Vesta on Lake Idro – Water, Trails and History
Accommodation in Vesta
Vesta is located on the northeastern shore of Lake Idro. Vesta Beach can be reached on foot and by bicycle. Just a few metres above Lake Idro rises the large and varied limestone massif of Corna di Fenere.
Water and Day Planning
At Vesta Beach you will find Chiosco La Fuga. It serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. The kiosk also rents equipment for via ferrata routes. The Idra excursion boat docks at the nearby pier. Catering, equipment rental and the boat landing are therefore all located along the same stretch of shore and can be taken into account together when planning your day.
Ferrata Sasse by the Lake
Ferrata Sasse runs directly along the water and connects Vesta with Baitoni. At some points it reaches the water and offers views of Lake Idro. Those planning the via ferrata can consider the route as a specific distance alongside the shoreline. The points where it reaches the water refer only to individual sections of the route.
Historic Trails
The Sentiero dei Contrabbandieri begins in Vesta. The trail recalls the historic smuggling trade between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The focus is particularly on the transport of sugar and tobacco from Austria to Italy. For those interested in culture, this trail combines an excursion from Vesta with a specific theme from the history of the border region.
Route with Stages
The Alta Via dei forti passes through the Vesta district of Idro. The route is around 62 kilometres long, consists of five stages and involves 2,500 metres of elevation gain. It is largely suitable for cycling. Those planning to cycle it should therefore not assume that it is a continuous cycling route.
At 4,700 metres, Ferrata Sasse is considerably shorter than the approximately 62-kilometre-long Alta Via dei forti; the Alta Via also includes five stages and 2,500 metres of elevation gain.
Military Traces
The Alta Via dei forti in Vesta also features a concrete emblem of the Primo Reggimento del Genio Zappatori near a machine-gun position. This position is integrated into a complex of caves and barracks.
Church and Circular Hike
The Chiesa di Maria Regina della Pace in Vesta is a subsidiary church and forms part of the architectural heritage.
A circular hike on the Sentiero dei Laghi uses a section of the trail, starts in Vesta and includes a boat transfer to Baitoni. For planning this excursion, a section on foot and a boat trip belong together. This combination distinguishes the excursion from a purely walking route.
The connection with cycling is evident in Vesta on two levels: the beach can be reached by bicycle, and the Alta Via dei forti is largely suitable for cycling. When planning a cycling trip, the accessibility of the beach and the largely cycleable nature of the Alta Via should therefore be considered separately.
On the via ferrata, the water forms part of the route along individual passages; on the circular hike along the Sentiero dei Laghi, the boat trip is part of the itinerary.
Tignale, Borno, Voiandes, Campione Del Garda, Pisogne, Anfo, Pregasio and Arias.
