Vermiglio: History, Trails and Winter

Vermiglio brings together traces of several eras with trails, lakes and winter cross-country ski routes. When planning your stay, you can focus on cultural history, outdoor activities or both. Forte Strino, the historic village landscape and the various routes offer different starting points.

Forte Strino and the history of the area

Forte Strino is located on the road to the Tonale, between the pass of the same name and Vermiglio. It was built in 1860 and is part of the fortification system in Trentino designed by the Austrian General Staff. The fort houses a permanent exhibition on the “White War Front”; exhibitions of contemporary art are also held every year. The individual exhibitions may vary.

The Museo della Guerra Bianca Vermiglio organizes guided tours of Forte Strino and other nearby fortifications on request. The museum also offers an immersive sound-and-light presentation about a First World War soldier writing to his mother. The tours and presentation have different focuses: the fortifications on the one hand, and a personal wartime story on the other.

The Città Morta was an Austro-Hungarian military settlement during the First World War. Remains of its dry-stone walls can be seen along SAT Trail 161. Forte Pozzi Alti, called Werk Presanella by the Austro-Hungarians, was built between 1908 and 1912 to block the road through Val di Sole. During the First World War, Malga Strino was also a military outpost because of its location between the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and the Kingdom of Italy.

The Itinerario storico-culturale follows the former Tonale road through the historic village landscape of Vermiglio. The Mulino di Cortina tells another chapter in the area’s history: until the second half of the 1950s, the mill was powered by the Rio Cortina. Rye, barley and wheat grown in the meadows of Vermiglio were milled there. These sites point to different aspects of history: fortifications, settlement, routes and the former processing of locally grown grain.

Cross-country skiing, biathlon and routes

At Centro Fondo Vermiglio, the Velon loop connects with the other cross-country ski trails. Together, they form a circuit of about 22 kilometres, and you do not need to take off your skis when switching between trails. Access depends on snow conditions. The Centro Fondo also has a biathlon shooting range with twelve 10-metre lanes and three 50-metre shooting positions for training with .22-calibre rifles.

A simple 5.8-kilometre route is described for a walk to the Laghetti di San Leonardo. The walk takes 1 hour and 35 minutes, with an elevation gain of 80 metres. Route conditions may change seasonally, so take this into account when planning. The Val di Sole cycle path also starts at the Laghetti di San Leonardo and runs for 33 kilometres to Mostizzolo. This gives you the choice of a walking route with a stated duration or a much longer cycling route.

Lakes and views

The Laghetti di San Leonardo comprise three artificial ponds with picnic areas, a children’s playground, a snack bar and evening lighting. Some facilities may vary seasonally. The Laghetti di Strino are different: they are alpine lakes at the foot of Monte Redival.

The Capitello di San Giorgio also combines a route with a viewpoint. It can be reached from the hamlet of Cortina via the Via dele Pendege trail; from there, the view extends across the upper Val di Sole to the Sella del Tonale. This makes it possible to distinguish an outing to a viewpoint from routes around the lakes and on the cross-country ski trail network.

Getting there and planning

Vermiglio can be reached via the Malè–Mezzana–Fucine–Vermiglio–Tonale bus route. Check the timetable before travelling. The Laghetti di San Leonardo are near Vermiglio and can be reached by car via Via della Prada; confirm local access before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Calceranica Al Lago, Lomaso, Villa Rendena, Selva Di Levico, Arco, Locca, St. Pauls, Concei.

Back to the main travel overview: Trentino.