Drena between the Castle and the Chestnut Grove

Drena offers a range of starting points for planning your trip: Castel Drena, with its history as a fortress; trails through the chestnut grove; and a via ferrata through the Rio Sallagoni gorge. If you’re looking for a hotel in Drena, these themes can help you choose the focus of your stay: castle and views, hiking, or cultural and nature trails.

Castel Drena and the Marocche landscape

Castel Drena retains the essential features of a medieval fortress. The oldest documented reference to the castle dates to 1175. The 25-metre-high keep is accessible all the way to the top and offers views of the Marocche and Alto Garda. Castel Drena also houses a permanent museum dedicated to the restoration of the building. If you plan to visit the museum, check the latest access information in advance.

The castle stands above the gorge carved by the Rio Sallagoni. At the foot of Castel Drena lies the Marocche di Dro, a landslide area formed during the Ice Age. In the wider Drena region, it is a provincial nature reserve, a Special Area of Conservation and part of the Parco Fluviale della Sarca. Its dry, almost moonlike landscape has vegetation adapted to arid conditions and stony, humus-poor soil; its formation is linked to glaciations.

The fourth stage of the Cammino dei Sette Laghi also passes through Drena and Dro and continues to the Marocche di Dro, an extensive field of scree formed by ancient landslides. Route conditions can change seasonally; check them before setting out.

Trails for different interests

The Via Ferrata Rio Sallagoni runs through the narrow gorge carved by the Rio Sallagoni at the foot of the limestone cliff below Castel Drena. Waterfalls, lush vegetation and two Tibetan bridges characterise the route. Check your equipment and the conditions before setting out on this route.

The Cammino dei Ricci is an educational trail through Drena’s “maroneri” chestnut grove, dedicated to local chestnut culture. The grove contains more than 5,000 centuries-old trees and is one of the most extensive chestnut groves in Trentino. The trail starts in the centre of Drena, at Piazza Italia; for visitors coming from Luch, Casal is another starting point.

The Sentiero del Salim is a one-hour hiking trail with particularly striking panoramas at Narveol and the Crone. The short Sentiero del Sant has a different focus: its vegetation and special places such as the Calchera are notable features. Malga Campo is ideal for walking and picnicking and is the starting point for several trails, including routes to Stivo, Cima Bassa, Cima Alta and Malga Vallestrè. From there, you can follow a waymarked trail along the ridge of Monte Stivo.

Chestnut culture, art and alpine-pasture history

The Maroni in Festa chestnut festival in Drena featured walks through the chestnut grove, cooking workshops, show cooking, music and tastings in its 53rd edition. Dates and programmes vary from year to year. Chestnuts are therefore part of not only the landscape, but also the cultural themes that shape Drena.

The Open Air Gallery Sculpture Park 3000 consists of two trails that cross in the forest: the Path of the Sun and the Path of the Moon. Animals and fantastical objects line the trails. The project involved 37 artists from many parts of the world. As trail conditions may change, check them before your visit.

The Chiesetta degli Alpini, a chapel commissioned by the Alpini, is located near Malga Campo. The alpine pasture was built around the 1950s by a group of livestock farmers for summer grazing. The original complex included a dairy where butter, cheese, ricotta and other dairy products were made. Malga Campo therefore combines its current appeal for walks and trails with a history of alpine farming.

Getting there

The regional bus route 204 connects Drena with places in Garda Trentino and runs between Riva del Garda, Cavedine and Trento. There is a request stop in the hamlet of Marocche. Check the timetable and the conditions for using this stop before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Capriana, Ossana, Mezzano, Montesover, Commezzadura, Pieve Di Bono, Moena, Torcegno.

For the main travel overview: Trentino.