Pievepelago: Hiking Trails, Lago Santo and Historic Bridges

Pievepelago lies in the heart of the Parco Regionale del Frignano. The many hiking trails, forests and distinctive destinations such as Lago Santo offer concrete points of reference when choosing a hotel for your stay. There are also historic buildings, a traditional flower-carpet festival and other activities. This makes it possible to plan a trip around a range of interests without focusing on just one attraction.

Landscape and hiking trails

Pievepelago has numerous hiking trails and forests of chestnut, beech and conifer trees. One distinctive natural destination is Lago Santo, a glacial lake below Monte Giovo at an elevation of 1,501 metres. It is the largest lake in the Apennines. The combination of a glacial lake, its elevation and its setting beneath a peak gives this destination a clearly defined landscape profile.

Two different starting points are described for hiking. The “Attraversando gli antichi ponti” trail starts and ends in Pievepelago and is 9.3 kilometres long. Another route begins on the shores of Lago Santo: from there, the easy mule track marked 523 goes around Monte Giovo into the glacial valley of Lago Baccio. When planning your hikes, you can choose between a trail that starts and ends in town and one that takes the lake as its point of reference.

Bridges, museum and Infiorata

The Ponte della Fola is a stone bridge of Romanesque origin and was probably built in the late Middle Ages. It has two arches and is the only known example of this type of bridge in Emilia. Its construction and the recorded dating make it a specific destination for anyone interested in historic buildings as well as the landscape.

The Infiorata del Corpus Domini also shapes Pievepelago’s cultural identity. The traditional edition was scheduled for Sunday, June 7, 2026. The flower carpets cover 200 metres of Via Tamburù in the centre, and individual artistic works can be up to 20 metres long. These details indicate the extent of the displays along this street and the possible size of individual works.

The Museo delle Mummie is located in Roccapelago. It is laid out across three rooms, beginning with the crypt. This specific museum attraction complements the historic buildings and festivities as another cultural theme of the destination.

Other activities and getting there

No-kill fishing is practised in the Scoltenna waters in the town. Pievepelago also has orienteering courses with federation maps. These are two distinct options beyond the hiking trails: fishing takes place on the Scoltenna, while orienteering takes place on courses specifically designated for that purpose.

In Sant’Anna Pelago, within the municipality of Pievepelago, eight kilometres of illuminated cross-country ski trails run near the settlement. This infrastructure is seasonal. If you are interested in cross-country skiing, the location provides a specific point of reference for planning; the trails are thus clearly distinct from the landscape and cultural attractions described as available year-round.

Bus route 800 connects Modena with Pievepelago via Maranello and Pavullo, and continues on to Abetone. If you would like to travel by bus, check the route’s timetable in advance. The Lago Santo information point is on the road from Pievepelago to the Lago Santo car park and provides general information about the area, brochures and specialised maps.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Maranello, Castelvetro Di Modena, Sorbara, Montecreto, Rovereto sul Secchia, Montefiorino, Casumaro, Ponte Gombola

For the main travel overview: Modena.