Alpe Cimbra: the fifth section of the Path of Peace

Stage 1: From Rifugio Lancia to Passo Coe

The first stage of the third section of the Path of Peace takes you towards the Alpe Cimbra, coinciding with E5 European Long-Distance Path. The ascent to Monte Borcoletta offers a thrilling view of the mountains you have just crossed.

On the path to Monte Maggio you might even spot some chamois. Trentino is home to one of the largest populations of the small mountain goat in Italy, with around 30,000 individuals.  To prepare you for this possible encounter, please visit the wild animals page for some rules of conduct to adopt around wildlife.

From the summit cross on Monte Maggio, an easy walk of about an hour takes you to the Passo Coe basin. At Passo Coe you can visit Base Tuono, a museum dedicated to the Cold War and the Nike-Hercules missile defence system, while a small detour leads to Forte Dosso delle Somme, the most modern of the forts in the area.

Stage 2: From Passo Coe to Lavarone

This stage is relatively long but does not present any major ascents, descents or challenges. The first part of the stage offers a view of Forte Sommo Alto, Forte Cherle and the Monte Rust observatory, while the last part descends towards Lavarone and the eponymous lake.

Bordered by dense forests, Lake Lavarone has been awarded the Blue Flag for its clear, uncontaminated waters and has two beaches with pedalos and rowing boats for hire. It's the perfect spot to rest your weary legs and mind! So much so, in fact, that in the early 1900s Sigmund Freud spent several extended periods on the shores of Lake Lavarone to rest and study.

A final note for the gourmets among us: south of Monte Rust lies the small village of Nosellari, home to a local variety of leek, the Porro di Nosellari, a Slow Food presidium.

Stage 3: From Lavarone to Luserna

The third stage is rather long but the progression is pleasant. The highlight is undoubtedly a visit to Forte di Belvedere - Gschwent, a military architectural gem with an excellent museum.

The interior of the fort, which is the most spectacular in the Alpe Cimbra, is adorned with stalactites and stalagmites on the walls, ceilings and floors. These elements are evocatively reminiscent of the fragility of human engineering genius and the overwhelming force of nature. 

The stage ends in Luserna, (Lusérn in Cimbrian dialect), a place steeped in history and traditions, where a unique medieval language of Germanic origin, Cimbrian, is still spoken.

During the tour of the village of Luserna, visit the Casa Museo Haus Von Prükk, which preserves the important historical memory of the local community. It is recommended to book a guided tour that includes both the Casa Museo and the Centro di Documentazione.

Stage 4: From Luserna to Passo Vezzena

The last stage! This pleasant walk takes you on a tour of Forte Campo di Luserna, Forte Busa Verle and the “Eye of the Plateau”.

From Forte Luserna, the view towards the Millegrobbe basin takes in a landscape of woods and meadows, and standing on the meadows of Millegrobbe stands the Cervo di Vaia, a striking sculpture of a stag crafted by artist Marco Martalar from timber destroyed by Storm Vaia in 2018. If you like cross-country skiing, you must come back in winter! The Millegrobbe Cross-Country Ski Centre offers 36 km of easy and competitive slopes and is part of SuperNordicSkipass, the skipass network that covers the main cross-country ski centres in Trentino and beyond.

On reaching Passo Vezzena (1402 m), we recommend continuing the ascent up to Cima Vezzena (or Pizzo di Levico, 1907 m), home to another fortress known as “Occhio dell’Altopiano”, the Eye of the Plateau, for its grand 360 degree panorama and the viewing platform suspended above the void. It's a truly impressive sight! The view takes in the lakes of Caldonazzo and Levico and the surrounding peaks: to the east the Ortigara group, to the north-east the Lagorai and Cima d'Asta, to the north-west the Carè Alto and the Adamello glaciers.