Italian Lakes and Mountains - Premiere Inns

Our Italian adventure starts today in Riva del Garda, our home for the first part of our trip. Located in the Italian Regione of Trentino, Riva is a picturesque town wedged between the Italian Alps and the far northern shore of Lago di Garda, the largest of the famous Italian Alpine Lakes. In Riva you'll begin to notice the subtle cultural differences that differentiate this region from the rest of Italy. Although primarily Italian, Austrian and German influences appear alongside Italian names, cuisine and history. Riva’s strategic location made it an important trading center as far back as Roman times, with sailors bringing goods from the south to trade for supplies that came over the Alps from central Europe. The diversity of cultures that mingled here makes Riva a fascinating town even today.

The scenic beauty of the area is evident, too. The blue of the waters contrasts sharply with the green and grey of the surrounding peaks, but both natural features combine to shelter the area and provide a fascinating microclimate. The olive trees on the slopes overlooking Riva are said to be the northernmost olives in the world, and produce an incredibly light, delicate oil. Strangely enough, Mediterranean plants around here and coexist with typical alpine shrubs and trees.

You should plan to arrive in Riva by midday at the latest. Tonight we'll have our orientation meeting, (of course with local wines), and afterwards we'll walk to one of our favorite spots for our welcome dinner.
Italian and Tyrolean traditions color the robust cuisine in this region, smoked hams, apples, chestnuts, grapes, plums, and pasta tossed with some of the most delicate olive oil in the world appear on most menus. In addition, you'll find polenta, more mushroom varieties than anywhere else in Italy, and trout from the alpine lakes and streams. There are two things that definitely set this cuisine apart...the breads and the cheeses! Drawing on both Austrian and Italian baking traditions, the finest breads in all Italy are found here...often laced with onion, garlic, or herbs.

There is also an amazing number of delicious cheeses produced in this region! The problem is naming them, since there are so many local varieties, many are simply called nostrano or "our local homemade cheese". You'll fall in love with the many types known as malga, a category of mountain cheeses that are made with the summer milk from cows that graze in the highest valleys of the region.

An after-dinner passegiata in the town piazza alongside the moored boats at the pier will cap off your first day in the far north of Italia.

This morning, we stretch our legs on a beautiful lakeside trail those winds alongside the dramatic cliffs of Lago Garda. As the morning sun paints the shoreline we’ll be enjoying the views of sailboats, windsurfers and ferry boats as we climb ever higher on this easy path. In ancient times the local Ladin people used this trail to transport goods between the Roman and Venetian trading posts on Lago Garda and the small mountain communities. Mules, pack horses and villagers trod these paths for centuries, but today they provide an easy way for us to enjoy the mountain scenery as we walk. After drinking in the Lago Garda views, we’ll turn inland through a tree-lined rocky gorge alongside a clear mountain stream as it leads us deep into the mountain valleys. Small alpine villages and farms appear in the forest along our route, which seems to have taken us to another quieter world from the wide-open spaces along the lake. Before we realize it we’re at our destination, Lago Ledro…a gorgeous sapphire blue alpine lake situated in a small bowl-shaped valley embedded in the forested peaks.

Your guides will prepare a sumptuous lakeside picnic featuring plenty of delicacies from the area, including cheeses from the mountain dairies, local farm salami and breads from the bakeries of Riva.
Of course to reward you for your walk the guide will have a selection of local wines to complete the picnic!

Meanwhile you can stroll along the water's edge, spotting trout and enjoying the view, or even better you can wash off the trail dust in the clear cool waters of the lake! (Don’t forget your towel today!)

Our private bus will take us back to town today with plenty of time for you to explore and Go Get Lost! You can relax and “do your own thing”, this afternoon and do some shopping in Riva.

Today's hike is rated MODERATE with a total distance of 6.5 miles, hiking time of 3-4 hours, an elevation gains of 1956 feet, and no appreciable elevation loss. The hike starts at an altitude of 224 feet and tops out at Lago Ledro at 2180 feet.

Non-hiking ideas: If you decide to opt out of today's hike, you'll find plenty to keep you busy in and around Riva. You could spend an entire day wandering the town, poking into various shops and stores, visiting the MAG museum, and getting lost in the little streets. The lake shoreline has a nice walking path, and it's possible to use the local beaches along the way to take a swim. You could also take one of the local ferries from the town harbor and visit the quaint lakeside town of Limone, just a short boat ride away. Just on the edge of Riva the beautiful Cascata Varone, or Varone Waterfall Park is worth a visit. The nearby town of Arco is only 10 minutes away by taxi, and is a quiet, charming village, perfect for a stroll. High above Riva are two destinations...the Bastione is a restaurant with a panoramic view, easily reached by a lift, and the Church of Santa Barbara is even higher, with a challenging hike. In Riva you can rent a standard bike or an ebike and explore even farther than your feet can carry you.

Today we'll go south along Lago di Garda to the lakeside village of Malcesine. Here we'll board a series of lifts that scale the near vertical bluffs rising from the lake. This is the long ridge-like spine of impressive Monte Baldo, paralleling the lakeshore for over twenty miles and towering over the nearby landscape. Upon exiting the last lift we'll find ourselves in a different landscape from the gentle lakeshore we left. cool winds, short alpine flora, and stunning views in all directions!

From here a ridge-top path works its way along the spine of Monte Baldo, sometimes edging towards the inland mountains and their lush valley views, sometimes skirting the cliffs along the lake dotted with sailboats. As we walk along the ridge you’ll be amazed at the panorama, on a clear day you can easily see the southern end of Lago di Garda, over 20 miles away!

If you’re looking for an easier option today you could ride the lifts to the top, then walk as much (or as little) as you want, enjoying the mountaintop views, then ride the lifts back down to Malcesine for an extended day in the town.
After our exciting morning on the mountain, we’ll turn everyone loose to explore Malcesine. There’s plenty to see and do in this beautiful little town, but when the sun is still high above the mountaintops, we’ll meet at the Malcesine dock to board our boat for a scenic ride back to Riva.

This evening is free for you to wander and find your own cozy ristorante to have dinner. People-watching in Piazza Novembre over a cappuccino will be the perfect relaxed ending to an exciting day!

Today's hike is rated EASY or MODERATE or CHALLENGING...your choice. This is because it is an Out-and-Back route, with nearly the entire trail visible throughout the hike. You can hike as far as you want, then turn around and return to the cable car area to await the rest of the group. It is an exposed trail with the possibility of wind and/or sun, and there are some steep sections near the end, with some scrambling required all of which may push it barely into the CHALLENGING category if you complete the entire hike. The total distance is 4.6 miles, hiking time is 3-4 hours for the roundtrip to Cima delle Pozzette. There is an elevation gain of 1276 feet and an elevation loss of 1276 feet. The trail begins and ends at an altitude of 5719 feet, with the highest point being Cima delle Pozzette at 6995 feet.

Non-hiking ideas: If you decide to opt out of today's hike, you could accompany the group to Malcesine and up the cable cars to the top, then hang out for a bit at the bar there, or do a light walk just around the buildings. Then while the group is hiking you can easily ride the cable cars back down and spend the morning exploring the town of Malcesine. It's a lovely medieval village with plenty of winding streets, shops, and a gorgeous little lakeside harbor. Remember that it will be your responsibility to find the exact meeting point and time of the group in order to board the ferry for the ride back home.

After breakfast today we bid farewell to Riva and join our local alpine guides as we board our private mini-coach and head northwest into the spectacular Dolomite Mountains. The route we use winds its way through scenic valleys, past neat mountain villages and over tumbling streams in this out-of-the-way corner of the Alps. Our destination for our morning walk is the formation of mountain peaks known as the Brenta Group, famed for their towering cliffs and surrounding lakes.

Our adventure starts in the mountain town of Madonna di Campiglio where we’ll use a cable car to transport us up to our trailhead. The hike will lead us across one of the most spectacular landscapes in Italy, high above the treeline and weaving among towering granite pillars. The Brenta group is one of the most photographed mountain landscapes in the world, and we’ll literally be “in the postcard” as we trek between the breathtaking crags. You’ll have many chances to take your very own “postcard” photos of the scenery! We’ll have a hearty lunch at a stone and log mountain “rifugio” and then continue on our path, with dramatic views in every direction.
Eventually we’ll all board our coach and continue deeper into the mountains to Castelrotto, our home for the next few days. Our route to Castelrotto takes us to the northeast past the far northern outposts of Trento and Bolzano. The views along our route are gorgeous and provide typical landscapes of green mountain valleys lined by soaring vertical rock walls. Vineyards, towns, and orchards are sprinkled between large, forested tracts. We’ll soon be into the Italian Regione of Alto Adige, also known as the SudTirol or South Tyrol, which straddles the border with Austria to the North. The Austrian influence is strong here, both in the language and the food. Castelrotto, situated in a lovely, secluded mountain valley, is one of the most picturesque alpine towns in all of the Dolomites. With winding cobblestone streets, a sprinkling of shops and cozy family ristorante, flowerboxes on nearly every windowsill, and towering peaks in every direction, this town is a magical bit of northern Italian ambiance.

After checking into our quaint 3 Star Mountain hotel, we'll meet again later for a casual dinner. You’ll find that the cuisine has made a definite shift towards the Austrian influence as we’re now much farther into the Alps. Relax and enjoy, today you earned your meal!

Today's hike is rated CHALLENGING with a total distance of 6.3 miles, hiking time of 4-5 hours, an elevation gains of 504 feet and an elevation loss of 3689 feet. The hike starts at an altitude of 8224 feet and ends at 4980 feet, with the highest point at 8392 feet.

Non-hiking ideas: If you decide to opt out of today's hike, your best (and only) option is to ride up the series of ski lifts to the top to admire the view. You might even walk a short distance (10-15 minutes) with the group before turning back to return to the lifts to ride them back down. There you'll meet our coach and ride with them to the charming town of Madonna di Campiglio where you will spend the day. A ski resort in winter, Campiglio has plenty of shops and streets to occupy a lazy day. As always, be sure to fix the exact meeting point and time when the group returns.

At the town of Alpi di Suisi we’ll use a funicular to ascend to the high plateau of Sciliar, nestled in a bowl of some of the most breathtaking alpine scenery you can imagine. Our walk will circumnavigate the plateau through rolling alpine meadows complete with wildflowers and placid dairy cows, along cliffs that plummet thousands of feet to the valley floor, and always surrounded by the brooding peaks of Sassopiatto and Sassolungo.

Our meal this afternoon will be at a log-cabin mountain rifugio in a protected valley of the plateau. Depending on conditions we’ll either be outside on the deck under the crisp alpine sunshine, or eating around a cozy fireplace with a glass of vino (or Austrian beer) and a hearty mountain lunch in front of us. It doesn’t get much better than this.

For those in our group not inclined to huff and puff their way around the plateau, we can offer some fun (and easier) alternative itineraries for the day. The nearby towns of Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva all have some fun shops, and are accessible by local bus. Or you can also use the local bus to explore the city of Bolzano, a beautiful city with one of the best shopping and market districts in Italy and also the famous Otzi Iceman museum. Suffice to say that whatever you choose to do today you’ll sleep well tonight…

Today's hike is rated MODERATE with a total distance of 6.1 miles, hiking time of 3-4 hours, an elevation gain of 564 feet and an elevation loss of 2615 feet. The hike starts at an altitude of 6919 feet and ends at 4934 feet with the highest point at 7120 feet.

Non-hiking ideas: If you decide to opt out of today's hike, you have a few options. Castelrotto is small but still has an assortment of shops and bars to explore. Or you can accompany the group with the cable cars to the beginning of the hike, taking time to admire the expansive views. Then you can use the lifts to return back to the parking lot, where you can catch a public bus back to Castelrotto. Alternatively, you might use a public bus to visit the nearby town of Ortisei, only 15 minutes away. Ortisei is larger than Castelrotto and has many more shops to visit. Another idea would be to catch a public bus to Bolzano, about an hour away and much bigger than the village of Castelrotto. Bolzano has an excellent archaeological museum with an exhibit featuring the famous Otzi the iceman. Bolzano also has an excellent pedestrian city center around Piazza Walther with LOTS of shops to explore.

Today we'll journey through more stunning alpine scenery to one of the most iconic of the mountain groups of the Dolomites...massive Marmolada. Home to the highest peak in the Dolomites, Marmolada was bisected by the front lines in WWI. Austrian troops faced off with Italian mountain troops over miles of trenches and barbed wire, and even fought a bizarre, brutal mine war underground. Today the panorama is more serene, although a few remnants of the "War to End All Wars" still remain. We'll use cablecars to access the high mountain terrain for our walk today and enjoy spectacular views of Marmolada as we trek along ridges next to the massive mountain.

After our walk we'll have a transfer to the picturesque mountain town of Canazei, our home for the next two nights. After checking in to our cozy mountain hotel and cleaning up from our day in the mountains, we'll have the evening free tonight to explore Canazei to find a wonderful ristorante. Be sure to eat hearty, you need to refuel for our big day in the Catinaccio group tomorrow.

Today's hike is rated CHALLENGING with a total distance of 8.9 miles, hiking time of 5-6 hours, an elevation gain of 2084 feet and an elevation loss of 2084 feet. The hike starts and ends at an altitude of 7791 feet and the highest point is 8120 feet.

Non-hiking ideas: If you opt out of today's hike, you could ride the ski lift up to Paolina Hut, the start of the walk, take a look around and then ride it back down to return to the coach.. Then the only option is to spend the day exploring the town of Vigo di Fassa, where the hike will end. As always, you'll be responsible to navigate your way to the meeting point with the group.

Today is special...we'll rise early and have a simple hearty breakfast with our hiking companions, then it's off on our grand adventure! Our trek will begin with a chairlift ride over the rugged terrain up to the high mountain rifugio of Paolina. Here our path starts...we'll spend the morning winding along rocky trails and enjoying spectacular views of the surrounding peaks. The landscape here is classic unspoiled Tyrolean Dolomites...tranquil yet stunning. We'll enjoy eagle-eye views of the surrounding countryside, arriving constantly at panoramic spots. We have a route planned that links several of the local rifugios and some of the best mountain scenery of the Dolomites. Lunch will be at one of the mountain huts, and the end of the day will see us safely ensconced on another chairlift, this time descending into a small mountain village to meet our ride back to Canazei.

Tonight, we'll have an excellent farewell dinner. The mouthwatering Tyrolean cuisine and the local Northern Italian wines will top off our wonderful journey through the lakes and mountains of Northern Italy.

A perfect end to another perfect day…life is good.

Today's hike is rated MODERATE with a total distance of 3.5 miles, hiking time of 2-3 hours, an elevation gain of 709 feet and an elevation loss of 1169 feet. The hike starts at an altitude of 6988 feet and ends at 6528 feet with the highest point at 7470 feet.

Non-hiking ideas: If you decide to opt out of today's hike, you might consider riding the cable car up to the beginning up the hike. There are excellent panoramic views, and even a restaurant. Then you could return back to Canazei on the cable car and have the day free in Canazei. It's a lively mountain town with plenty of streets to wander and shops to peruse.

After breakfast today you’ll have a private coach transfer to the Verona train station, where your Go Get Lost tour will end. Here you can use the excellent Italian train system to travel to any other part of Italy, or you can catch a cab to the Verona airport. Verona is also an excellent place to spend an additional night, then catch an early flight the next morning.