Walking tour to the Rocca di Garda and the Camaldolesi Sanctuary

The walk starts from a lakeside stretch on the coast of Bardolino characterised by a succession of reeds, increasingly rare on Lake Garda, yet so important for its ecosystem: swans, ducks, coots and grebes nest among these fronds.

At the entrance to Garda, we walk up a flight of steps built on timbers set into the slope of the fortress, to an ancient mule track resting on rocks marked by time.

At the top of the fortress, we will cross a wide flat area: here our gaze opens onto a splendid view of the lake, Punta San Vigilio, the Rocca di Manerba and the Sirmione peninsula. We will walk among ivy, downy oaks and ferns until we can see the remains of the walls of the ancient Longobard fortress.

The excursion continues along a dirt road, lined with high walls and cypress trees, to the entrance of the hermitage of San Giorgio, of the Camaldolese order. These cloistered monks still make a living from trading the products they cultivate and produce in the lands surrounding the hermitage: liqueurs, oil, essential oils, creams, candies, soaps and jams.

They also have a small shop where they sell their products (open only a few hours a day). The old church is the only part of the hermitage accessible to the public, the other areas are reserved for the cloistered.

We will resume our walk along an easily passable dirt road that descends through the vineyards. We will then reach a secondary road which offers magnificent views of the Veronese hills and which will lead us back to Garda, reconnecting us with the stretch of coastline travelled on the outward journey.

Backpack, water, hiking shoes, rain gear, snacks and packed lunch are recommended; hat and sunscreen during the hot season.

This is a hike of medium difficulty, aimed at people who already have some hiking experience: 650 metres of a positive altitude difference distributed over a 10 km walk.