The trail connects the village of Cembra to Lago Santo and follows a section where the ancient Via Claudia Augusta passed, which linked Trento with Tyrol.
The route develops through the forest, interspersed with clearings where locals' huts have been built with porphyry slab roofs according to tradition and meadows protected by typical dry stone walls. Halfway through the loop appears Lago Santo, with its immaculate beauty. In 1494 the young illustrious traveler Albrecht Duerer passed through this route and sketched several views of the valley. Three centuries later, this route again saw the passage of Napoleonic troops heading to Segonzano Castle.
Tourist Office Cembra - Tel. +39 0461 683110 - info@visitvaldicembra.it – www.visitvaldicembra.it
Experience in walking on irregular mountain terrain is required. The route might not be cleared or free of snow. In case of fresh snow, the use of ice crampons is recommended. Pay particular attention to possible icy parts in freezing conditions.
As you can imagine, the passability of routes in a mountain environment is strictly linked to current conditions and therefore depends on natural phenomena, environmental changes, and weather conditions. For this reason, the information contained in this sheet may have undergone changes. Before leaving, check the status of the route by contacting the refuge managers on your route, alpine guides, the visitor centers of natural parks, and tourist offices.
From the parking lot located in front of the "Cantina Valle di Cembra," follow the provincial road of the Val di Cembra and head towards the village of Faver until reaching a traffic light. From here, take the road that climbs to the left arriving shortly at the small square of the Fadana district. Once in the square at Fadana near the fountain, take the road on the right that rises between the vineyards towards the forest above. After a very steep and paved stretch, continue until you reach a junction where, ignoring the road that descends towards the valley, turn left and continue climbing in the forest. Upon reaching the third hairpin bend, a trail branching off to the right loses some altitude until you reach a junction where keeping left the ascent resumes. As you gain altitude, the trail becomes flatter and takes on characteristics of a tractor road. At yet another junction encountered, descend along the forest road which has a cement surface in the last stretch. At the end of the steep descent, you will find signs indicating Ponciach/Lago Santo and climb on a paved road, gently rising towards the forest. Arriving at a house on the right side of the road, you find a small meadow where the trail runs, initially hard to spot but then clear, which shortly leads to the gates of the small and pleasant hamlet of Ponciach. The signage becomes abundant, so following the signs for Lago Santo, you climb into the woods on a beautiful road that for long stretches features porphyry paving, reaching a junction at loc. Casalini: from here, follow the signs for loc. Zise along a cobblestone road until, passing near a large wooden shrine, you see on the left the signs for Lago Santo. The forest road initially passes just below the summit of Monte Pincaldo, then at loc. Sach to continue towards the Lago Santo refuge. A small detour to the left allows crossing loc. Vegiose with its splendid meadows where several huts can be seen here and there. Upon reaching Lago Santo, start the descent following the signs for Cembra (E5 – 410). The trail, at times steep, crosses the forest road at loc. S. Antonio; continue on this road until the next signs that lead you to leave it to descend along the old route of Via Claudia Augusta towards Fadana and shortly back to the starting point. At times, the route coincides with the modern and recent track of the E5 – one of the fascinating European trails – that starts from the Atlantic in France or more frequently from Lake Constance in Switzerland to reach the city of Verona. A variant of the Roman Claudia Augusta passed here and later the medieval Semita Caroli, alternatives to the main roads of the Val d’Adige, which the great river often flooded over millennia up to the banks of the 20th century. Here passed and sketched the young illustrious traveler Albrecht Duerer in 1494 (www.durerweg.it), followed three centuries later by Napoleonic troops heading to the Segonzano Castle.
Hiking boots and mountain poles, warm winter clothing.
