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Between late September and November, Garda Trentino slows down. Temperatures drop by a few degrees, the trails get quiet and the woods above the lake turn from green to yellow and red, while down by the water the olive trees stay silver.
Here are five easy walks you can do in autumn, starting from Riva del Garda. If you are looking for something harder, our blog also has a selection of the 10 best peaks for trekking in Garda Trentino.
Monte Brione is the long hill between Riva del Garda and Torbole: 376 metres high, with terraced olive groves and a series of Austro-Hungarian forts linked by part of the Peace Trail.
The easiest version starts at Porto San Nicolò, crosses the old olive grove and reaches the village of Sant’Alessandro, then comes back along the cycle path: about 4 kilometres and one hour and twenty minutes of walking. If you want a longer walk, follow the loop of the forts up to the summit cross, with many steps and about 300 metres of climb.
In autumn this is the perfect morning walk: you start on the lake promenade, walk among the olive trees while the harvest begins and get back in time for lunch.
The Strada del Ponale is the best known walk in Riva del Garda: a 19th-century road cut into the rock, high above the lake, with a new view at every bend. In summer it is busy and very sunny; in autumn it is much more pleasant.
From Riva to Pregasina it is about 6 kilometres one way, 450 metres of climb and one and a half to two hours of walking. If you have more time, carry on to Lake Ledro, around ten kilometres, and come back by local bus.
One word of warning: the path is shared with cyclists, some sections are exposed and small rocks can fall. Watch out for bikes coming downhill and check the state of the path before you leave, because it can be closed for maintenance or bad weather.
About twenty minutes by car from Riva, Lake Tenno keeps its colour even when the woods around it change. The path from the lake to the medieval village of Canale runs through chestnut and hazel trees: it is short and easy, good also if you do not walk much, and in autumn it is one of the best spots for photos in the area.
Canale is worth a stop at any time of year: stone alleys, houses built one against the other and covered passages, in one of the best preserved villages in Trentino. A seasonal note: in autumn several bars and restaurants have shorter opening hours, so check before you go and take water and a snack with you.
The Cammino dei Ricci is a circular trail with information boards that crosses the chestnut wood of Drena: more than 5,000 old trees, one of the largest chestnut woods in Trentino.
You start from the car park near the castle: just over 4 kilometres, very little climb and about one hour and forty-five minutes of walking. Children can do it easily, as long as they wear proper shoes. Before or after the walk, it is worth visiting Drena Castle, with its tower above the Sarca valley, or the nearby Marocche di Dro nature reserve, a huge field of rocks that looks almost like the moon (about 6 kilometres and two hours, on stony ground).
If you are here on 24 and 25 October 2026, the village celebrates its most famous product with Maroni in Festa, the chestnut festival of Drena. The programme also includes guided walks in the chestnut wood with chestnut picking; booking is required.
Just over half an hour from Riva, Lake Ledro has a full loop of about 10 kilometres, almost all flat, which takes around two and a half hours. It runs partly on cycle and foot paths, partly on short stretches of road and partly through the woods. It is the easiest walk on this list and a good choice if you want to walk for a long time without climbing.
In autumn the water is clear, the shores are quiet and the woods around the lake change colour. For a cultural stop there is the Pile Dwelling Museum in Molina di Ledro, but check the opening hours, which are shorter in low season.
If you travel at this time of year, you will also find Mese del Gusto (the “month of taste”), a series of about twelve events from 25 September to 8 November 2026, spread between Alto Garda, the Ledro valley, Comano, Valle dei Laghi and Val di Gresta: village festivals, markets and dinners built around seasonal products. The main dates include the Val di Gresta market (27 September), the Fiera di San Francesco in Tiarno di Sotto (3 October), Maroni in Festa in Drena (24 and 25 October) and Frantoi Aperti in Riva del Garda, with the new olive oil, on 7 and 8 November.
Usually between the second half of October and the first days of November, but a lot depends on the season. The chestnut and beech woods at around 500 to 700 metres, like those near Drena, Tenno and Lake Ledro, change colour before the valley floor, where the olive trees stay green all year.
The Cammino dei Ricci in Drena, the loop around Lake Ledro and the walk through the olive groves of Monte Brione are the shortest and easiest. The Ponale path is longer, exposed in places and shared with bikes: fine with older children who are used to walking, less suitable for small children.
Monte Brione and the Ponale path start in Riva del Garda, so you can reach them on foot or by bike. Drena, Tenno and the Ledro valley are served by regional buses: you can find current times and routes on the Garda Trentino website.
The climate stays mild, but the difference between morning and afternoon temperatures is clear and there are more rainy days than in summer. Check the forecast the day before and always have an indoor alternative in mind, such as museums, spas or a Mese del Gusto event.
Residence Centro Vela is on the lake promenade of Riva del Garda, with the cycle path right in front: you can reach Monte Brione and the Ponale path on foot or by bike, while Tenno, Drena and the Ledro valley are all less than half an hour away. Our apartments with a kitchen give you the rest of the freedom: you leave when you want and come back without worrying about dinner times.
If you are thinking of a few days by the lake out of season, have a look at our apartments and current offers. We look forward to welcoming you!
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