Valle di Ledro: holidays among lakes, pile dwelling and sport

Valle di Ledro, located a few km northwest of Lake Garda, in Trentino, comprises several administrative divisions which were included since January 2010 in the municipality of Ledro. The beautiful natural environment, the two lakes and the varied vegetation make this a perfect destination for nature lovers. Moreover, the area is rich in history and folklore: there are several museums, an archaeological pile dwelling site included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and communication trenches. If you love active holidays, here you find 200 km trails for mountain biking and trekking, and you can practice climbing, canyoning, and many other outdoor sports.

The Valle di Ledro valley stretches between Lake Idro and Lake Garda, and is surrounded by peaks rising over 2000 meters, like Mount Cadria. If what you want is some relaxation, whether with your family or friends, this beautiful natural environment with two charming expanses of water and many animal and plant species is the perfect place to spend your holidays. In the valley you find two lakes: Lake Ampola, a nature reserve and biotope, and Lake Ledro, one of the cleanest and most charming of the region, with its crystal clear turquoise waters. Here you can practice many water sports, and part of the beach is dog friendly. Due to the large variety of plant species it hosts, the valley is considered a "natural botanical garden".

Valle di Ledro features some very interesting cultural attractions. The Pile-dwelling Museum of Lake Ledro, built near the archaeological site now included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, houses the remains of a prehistoric pile-dwelling settlement built on the edges of the lake. The Museo Farmaceutico Foletto (Museum of the Foletto Pharmacy Laboratory) features machines and instruments used in this laboratory since the beginning of the XX century. There are also some calchere (old lime kilns) scattered on the territory.

Valle di Ledro has a rich history. Since the beginning of the XIX century to the end of the First World War, this valley has been borderline territory between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and nowadays it's still an important link between Brescia and Garda. In the territory you can still see the remains of the trenches.

Valle di Ledro is a "natural training ground" where you can practice trekking in wonderful natural settings, climbing, mountain biking on over 200 km well marked trails, paragliding, swimming, sailing and canoeing on Lake Ledro and Lake Ampola. In the two streams crossing the valley you can have fun practicing canyoning with expert guides.

In winter you can take part to snowshoeing tours, practice cross-country skiing in Val Concei and backcountry skiing on the Tremalzo Pass.

Events you shouldn't miss: Sky running& Bike Extreme in October, a bicycle race from Limone to Valle di Ledro; the exhibition of about 30 nativity scenes in Biacesa during the Christmas holidays; the Tuffo della Merla (dive of the blackbird) in Pieve al Lago di Ledro at the end of January.