Woods and views: ring route between Malcesine and Piombi.
Angela Trawoeger
Creator, photographer and content manager
A very varied ring route – varied in both views and terrain. Requires surefootedness, stamina and a love of hiking. It leaves from Malcesine and takes you to Piombi going up along path 659/9 and 7. You start going back downhill from here through the woods to San Michele and then Malcesine.
You will have a trek of 14.5km over a height difference of 1700m, both up and down hill.
Maps and GPS Track
Details
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Technical characteristics
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Starting point
Malcesine
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Endpoint
Malcesine
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Route
Malcesine – Sentiero 659 – Fiabi – Sentiero 7 – Piombi – San Michele – Masotta – Vacco – Malcesine
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Starting height
90m
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Highest point
1227m
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Altitude – ascent/descent
1674m/1680m
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Distance
14,5km
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Duration
5 hrs
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Starting point
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Difficulty
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Difficulty
medium to difficult
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Technical difficulty (1 to 5)
3
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Physical training (1 to 5)
3
- CAI (Italian Alpine Club) difficulty scale
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Difficulty
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Scenic appeal
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Experience (1 to 5)
4
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Landscape (1 to 5)
5
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Experience (1 to 5)
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Type of route
- Round tour
- Insider tip
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Best time of year
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All year over
without snow
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All year over
Partner
Points of interest along this hiking trail
It’s a beautiful route, varied and quite challenging.
The uphill tract is usually not very busy and you will be struck by the diversity of this path. Path no. 7 goes through the Nature Reserve “Lastoni Selva Pezzi” and you will normally see some Chamoix here.
You will walk through woods and along many fabulous view points where you can see Garda from the slopes and peaks of the Monte Baldo range.
Tour description
From the centre of Malcesine, you walk south to the start of the Panoramica road which goes uphill on your left after the Hotel Ideal.
After the first hairpin bend, take the road that goes uphill on the right. On the wall you will see the painted red and white sign that indicates route 659. Take the first cement path on your right and follow this until, after about 2km, you meet a path which goes off up through the woods. There are a few steep bits, but they are quite short.
At the fork in the road, stay left and carry on uphill following the red and white signs for 659/9.
This part is less steep and more regular.
At the next crossroads, turn left following signs for S. Maggiore/Malcesine and stay on this path for a few metres until you get to a clearing at Malga Fiabio. At the other side of this clearing you will see signs for Piombi and path no. 7.
From here the path goes through the woods and starts off flat and then goes zig-zagging uphill before reaching a part with wonderful views.
Going back into the woods, you get to a fork in the road where path no. 5 joins the path which will take you to Valdritta. Keep left and go left at the next junction until you reach the Piombi clearing.
At the end of the clearing, before starting off uphill again, go into the wood on your left where you will find a small pasture where you can rest and which has beautiful views.
Now you will start on your descent. Just before you get to the way-side shrine “del Signor”, you will find a short cut on your left which goes through the woods and brings you to the cement road at Prai.
Carry on down here and at the bench on your right there is another shortcut which goes through the woods, under the cable car cables, and back onto the cement track again.
Stay on this path for Prai and go left at the next junction following signs to the cablecar (funivia).
From the mid-station of the Malcesine Monte Baldo cable car, carry on downhill on the tarmac road keeping the station on your left. After the first bend take the next shortcut on your right and follow this mule track on until you get to the Panoramica road.
Go left for a few metres and then take the road on the right that is signed to Loc. Masotta. Go straight on down and go left at the next junction where you will find the mule track “Vacco” which will take you the Navene Vecchia road in 10 minutes.
Take a last turn to the left and this will bring you back to Malcesine.
Variant
From San Michele, you can take the cable car to get back to Malcesine. This will save you 4km of downhill walking.
Our suggestions
Take something to drink as there are no fountains along this track.
The tour during the winter
As long as it doesn’t snow, you can do this trek all year round.
Shelters, huts or bivouacs along the trail
In Malcesine and San Michele.
Partner
How to reach the starting point of the trail
Malcesine: Via Panoramica sud
Parking
In Malcesine.
Here you have the list of the parking lots located in the center of Malcesine.
Public transport
- From Torbole or Riva del Garda take a bus travelling south in the direction of Peschiera/Verona.
- From Peschiera or Verona take a bus travelling north in the direction of Riva del Garda.
