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Great War
Monuments to the war
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Hiking along the front line

On the trail of the “Grande Guerra”

Impressive witness to the First World War is borne by the spectacular tunnels, winding roads and many staging posts that once marked the front line between Austria-Hungary and the young Kingdom of Italy. Today they are a destination for hikers who want to learn about this history while admiring the fascinating panoramic views.

What is today the Garda Trentino region was once a part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, which from 1860 on gradually fortified the area, knowing full well that, should Italy declare war, this would be the course of the front line. When Italy entered the First World War in 1915, the battle for the summits in Garda Trentino began. The waters of Lake Garda were mined, while up in the mountains soldiers carved tunnels and galleries out of the rock in extremely adverse conditions. Neither of the two powers – the Kingdom of Italy nor the experienced troops of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy – could achieve significant territorial gains around Lake Garda during the war and the front became static.
Rockfalls, avalanches, harsh winters and the inaccessible terrain drove the soldiers far beyond their limits and cost the powers huge quantities of resources. Even today there are numerous monuments reminiscent of those sad times, with many private groups now committed to preserving and maintaining the structures and evidence of yesteryear.
Galleries, tunnels, staging posts, forts and other infrastructures of the “Grande Guerra”, as the Italians call the First World War, can be seen and visited by hikers. Twelve different hiking tours of varying difficulty let you trace the events of the dramatic war in the mountains.

Hikes along the front line
 
Trekking in Bosco Caproni | © Archivio Garda Trentino (ph. Tommaso Prugnola), Garda Trentino
Easy
Arco
Bosco Caproni and Trenches of Vastrè
Distance 5,4 km
Duration 2 h 20 min
Altitude difference (+) 220 m
Altitude difference (-) 217 m
Status
open
Defensionmauer | © F. Novali , Garda Trentino
Intermediate
Ledro, Riva del Garda
Path of the Defensionmauer
Distance 8,8 km
Duration 5 h 00 min
Altitude difference (+) 400 m
Altitude difference (-) 400 m
Status
closed
Reaching Rifugio Pernici | © Stefania Oradini, North Lake Garda Trentino
Intermediate
Riva del Garda
Great War: from Malga Grassi to Rifugio Pernici
Distance 2,5 km
Duration 2 h 08 min
Altitude difference (+) 558 m
Altitude difference (-) 3 m
Status
open
View from Segrom | © Archivio APT Garda Trentino, North Lake Garda Trentino
Intermediate
Torbole sul Garda - Nago
23. The Great War: along the Segrom ridge to Malga Zures
Distance 5,1 km
Duration 2 h 30 min
Altitude difference (+) 451 m
Altitude difference (-) 451 m
Status
open
Lake Ledro from Dromaè | © Alice Russolo, Garda Trentino
Intermediate
Riva del Garda, Ledro
Dromaé - Cima d'Oro
Distance 11,5 km
Duration 6 h 00 min
Altitude difference (+) 1.128 m
Altitude difference (-) 1.128 m
Status
open
Trench walkways of the First World War | © Alice Russolo, Garda Trentino
Easy
Ledro
Colle di Santo Stefano
Distance 1,1 km
Duration 30 min
Altitude difference (+) 33 m
Altitude difference (-) 33 m
Status
open
© A. Pizzato - montagnadiviaggi.it, Garda Trentino
Intermediate
Surroundings, Torbole sul Garda - Nago
22. Great War: Doss Casina and Dosso Alto
Distance 7,2 km
Duration 3 h 20 min
Altitude difference (+) 448 m
Altitude difference (-) 452 m
Status
open
Scala Santa | © Staff Outdoor Garda Trentino VB, Garda Trentino
Intermediate
Ledro, Riva del Garda
Great War: Cima Nodice and the “Scala Santa” or Holy Stairs
Distance 3,1 km
Duration 2 h 01 min
Altitude difference (+) 313 m
Altitude difference (-) 313 m
Status
open
Cross under Pichea | © Daniele Mosna, Garda Trentino
Easy
Riva del Garda, Ledro
Galleria Riccabona
Distance 2,2 km
Duration 1 h 00 min
Altitude difference (+) 223 m
Altitude difference (-) 7 m
Status
open
© Staff Outdoor Garda Trentino AC, Garda Trentino
Intermediate
Ledro
Bocca de l'Ussol
Distance 9,1 km
Duration 4 h 30 min
Altitude difference (+) 889 m
Altitude difference (-) 890 m
Status
closed
Intermediate
Ledro
Passo Nota
Distance 14,9 km
Duration 5 h 00 min
Altitude difference (+) 877 m
Altitude difference (-) 876 m
Status
open
In the tunnels before Cima Rocca | © G.P. Calzà ©APT Garda Trentino , Garda Trentino
Difficult
Ledro
WWI: from S. Giovanni to Cima Rocca
Distance 6,5 km
Duration 2 h 30 min
Altitude difference (+) 712 m
Altitude difference (-) 710 m
Status
open
Ponale | © Archivio APT Garda Dolomiti - Watchsome, Garda Trentino
Easy
Riva del Garda, Ledro
Sentiero del Ponale (from Riva del Garda)
Distance 6,2 km
Duration 3 h 00 min
Altitude difference (+) 470 m
Altitude difference (-) 5 m
Status
closed
Monte Corno | © Archivio Garda Trentino (ph. Tommaso Prugnola), Garda Trentino
Intermediate
Arco, Torbole sul Garda - Nago, Surroundings
WWI: Monte Corno
Distance 6,9 km
Duration 3 h 10 min
Altitude difference (+) 560 m
Altitude difference (-) 560 m
Status
open
The forts of Monte Brione | © Archivio Garda Trentino (ph. Watchsome), Garda Trentino
Easy
Riva del Garda, Arco
The forts of Monte Brione
Distance 6,1 km
Duration 3 h 00 min
Altitude difference (+) 375 m
Altitude difference (-) 375 m
Status
open