Trekking route to the Hermitage of San Benigno and Caro – Monte Baldo

Medium trail from Malcesine on path 659

Text

Tommaso Toninelli

Climbing, trekking and mountain bike

A path of 15km, quite long and difficult but very varied and beautiful. The path starts in Malcesine on path no. CAI659 and takes you up to the Hermitage of San Benigno and Caro.

Map and GPS Track

Details

• Technical characteristics

  • Starting point
    Malcesine
  • Endpoint
    Malcesine
  • Route
    Malcesine – Hermitage of San Benigno and Caro – Cassone – Malcesine
  • Starting height
    90m
  • Highest point
    913m
  • Altitude – ascent/descent
    1000m/1002m
  • Distance
    14,6km
  • Duration
    5 hrs

• Difficulty

  • Difficulty
    medium
  • Technical difficulty (1 to 5)
    3
  • Physical training (1 to 5)
    3
  • CAI (Italian Alpine Club) difficulty scale
    T: turistic*
    *Mountain signs and Italian Alpine Club difficulty scale

• Scenic appeal

  • Experience (da 1 a 5)
    3
  • Landscape (da 1 a 5)
    3

• Type of route

  • Round tour
  • Insider tip

• Best time of year

  • All year over
    without snow

Partner

Points of interest along this hiking trail

There are many super views among the gorges and parapets of Baldo, over Garda and with lovely paths going through the woods.

History of the hermitage of San Benigno and Caro

Benigno and Caro were hermits who lived between the 8th and 9th Centuries and who followed the teachings of St Augustine, passing their days in prayer and meditation in the grottoes of Monte Baldo. The Miracle of Benigno and Caro relates to them being asked to move the clothes of St. Zeno to the church in Verona which had been dedicated to him. However, it seemed that the clothes had been fixed to his body and only Benigno and Caro were able to move him.

Tour description

Leaving from Malcesine, head along the Via Panoramica (south) and after the first hairpin bend in the road, take the road that heads uphill on your right. You will see the CAI markings on the wall showing path no 659. Keep right and after a scrubby piece, the path begins properly.

Some parts are between 20% and 30% steep but these are very short tracts. The uphill part is about 2km long and takes about an hour. When you get to the fork in the path, keep left uphill for another kilometre until the path levels out. Keep right and go on over some ups and downs within the woods until you get to the Hermitage of St. Benigno and Caro.

From here you start to descend towards Cassone.
This track is mainly an old mulepath but quite steep: you will drop by about 850m over 3km.
The path is full of panoramic views and some grottoes and buildings from the war. When you arrive in Cassone, go along the flat towards the North and return to Malcesine on the bike path alongside the Lake.

Variant

This walk can be done the other way round.

Our suggestions

If you would like to use it, there is also public transport available from Cassone to Malcesine.

The tour during the winter

Thanks to the walk being at low level, it can be enjoyed all year round

Shelters, huts or bivouacs along the trail

• Oasi Bar On Malcesine Lakeside Promenade Cel. +39 348 735 5453

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.

• Parcheggio Campogrande
• Parcheggio Piazza Statuto
• Parcheggio Paina

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.

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