The best walks and hikes around Calliano

Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 - 18:00 Wednesday: 10:00 - 17:00 Thursday: 9:30 - 18:00 Monday: closed Entrance: 7€ https://www.buonconsiglio.it/castel-beseno/ Tel. 0464 834600

The view is magnificent, it repays the effort of climbing

Panoramic mountain in the middle of the Southern Limestone Alps👌

A beautiful view over the country

Moderately steep, quite bumpy path with many benches and viewpoints into the Etschtal

Castel Pietra has belonged to the same family since 1738. Over the centuries the castle has suffered bombings and robberies but has come intact and well preserved to our times thanks to the care of the people who lived there. The first phase of an important restoration has just finished. The Castle is now accessible for visits and for holding all types of events. (Source: https://www.castelpietra.info/il-castello/oggi.html )

The exact origin of Castel Pietra cannot be dated, but already in the 12th century some documents mention "la Pietra", a name given by the locals to the castle. The name recalls the boulders that fell in ancient times from the overlying Cengio Rosso, on which the manor was built and expanded over the centuries, as happened for the Gothic part in the 14th century. Different styles converge in the structure, but it is evident at first glance that the purpose is the defense and control of the territory. The historical importance of Castel Pietra derives above all from its strategic position.... For many years and until the final defeat of Venice in the early 16th century, the castle was located on the border between Tyrol and the Republic of Venice. The famous battle of Calliano on 10 August 1487, in which the Venetian troops commanded by General Sanseverino were heavily defeated, was only one of a long series of battles that saw Castel Pietra as a protagonist. The "murazzo", a mighty wall that reached from the castle to the river bank, blocked the passage and only after paying the duty could one pass through the enormous door that was in the middle of the wall. Between the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century, Castel Pietra was the scene of important battles fought between Napoleon's French and the Austrians. In 1796 Napoleon Bonaparte had some cannons transported halfway up the Cengio Rosso and the Austrian troops had no choice but to surrender, unable to defend themselves from a bombardment from above. During the Great War, Castel Pietra was severely damaged on the east side by some Italian cannon shots fired from the nearby front. The bombings of World War II also brought destruction: the bombs intended for the nearby railway instead hit a shelter full of evacuees located inside the walls. Fortunately, the solid structure saved the people who had sought shelter inside despite a partial collapse. (Source: https://www.castelpietra.info/il-castello/la-storia.html )

The largest fortress in Trentino. Beautifully restored and maintained, with large, labyrinthine spaces, evocative stone architecture, and stunning views of the surrounding valleys and mountains. You can freely tour the fortified gates and courtyards, crescent-shaped bastions and stairways, patrol paths, and interior rooms housing weapons collections and other interesting surprises. You'll spend at least two hours there, and it's well worth the (fair) price of admission. Castel Beseno stands in a highly strategic position: a high hill along the Vallagarina, at the entrance to the Rio Cavallo Valley; it essentially controlled the communication routes between the Germanic area and the Italian peninsula, both from the Trento and Folgaria sides. Of medieval origin (12th century), it was expanded and modernized over the centuries. In particular, during the 16th century, it was rebuilt and renovated, transforming its appearance from a medieval castle to that of a Renaissance residence, while retaining its identity as a well-armed defensive fortress. After a long period of abandonment, in 1973 the Trapp counts, owners since 1470, donated the castle to the Autonomous Province of Trento, which oversaw its masterful restoration. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Beseno https://www.buonconsiglio.it/castel-beseno/