There are views that stay with you forever. In San Lorenzo Dorsino, you’ll find five of them, each with its own character, each offering a unique perspective. These vantage points are all different from one another and, once seen, are hard to forget. Here’s where to stop.
1. The gardens of Prada: the terrace over Lake Molveno
There are views that defy description. This is one of them. From the natural viewpoint on a rocky outcrop in Prada, at 1,600 metres, Lake Molveno suddenly comes into view, stretching out at the foot of the mountain. The Brenta Dolomites in the background complete a scene that takes your breath away.
But Prada is not just about the view. It is about memory. It is the scent of hay cut at dawn, when the dew made it sweeter to the scythe. It is the story of the farmers who slept in the barns after days of work at high altitude, and of the flocks that still graze these meadows rich in medicinal and aromatic herbs. This place still carries within it all the gentle toil of the mountains.
2. Dòs Beo: the hill of the four viewpoints
From San Lorenzo in Banale, it’s just a short walk to a place that never fails to surprise. Dòs Beo, once stripped bare by goats, is now a dense woodland fragrant with wild carnations and rock roses. At the summit are four viewpoints, each offering its own unique perspective: the rooftops of San Lorenzo Dorsino, the spires of the Brenta Dolomites shifting colour with the light, the expanse of Bael, guardian of seasons of hay and livestock.
And then the fourth, the most dizzying: the ground drops away abruptly and the Bondai valley plunges silently into the abyss.
3. The Ambiez amphitheatre: God’s skyline
You walk along the Val d’Ambiez, or let the jeep taxi take you, squeezed between the rock faces whilst the Rio Ambiez flows vividly among the stones. Then, at a certain point, the valley opens up. And your gaze no longer knows where to rest. Before you lies a crown of peaks that seems to have been built one by one: Cresole, Le Tose, Pratofiorito, Cima d'Agola, Tosa, the highest of all at 3,159 metres, Le Cede, and Cima d'Ambiez with its perfect rock face, a climber’s paradise.
All of this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but first and foremost it is the place close to the hearts of those who live in San Lorenzo Dorsino. That feeling of being protected and overwhelmed by beauty at the same time: this is the Val d’Ambiez.
4. ST. Vili WALK: the Limarò Gorges seen from above
There is a route that winds through San Lorenzo Dorsino, carrying with it thousands of years of history: it is the San Vili Walk, the Roman road that Bishop Vigilius travelled in the 4th century to bring the Christian faith to Trentino. At Deggia, just past the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Caravaggio, the path opens up to offer sweeping views, and the air feels fresher.
Below lie the Limarò Gorges: a canyon of red and grey limestone rocks that the River Sarca has patiently carved out, creating vertical walls, potholes and natural sculptures of rare beauty. It is one of the most evocative stretches of the entire course of the Sarca towards Lake Garda. Viewing it from above, from that fine line between history and nature, is an experience that stays with you.
5. La Pizocola: the pinnacle overlooking the villages
A conglomerate pinnacle dating back some twenty thousand years, made accessible again in 2022 after years of neglect. Our little pyramids of Segonzano: that is what the locals call La Pizocola, with the affectionate pride of those who recognise the value of their own home.
At the top, a large fir-wood bench awaits you. Sit down, look around. The villages of this land stretch out before you like a postcard that no one has yet sent. Pizocola can be reached via a detour from the La Bella Terra route: just a few extra steps, one of those places where you later wonder how you ever managed not to visit it sooner.
Five different places, one promise: to make you feel, if only for a few minutes, like a living part of this beautiful world.
Wear comfortable shoes. Leave your phone in your pocket. Here, it’s always worth looking up.
