the Fern Pass.
1599
Living from the road
While the Roman road was sustained by the fiffiirst European single market with no customs or tolls, the era of the salt road was shaped by the transport of goods. The local residents had the exclusive privilege of transporting certain goods such as salt from one place to the next. The population along the route benefiffiited from both of these systems. The population of Zwischentoren, the area between the Ehrenberg and Fernstein gates, is thought only to have become properly aware of this when the Arlberg Pass was made navigable again. As the traffiffiic shifted away, they became desperately poor. After meeting to say farewell at Austria’s only guild church in Bichlbach, many people from the Ausserfern district were forced to move as building workers to the neighbouring regions to the north. Children also moved away as ‘Swabian children’.
1926
Further development
A new wave of development started in the second half of the nineteenth century from Zwischentoren, the area between the two gates of Ehrenberg and Fernstein through which the Fern Pass road passed until 1856. It was then that today’s road was built. In 1913 the Ausserfern railway was extended that had previously terminated in Reutte. As an alternative to the completed route via Garmisch and on to Innsbruck, there was also talk of a line across the Gaistal, Leutasch and Seefeld. Furthermore, there were plans for a rail link to Imst with a summit tunnel through the Fern Pass of the sort currently being planned for cars. The Tyrolean Zugspitze Railway was one of the fiffiirst mountain railways and promot
historical map of ...
100 AD
Old settlement area
There is documentary evidence of “Oppidum Humiste” dating back to 763. Oppidum was a fortifified pre-Roman settlement. Its mention after the Roman era points towards continuous settlement since pre-Roman times that will have been concentrated on the hill above Imst town centre. There are also indications of prehistoric settlement in Dormitz near Nassereith. The Romans established road stations in both places along the Via Claudia Augusta, around which settlements developed. In Imst, which was the most important settlement between Füssen and Merano, this was probably parallel to the pre-Roman settlement. There was also prehistoric and Roman settlement on the sunny slopes of the Tschirgant, in Karrösten and Karres.
1550
Mining stronghold
The area around the Via Claudia Augusta between Biberwier and the Inn Valley was an important mining centre in multiple respects. Signifificant historic mining districts were located in the Mieming mountain range in the east, the Lechtal Alps in the north and on the slopes of the Tschirgant in the south. Numerous tunnel entrances await discovery on close examination particularly in the Wannig rock face above Nassereith. Above all lead was mined as a grey ore for silver mining in Schwaz and Zink. Furthermore, Imst, alongside its importance as a market place and traffic hub, was the seat of the mining court covering an area that reached to the Ausserfern district and Vorarlberg.
1901
Long prevented town
Imst has for thousands of years been the most important settlement between Füssen and Merano and an important traffiffiific hub. It has had market rights since late medieval times and from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries it was the seat of a mining court covering an area that reached to the Ausserfern district and Vorarlberg. Had the infflluential lords of Starkenberg not opposed this because Imst would then have been directly subordinate to the territorial prince, the Gurgltal metropolis would have been a town with its own walls for 700 years. Following a ffiire in 1822 to which 206 out of 220 houses fell victim, Imst was rebuilt and ffiinally received town rights in 1898. Imst is also renowned for its bird breeders and dealers.
Text of the historical maps of ...
before the year 0
Early densely populated
Already in early history, the area around Landeck was relatively densely populated. Above Schönwies, in Stanz and Grins, in Perjen, in Fließ, at the entrance to the Kaunertal, in Fiss and Serfaus, ... - on every sunny slope and every high terrace settlements are proven or at least there are indications of settlement. The settlements were connected by cart paths. In addition to one in the Inn valley, there was also a shortcut from the Kaunertal valley over the Piller Sattel to Imst. Above Fliess was a burnt offering site where gods were invoked for centuries, until Roman times. In the archaeological museum of Fliess you can marvel at early historical finds from this time, which you can otherwise only find in such abundance and quality in large cities.
450
early Christian churches
In the Landeck area the Via Claudia Augusta largely ran along the slope – the section between the Inn bridge near Starkenbach and Landeck followed the striking and picturesque route over the “Platte” to Fließ, where ruts in the rock dating from different periods tell stories about the road. The Via Claudia Augusta only left the slope in the vicinity of Landeck Castle – presumably because there was a road station there and the road branched off over the Arlberg. The important transport connection not only brought economic development but also a lively cultural exchange that is reflected among other things in the area’s early Christianisation. The parish church in Landeck and St. Lawrence’s Church on the hill above Imst have their roots in the fififth century, while the ‘Maaßkirche’ church next to the archaeological museum in Fließ dates back to the sixth century.
1787
Landeck as a transport hub
Two long-distance roads already converged for the first time back in Roman times at the confluence of the Sanna and the Inn. In 1787 the road to Vorarlberg, that had for a long time no longer been navigable, was renewed and restored to new life and the valley basin finally became a transport hub. The rest was done by the construction of the Arlberg railway in 1884, during which 800 jobs were also created and the population grew rapidly. Around 1900, the municipalities of Perfuchs and Angedair were merged into Landeck, that gained market rights in 1904 and became a town in 1923. Landeck had already been a municipal centre since 1868 when there was not yet even a place called Landeck but only the castle. The loser of the shift of the east-west traffic corridor to the Arlberg route was incidentally Zwischentoren, between Fernstein and Reutte. Many of the bitterly poor people of Ausserfern consequently became migrant workers in the more prosperous neighbouring regions to the north.
Text of the historical maps of ...
100 AD
Road mostly at valley floor
Owing the narrowness of the valley, which was at risk of rockfall and often entirely flooded by the Inn, the Via Claudia Augusta ran along the slope between Landeck and Fließ, across the Fliesser Platte in which the carts left traces in the rock in the different periods. Back in the valley, the Roman road was then able to continue – with various river crossings – along the valley floor until Altfinstermünz, as nature narrowed the course of this section of the Inn. From Finstermünz the road climbed steadily at a gradient of 11% up through the gorge to Inutrium, the only road station for which there is written evidence, shortly before reaching its highest point, the Reschen Pass. There are thought to have been two more road stations between Prutz and Pfunds. Fließ and Inutrium were definitely inhabited.
1530
Road and mining
The Roman road largely remained in use in the Middle Ages and modern era. Fortresses such as Pidenegg, Pernegg, Laudegg, Siegmundsriedt, Finstermünz and Naudersberg lined the transport routes. Apart from the main roads, there were almost only mule tracks. As well as self-sufficient farming and earnings opportunities in connection with the road, income was also generated by mining – first in Kaunertal, then in Bergtal and later in Platzertal. Ore was also extracted in Serfaus and smelted in Fließ.
1910
New transport routes
For a long time there were discussions about how to modernise the Reschenstrasse. The modern road builders finally got their way and the road was constructed between 1852 and 1856 with hairpin bends and galleries many of which are still in use today. Roads were also built to the Engadine, to Samnaun and to the mines of Platzertal. The ore was also transported with a goods cable lift. As well as investments in the roads, there were also two different plans for a rail link across the Reschen Pass for which a large number of tunnels would have been necessary. The northernmost fortress of Austria-Hungary facing Italy bears witness to the strategically important location of the pass.
The market town of Latsch/Laces consists of a main district, the two subdivisions of Goldrain/Coldrano and Morter in the valley, and Tartsch/Tarres on a debris flow cone. Make sure you visit the hospital church of Latsch/Laces to see its winged altar, designed by Jörg Lederer. The mountain chapel of St. Stefan near Obermontan and Untermontan in Morter is considered the ‘Sistine Chapel of South Tyrol’ thanks to its splendid murals. Schloss Goldrain castle, built gradually from 1475 onwards, is worth visiting for its enclosing wall, portals, free-standing staircases and recessed balconies. All important construction parts are made from white marble. Also have a look at the 5000-year-old menhir (standing stone) of Latsch/Laces. It can be viewed every Monday at the Bichlkirche near the entrance to the village, where it was originally found.
Its location at the narrowest part of the valley and the castle on the promontory by the road give the village a particularly striking appearance. 39020 Kastelbell, Staatsstraße 5, +39 0473 624 193, Guided tours available from 17 June to 14 September: Tue–Sun, 11 am, 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm. Minimum group size: 4 people, www.schloss-kastelbell.com. The canal path is worth a detour. Tschars/Ciardes, which was merged with Kastelbell/Castelbello in 1928, is located on a debris flow cone on the sunny side of the valley, which is a little wider again here. Reinhold Messner’s summer residence Juval, just above the entrance to the Schnalstal valley, houses the Tibetika collection at the Messner Mountain Museum. Kastelbell, Juval 3, +39 348 443 38 71, open between the fourth Sunday of March to 30 June and from 1 September to the first Sunday in November, 10 am–4 pm, closed on Wednesdays, www.messner-mountain-museum.it
For information, contact
Via Claudia Augusta Info
www.viaclaudia.org/en
info@viaclaudia.org
0043 664 27 63 555
For specific questions about the region, contact the
Vinschgau tourist information
www.vinschgau.net
info@vinschgaumarketing.net
0039 0473 620 480
In Frangart/Frangarto at the foot of Schloss Siegmundskron, where the Messner Mountain Museum Firmian explores the relationship between humans and the mountains, the historical route and our travel route turn towards the town center. They cross the Etsch river and the wide valley basin. The alley and the bridge that lead towards the old town are named after Drusus, who once led the Romans across the Alps and ordered the expansion of the existing paths to create a road. MMM Firmian, Bozen, Sigmundskronerstraße 53, +43 0471 631 264, open from the first Sunday in March until the third Sunday in November, 10 am–6 pm, closed on Thursdays, last entry at 5 pm, www.messner-mountain-museum.it.
Leave your car at the BZ Mitte P8 parking garage behind the railway station, the small parking garage at the Rittner Cable Car, or in the underground parking garage at Waltherplatz, where our walk begins. Waltherplatz square and the monument at its center are dedicated to the troubadour Walther von der Vogelweide. From here, you can take a shuttle up to Schloss Runkelstein castle in the north of the town, which has some of the most significant profane frescoes in the Alps. +39 0471 329 808, Tue–Sun, until 15 March: 10 am–5 pm (last entry at 4:30 pm), after 16 March: 10 am–6 pm (last entry at 5:30 pm), www.runkelstein.info. Kornplatz square used to host the grain market. The mercantile museum is located in the former chamber of commerce in the middle of the picturesque Laubengasse street, +39 0471 945 702, Mon–Sat 10 am–12:30 noon. Its exhibitions recount the economic history of South Tyrol. The town hall is at the eastern end of the street. Continue a little further and you will find the Nature Museum of South Tyrol +39 0471 412 964, open Tue–Sun, 10 am–6 pm, www.naturmuseum.it. For a lovely view of the town, walk a few minutes to the Rittner cable car and let it take you to the Ritten high plateau. Operates all year round. www.ritten.com. Franziskanerstraße leads to the Franciscan Church, the Franciscan Monastery and the western end of the Laubengasse. A little further to the west, you will find the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology with the preserved body of Ötzi the Iceman, +39 0471 320 100, opening hours in July, August and December: every day 10 am–6 pm, closed on Mondays in all other months, last entry at 5:30 pm, www.iceman.it. There is also the Civic Museum, which houses one of the two original milestones that document the existence of the Via Claudia Augusta +39 0471 997 960, Tue–Sun, 10 am–6 pm. Cross the Talferbrücke bridge to see the Victory Monument, one of the last remaining monuments erected during fascism. Cross the Talfer river on the new cycle and pedestrian bridge and head to the Museion, a museum of modern and contemporary art. +39 0471 223 413, open Tues–Sun: 10 am–6 pm, last entry: 5:30 pm, Thu: 10 am–10 pm, free entry from 6–10 pm, free guided tour at 7 pm, last entry at 9:30 pm, www.museion.it. The town theater and concert hall are located in a building near the Eisack river. Finish your tour of the town at the Gothic cathedral Maria Himmelfahrt from the 12th century and admire its treasury. It used to stand outside of the town walls. +39 0471 978 676, Tue–Sat: 10 am–12 noon.
The travel route takes you across the Loretobrücke bridge, following the Roman road to Laives/Leifers, the southernmost town of South Tyrol.
For information about the entire route, contact
Via Claudia Augusta Info
www.viaclaudia.org/en
info@viaclaudia.org
0043 664 27 63 555
For specific questions about the region, contact
www.suedtirol.info/en
info@suedtirol.info
0039 0471 999 999
The city of Trento begins at the bridge across the Avisio river in Lavis. In Roman times, the old road towards Altino near Venice led up the hill to the Valsugana. Our route largely follows the historical route into the town of Meano, where you can catch your first glimpse of the birthplace of the Council of Trent. Head back down into the valley and continue towards the old town with its Renaissance buildings.
You can leave your car in the car park at Via Torre Verde 40 on the edge of the old town while you go for a leisurely walk. As you enter the historical part of the city, the tourist information office and contemporary art gallery will be among the first buildings you see. Head towards the Piazza Cesare Battisti. The excavated ancient Roman city of Tridentum is located underneath it. Walk down Via Belenzani, lined with Renaissance palazzi, and pass the town hall inside the Palazzo Thun to reach the cathedral square. The parallel alleys of Via Cavour to the west and Via Oss Mazzurana to the east can easily compete with the splendor of their larger neighbor. The Tridentine Diocesan Museum and the Vigilio Cathedral are also on the cathedral square. Finish your walk at Buonconsiglio Castle, where you can visit the historical museum of Trento.
Leave the old town of Trento and follow the riverbank of the Etsch river southwards.
For information about the entire route, contact
Via Claudia Augusta Info
www.viaclaudia.org/en
info@viaclaudia.org
0043 664 27 63 555
The towns of Romagnano and Mattarello to the south of the regional capital still belong to its municipal area.
The Vallagarina begins at the Murazzi gorge to the south of Mattarello. Humans have inhabited this area since Roman times or earlier. Pomarolo and Besenello are first mentioned in records from the 12th century. The valley is dotted with fortresses, showing the strategic significance of its location at the southern gateway to the Alps. Some of the fortresses were built by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The 12th-century Beseno castle above Besenello is the largest fortress between the Reschenpass and Verona. You can easily spot the impressive structure from afar. Its interior is decorated with many frescoes. The castle complex houses a branch of the museum at Buonconsiglio castle. It is well worth a visit, not least because of the spectacular views of the Vallagarina below.
38060 Besenello, Via al Castello 4, +39 0464 834600, opening hours from mid-March to mid-May: Tue–Sun 9:30 am–5 pm, from mid-May to the beginning of Nov: Tue–Sun 10 am–6 pm, from Nov–mid-March: Sat and Sun only, 9:30 am–5 pm, www.buonconsiglio.it
Castel Pietra, 38060 Calliano, Via Castelpietra 1, +39 335 588 28 91, contact the private owners of the castle to arrange a guided tour, www.castelpietra.info.
Castello di Castellano, 38060 Castellano, +39 0464 801 177, contact the private owners of the castle to arrange a guided tour.
Castel Noarna, 38060 Noarna di Nogaredo, Via Castelnuovo 19, guided tours with a wine tasting available daily for groups of 10 or more upon prior arrangement, www.castelnuoarna.com.
Tridentine Diocesan Museum, Palazzo Libera, 38060 Villa Lagarina, Via Garibaldi 10, +39 464 490 374, open Wed–Fri, 2–6 pm, Sat and Sun 10 am–12:30 pm and 2 pm–6 pm, www.museodiocesanotridentino.it
For information about the entire route, contact
Via Claudia Augusta Info
www.viaclaudia.org/en
info@viaclaudia.org
0043 664 27 63 555
For specific questions about the region, contact the
Tourist information from the APT Rovereto e Vallagarina
www.visitrovereto.it
38068 Rovereto, Corso Antonio Rosmini 21
38060 Brentonico (TN), Via F. Filzi 23
info@visitrovereto.it
0039 464 430 363
Rovereto is a lovely labyrinth of narrow alleyways and palaces, many of which have obvious Venetian and Austrian influences. We recommend that you park your car in the parking lot at the corner of Corso Rosmini and Via Poli during your walk. Visit Italy’s oldest urban museum for a perfect start to your trip. Borgo Santa Caterina 41, +39 0464 452 800, open Tue–Sun 9:00 am–noon and 3:00 pm–6:00 pm, from 1 July– 16 October also open on Fri and Sun from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm, closed on Mondays (except public holidays), www.museocivico.rovereto.tn.it. Head a little further and you will find the birthplace of the famous philosopher Anton Rosmini. Via Stoppani 3, +39 0464 420 788, by appointment only. At the Palazzo Todeschi-Micheli at Via Mercerie 14, Mozart played his first successful concert in Italy. The Ponte Forbato over the Leno river was destroyed in a flood in 1797 and rebuilt in 1840. On the opposite shore of the river stands the Casa dei Turchi (Turkish House). The towering Castello Rovereto from the 14th century houses Italy’s largest war museum. Borgo Santa Caterina 7, +39 0464 438 100, open Tue–Sun 9:00 am–noon and 3:00 pm–6:00 pm, from 1 July– 16 October also open on Fri and Sun from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm, closed on Mondays (except public holidays), www.museodellaguerra.it. The elegant Palazzo Pretorio houses the municipal administration. It was built in 1417 in the Venetian style. The Palazzo del Ben (also: dei Conti D‘Arco) on the Piazza Rosmini is a gem of Renaissance architecture made available to the public for cultural activities by the Sparkasse Trento and Rovereto bank. A little further, you will find the MART art museum. The Palazzo dell‘Annona, which houses a library, is a part of it. MART, Rovereto, Corso Bettini 43, +39 0464 438 887, open Tue–Sun 10:00 am–6:00 pm, Fri 10:00 am–9:00 pm, closed on Mondays (except public holidays), www.mart.trento.it. Opposite the Giorgio Perlasca Park stands Trentino’s very first theater: the Theater Zandonai. There is also the Neoclassical Piamarta Palace, better known as the Palazzo della Pubblica Istruzione (‘palace of public teaching’).
For information, contact
Via Claudia Augusta Info
www.viaclaudia.org/en
info@viaclaudia.org
0043 664 27 63 555
For specific questions about the region, contact the
Tourist information from the APT Rovereto e Vallagarina
www.visitrovereto.it
38068 Rovereto, Corso Antonio Rosmini 21
38060 Brentonico (TN), Via F. Filzi 23
info@visitrovereto.it
0039 464 430 363
There is a bell in the south of Rovereto that tolls a hundred times every evening to commemorate the war dead. The military memorial of Castel Dante contains the mortal remains of 20,000 Italian, Austrian, Czech and Hungarian soldiers. 38068 Rovereto, Via Castel Dante, +39 0464 432 480 or +39 348 7700 541, open Tue–Sat 9 am–12 noon and 2–4 pm. Closed on public holidays. The Manufattura Tabacchi from the mid-19th century recounts the early industrial and social history of the region. Rovereto, Piazza della Manifattura 1, +39 0464 443 313, open to groups, www.progettomanifattura.it. In Isera, the postcard museum showcases 35,000 pictures of Trentino and South Tyrol. Via Galvagni 10, +39 0464 420 840, open Mon–Sat 9 am–12 noon and 2:30–5 pm, www.museodellacartolina.it. The 10th-century Corno castle overlooks the town Località Lenzima, +39 0464 433 792, open 5 Apr–end of September Sat and Sun, 10 am–7 pm
The town of Mori has a population of nearly 10,000. It borders Torbole on Lake Garda and Brentonico on Monte Baldo, a 30-kilometer mountain ridge that separates Italy’s largest lake from the Etschtal valley. Its sheltered eastern slope protruded from the ice throughout the entire Ice Age. Today, it is home to unique plants found nowhere else in Europe. Visit the Palazzo Eccheli Baisi for its exhibition of regional plants and fossils. 38060 Brentonico, Via Mantova 4, +39 0464 39 50 59, open from May to Jun: Tue–Sun, 10 am to 12 noon and 4–6 pm, Jul–Sep: Tue–Sun, 10 am–12 noon and 4–6:30 pm.
The actual border town is Avio – to be precise, its Borghetto district. Ala is another town close to the border. It used to function as a frontier station between Austria and Italy. Both have been shaped by a long history of varying influences. Walk the narrow alleyways of their historical centers to discover numerous palazzi. The Palazzi de' Pizzini in Ala houses the Antique Piano Museum, which is all about the wonders of classical music. 38061 Ala, Via Santa Caterina 1, +39 0464 674 068, open to groups of 15–20 visitors. Avio is overlooked by the ruins of its eponymous castle from the 11th and 13th century.
For information, contact
Via Claudia Augusta Info
www.viaclaudia.org/en
info@viaclaudia.org
0043 664 27 63 555
For specific questions about the region, contact the
Tourist information from the APT Rovereto e Vallagarina
www.visitrovereto.it
38068 Rovereto, Corso Antonio Rosmini 21
38060 Brentonico (TN), Via F. Filzi 23
info@visitrovereto.it
0039 464 430 363
At the border between Trentino and the province of Verona, which belongs to Beneto, the Etschtal valley narrows. Our route through the Veronese section of the Vallagarina takes you to the picturesque towns of Belluno Veronese and Rivalta, the main district of the municipality of Brentino Belluno. If you wish to take a detour to Dolcè with its lovely, historical center and three stately palazzi, cross the river at Rivalta, then head back the same way. To this day, there are only very few bridges over the Etsch river in this part of the valley. Continue to the narrowest part of the southern Etschtal valley, the Ceraino close, overlooked by the Austro-Hungarian Wohlgemuth fortress.
The Chiusa di Ceraino is the narrowest part of the southern Etschtal valley. In Roman times, it was at least occasionally impassable, which led to the Via Claudia Augusta being built across the hill. Today, Rivoli Veronese is located on the same hill. The Chiusa di Ceraino and its steep rock faces have been fiercely contested in the past. You can see evidence of this in the Austro-Hungarian fortresses dotting both sides of the valley. They used to form a complete barrage in the bast. The Wohlgemuth fortress on the Castello mountain near Rivoli gives you a good impression of a fortress from that period; it also houses a military museum with exhibits from the Second World War. Wohlgemuth Fortress, +39 045 728 11 66, open from March to January by prior arrangement, open to the general public on Sun, 2–7 pm. Closed in February and August.
Rivoli is a great base for a trip to the famous towns of Bardolino and Lazise on the Veronese shores of Lake Garda. The road there leads you through picturesque vineyards and olive groves. Olive oil from Lake Garda is considered to be among the best in the world. Bardolino is a former fishing village that has grown into one of the largest towns in the region. It is also a famous wine-growing region that produces its own distinctive wine, the Bardolino. Do enjoy an extensive meander through the alleys of the large town center with its many shops and restaurants. The boulevard at the boat port is a popular photo motif. Apart from several beautiful churches, Bardolino has a Camaldolese monastery and a wine museum. Its southern district of Cisano offers an oil museum and an ornithological museum. Lazise attracts huge numbers of overnight visitors – more than most other Italian destinations. It has plenty to offer its guests, including Scaliger Castle and the Church of San Nicolo near the port. In the district of Colà, there is a 13-hectare park with a thermal lake measuring 5000 square meters.
The towns of Cavaion Veronese and Affi are located between the Etschtal valley and Lake Garda. Cavaion is nestled in the picturesque Monte San Michele and offers visitors a water park, the Parco Acquatico Riovalli. Affi beckons with a castello and many beautiful churches and villas.
On your way back to the Etsch river, the route passes a canal that was built for irrigation purposes during the Mussolini era. It runs towards Verona a little above the river. Just after the bridge over the Etsch river in the district of Sega of Cavaion Veronese, take a detour to the Ceraino gorge and admire the lovely Villa del Bene, a 15th-century villa built on its southern slope. Municipality of Dolcè, +39 045 729 00 22.
The Valpolicella on the southern edge of the Alps has been a wine-growing region for millennia. It boasts numerous natural and historical sights: the world’s largest natural bridge and the waterfalls of Mollina, a 34,000-year-old shaman grotto and some very attractive villages and architectural monuments, including around 100 Ville Venete. Visit the prehistorical and paleontological museum of Sant’Anna for its five-meter shark fossil. Piazza Dalla Bona, 37020 Sant‘Anna, +39 349 53 46 074, open from the beginning of July to the beginning of September: Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun 10 am–12 noon and 4–6 pm.
The route through Verona gives you a first impression and some lovely views of the city. You get to see the Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore, Ponte Scaligero, Castel San Pietro, the archaeological museum, the remains of the old city wall, the monumental cemetery, and the Arena. If you want to get a slightly more detailed idea of Verona, however, we recommend that you take a walk through the city. You can leave your car at the Arena parking garage. The suggested route leads you past the arena to the Ponte Scaligero and the museum inside the Castelvecchio, where countless paintings and sculptures are exhibited. Afterwards, you meander through picturesque alleyways, taking in several fascinating sacred buildings before reaching the Chiesa San Giovanni in Fonte. The Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House), Palazzo della Ragione and Torre dei Lamberti are all located in relatively close proximity to each other. Finally, the tour leads you across the Etsch river to the remains of the Roman city walls and the impressive monumental cemetery. After visiting the Tomba di Giulietta (Juliet’s Grave), you head back towards the nearby Arena. Museo Castelvecchio, Corso Castelvecchio 2, +39 045 806 26 11, open Mon 1:30 pm–7:30 pm and Tue–Sun 8:30 am–7:30 pm, last entry at 6:45 pm. Archaeological Museum at the Roman Theater, Regaste Redentore 2, +39 045 8000 360, Mon 1:30 pm–7:30 pm and Tue–Sun 8:30 am–7:30 pm. Last entry at 6:45 pm. Casa di Giulietta, Via Cappello 23, +39 045 803 4303, open Mon 1:30 pm–7:30 pm and Tue–Sun 8:30 am–7:30 pm, last entry at 6:45 pm. Torre dei Lamberti, Via della Costa 2, +39 045 927 30 27, open Mon–Sun, 9:30 am–7:30 pm. Tomba di Giulietta, Via Luigi da Porto 5, +39 045 8000 361, open Mon 1:30 pm–7:30 pm and Tue–Sun 8:30 am–7:30 pm, last entry at 6:45 pm. Arena, Piazza Bra, +39 045 800 3204, open Mon 1:30 pm–7:30 pm and Tue–Sun 8:30 am–7:30 pm, last entry at 6:30 pm.
The rice route passes the airport of Verona to the north on its way to Sommacampagna, where a little church from the fifth century stands witness to early human settlement. Grapes grow all around Custoza, waiting to be made into 100,000 hl of DOC white wine. A tower-shaped ossuary marks the Battle of Custoza. Villafranca was founded as a Roman camp along the Via Postumia. Today, it is the second-largest town in the Province. The well-preserved Scaligero fortress dates back to the refoundation of the town as a colony of Verona in the 12th century. It is likely that humans have inhabited the region along the Via Claudia Augusta since prehistoric times. The names of Castel d‘Azzano and Vigasio come from Latin. They imply that there used to be a pre-Roman settlement built by the Attic people, which belonged to the Veneti. The name of Castel d‘Azzano also refers to the Villa Violini Nogarola or ‘Il Castello’. Isola refers to the extensive swamps surrounding the Tartaro river, which only had a few inhabitable islands. In the municipality of Nogara, evidence of pile dwellings from the Bronze Age has been found. Vigasio is mentioned in records from 1014, which describe it as a rest station between Mantua and Verona. Later, Benedictines settled in the area and began to make it arable.
Every year, a rice convention is held at the center of this rice-growing region. While rice no longer has the same significance as it used to, Italy remains the leading European producer. Padania specializes in growing varieties that are used for the traditional risotto dishes, which are an integral part of the regional culture. Many folk festivals are unimaginable without a large risotto pan, and the local restaurants also keep the culinary tradition very much alive. Locals of Padania buy their rice from their trusted farmer.
Excavated tombs show that the border area between Veneto and Lombardy has been inhabited for at least 5,000 years. The Roman tower from the fourth century and the churches of Santa Maria Maggiore and Ceson di San Pietro in Valle (from the 10th and 11th century, respectively) are evidence that humans continued to lived here throughout Roman times and in the early Middle Ages. The archaeological museum of the municipality documents that history. Gazzo and Ostiglia, which is already a part of Lombardy, have extensive swamps (paludi) that are home to fascinating plants and animals. Visitor center of the Oasi del Busatello nature reserve, +39 0422 550 219. Archaeological museum, 37060 Gazzo Veronese, Via Piazza Gazzo 14, +39 347 43 20 270.
After the Romans left, an eventful period began. The Goths, the Byzantine Empire, the Langobards and the Francs all laid claim to the region at one point or another. In the Late Middle Ages, there was a fortress on the Po river. Only its tower remains today. It houses a little museum that is well worth a visit. Under Austrian rule, Ostiglia lost its strategic significance. Charles IV ordered its demolition in order to use the construction materials to fortify Mantua. Ostiglia is an impressive town in an impressive location right at the dam of the Po. To its southeast lies the river island of Boschina with a lovely nature reserve and a villa. They all exude the Italian dolce vita, but each town has its very own character. If you want to experience life on Italy’s longest liver and at the heart of the Po Plain, Ostiglia is where you want to be – the island of Boschina and the little river port of the Club Nautico are among its most attractive destinations. Riso di Ostiglia is an inseparable part of the Ostigliese lifestyle.
While you are near the Po, do not miss the chance to experience the area along the river. As you head upstream, visit the Abbey of San Benedetto in Polirone. It used to be one of Italy’s richest monasteries and houses a museum today. The historical town of Mantova is the center of the eponymous province and a very attractive destination.
There is plenty to see downstream, too. The center of the famous Strada del Tartufo Mantovano (Mantovani truffles ), Borgofranco sul Po, for example: the town hosts an annual truffle fair.
