The picturesque town of Malcesine has an incredibly beautiful setting on Lake Garda and the dramatic Monte Baldo mountain range nestled just behind it. With the Monte Baldo mountain right on its doorstep, Malcesine attracts plenty of mountain sports enthusiasts both in the summer and winter months. During April, it’s one of the few places you can ski and windsurf in the same day!
In Malcesine there is a natural history museum not only about Lake Garda, but also about the Monte Baldo mountain range. This museum is found in the romantic castle on the rock where you can admire the views of the lake and the mountains from the top of the castle tower.
In the interactive museum, you can find out all about the flora and fauna of Monte Baldo. There are an incredible 2,000 species of plant growing wild on the Monte Baldo mountains. The mountain is known for the abundance of rare plant species. During the Ice Age, many species of plant here froze – preserving them. This is why Monte Baldo is often referred to as the “Garden of Europe”.
There are lots of hiking and mountain biking trails all over Monte Baldo. The trails range in levels of difficulty with blue (easy), red (medium) and black (difficult). There are routes for all fitness levels and abilities to enjoy! The easier trails are ideal for gentle hikes or cycle rides and for visitors who want to enjoy the views from the mountain.
Some parts of the mountains are extremely steep, and as you reach the top there are many sheer rock faces. These conditions provide a great opportunity to be a little more daring and scale the via ferrate – meaning iron way in English. Via ferrate are difficult mountain trails that have metal cables and ladders set into the stone. It is the only way to cross these parts of the mountain safely.
To explore these mountain pathways, you need to wear safety gear like helmets and harnesses. You can hire this gear from local activity companies. You can also book a guided group tour – we definitely recommend this as the mountain guides are very experienced and have excellent local knowledge to ensure you are safe.
For those into their extreme sport and seeking a bit of an adrenaline rush, you can jump off Monte Baldo! Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe! Yes, that’s right Monte Baldo is also very popular for paragliders. They jump off and cruise their way down to land on a grassy patch in Campagnola – that’s provided they don’t miss and land in the lake! If you want to try it out during your stay, you can book a tandem paraglide and go with an expert.
Of course, if you want to enjoy the mountains in a more leisurely way, you can also take the Monte Baldo cable car from Malcesine. There are two different cable cars taking visitors to the top. The first takes you from Malcesine to the mid-way stop at San-Michele. The second, takes you up all the way to 1800m. En route, the cable car slowly rotates allowing you to admire 360° panoramic views as you ascend. It’s great fun to enjoy the feeling of the world revolving around you!
The views from the top of the Monte Baldo are breath taking. On one side, you have stunning aerial views of Lake Garda. On the other, you can see the beautiful Italian mountains and on a clear day, you can see all the way to the unique peaks of the Dolomites.
With all these things to keep you active on your doorstep in Malcesine, you don’t need to feel guilty about all the delicious gelato you enjoy during your stay!
