Climbing enthusiasts will find the sheer cliff walls overlooking Lake Garda to be the perfect setting for this sport. Solid limestone crags mean the mountains around the lake are safe for climbing. If all necessary precautions are taken, of course! There are many routes, most of them north of the lake (in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol), more precisely in Arco, although the eastern shores also offer scenic trails.
There are many routes east of Lake Garda on the Monte Baldo, like the one which from San Zeno reaches the Telegrafo mountain hut and offers climbers a breathtaking view. On very clear days, from up there, you can even see Venice and the lagoon. There also routes on the Monte Luppia, close to Verona.
However, the most important cliff on the eastern side of the lake is just a few kilometers from Garda. Rocca Marciaga offers different levels of difficulty, and, thanks to the lake's mild climate and because the wall faces south, it can also be climbed in winter.
In the Garda area, there is no lack of centers where you can find information or sign up for climbing lessons with expert alpine guides, qualified for teaching children and parents alike. Like this, climbing near Lake Garda can become a sport for the whole family, offering the chance to discover new thrills and – why not – a new point of view!
Lake Garda Trentino is very famous at European level and is considered a sport climbing paradise. Summer is certainly the favorite season for the lovers of this sport, but the mild climate of Lake Garda allows you to practice climbing all year round, as the walls are perfectly equipped and allow you to climb in total safety. The most famous and popular cliffs in the area are: the Calvario crag, the Corno di Bo crag, the Muro dell'Asino crag and the Spiaggia delle Lucertole crag.
It is also possible to practice this sport in the area of Lake Garda Bresciano: directly “above” the village of Toscolano, Monte Castello offers various climbing routes and two cliffs, while in the area of the Rocca di Manerba there is a wall of about 60 m overhanging the lake, which is considered one of the most fascinating climbing destinations in the whole area.
The via ferrata is the simplest and safest way to take your first steps into the world of vertical. The Lake Garda area offers several itineraries of varying difficulty, both in lush gorges or with splendid views of both the lake and the surrounding mountains, and a view that reaches as far as the Dolomites. You can go on organized tours, always accompanied by an Alpine Guide who teaches how to progress and the use of safety equipment, or - for those who already have experience - independently by renting the equipment.