Monti Lessini
Undefinied sight
Hiking in the Lessin mountains
Monte Lessini
Across the Lessin mountains
The Lessin mountains extend north from Verona from the Valpolicella region to the Alps and they already have a pretty alpine character. The mountains rise up around five valleys up to 1,700 metres and have been used as quarries by their inhabitants since ancient times. The famous red marble, which can be admired in many places in Verona, comes from the Lessin mountains. Besides the marble, the limestone is mined in the mountains and used for roofs, road courses and squares in the surrounding cities. The Lessin mountains offer visitors a beautiful scenic landscape. From massive natural monuments to densely wooded mountains, picturesque valleys and spectacular fossils and prehistoric relics – there’s a lot to see in the Lessin mountains.
Parco Naturale delle Cascate and the Museo Paleontologico e Preistorico
In the Parco Naturale delle Cascate near the village of Molina is a junction of three valleys, where a number of impressive waterfalls plunge into the depths. The beautiful landscape of the park can be explored on various marked trails. The small village of Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo is located to the north of Molina. It is the location of the Museo e Paleontologico Preistorico (Paleontology and Prehistoric Museum), which, among many other spectacular fossils, exhibits a 7-metre-long fossilised shark from the Tethys Sea as its main attraction.
Ponte di Veja natural monument
You will find a natural attraction of a very special kind to the south of Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo. A 50-metre-long and 30-metre-high giant rock arch, the Ponte di Veja. The gigantic arch spans the river and is a very impressive natural wonder which you must see if you are in the region. At the same time the Ponte di Veja formas the entrance to a cave where prehistoric findings were made. Because of its prehistoric importance the cave is not open to visitors. Back at the car park you can taste some traditional Venetian food in the local trattoria.
In the eastern foothills of the Lessin mountains, the small village of Camposilvano offers various attractions. Besides the Museo Geo-Paleontologico with its fossils and prehistoric discoveries, the Valle delle Sfingi is a visit worth. The beautiful valley north of the village fascinates its visitors with its unique mushroom-shaped karst monoliths which are scattered throughout the valley.
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