Monte Bondone

Bondone in summer

Monte Bondone in summer is the ideal destination for the tourist, the sports lover, the mountain enthusiast and the family looking for amusement and relaxation. Bondone offers paths for all levels of hiking, whether for a short stroll or an all day excursion.
There is also a great variety of sporting activities on offer: from horse riding to mountain biking, tennis to skating, climbing to paragliding. At Viote you can find the Centre of Alpine Ecology and the Alpine Botanical Gardens, where its possible to admire over 2000 species of mountain plants from five continents. From the Viote valley you can take a trip into the Integral Nature Reserve of the Tre Cime, named after the summits (Cima Verde, Dos d'Abramo, Cornet), which make up the crown of the valley, all three accessible via panoramic pathways. The ascent up to the top of the Palon (2090 metres) allows you to enjoy a stunning 360° panorama of the city of Trento, the Adige valley, mount Paganella, the Brenta Dolomites, the glaciers of the Adamello range and lake Garda.
The meadows of Monte Bondone provide the grass which is used for the so - called "hay baths", a therapy, practised by the locals for centuries, to counter the effects of osteoarthritis. At Vigolo Baselga and Garniga Terme (where there is a a fully equipped bathing centre) you can try out this particular therapy.

Bondone in winter

For winter sports and nature lovers Monte Bondone becomes a winter paradise. In the sunny Viote valley there are 32 km of cross country skiing pistes, which wind their way through the rich alpine vegetation.
For those who prefer down hill skiing there are nine ski slopes covering 13 km, most of which are covered by artificial snow in case of a lack of snow, suitable for skiers of all levels. There are four blue slopes for beginners, five more difficult red slopes and for expert skiers a black slope descending from the top of the Palon, 1830 metres in length. For those who prefer the latest crazes, from snow-boarding to carving, Monte Bondone has the right slopes (thanks to the new area called "snow park").
There are different possibilities for alpinistic and off-piste skiing with quite difficult routes which take you to an altitude of over 2000 metres. Two qualified Ski Schools, with over twenty professional teachers, are at your disposal whether for complete beginners or more advanced skiers.
Monte Bondone also offers ice skating facilities at the rinks in Vason; there are also slopes reserved for children to play and go sledging.

Events

Monte Bondone is more than just snow in winter and nature in summer, infact it also plays host to numerous sporting events, some of which have made the name Bondone famous in the field of highly competitive sporting events; for example, the leg of the Giro d'Italia in 1957, when the Swiss cyclist Charles Gaul arrived at snow-covered Vason, even though it was the month of June!
Another event associated with Bondone is the "Trofeo Topolino - Criterio internazionale giovani F.I.S", the most important international event for young skiers, at which champions of the calibre of Gustav Thoeni, Alberto Tomba, Ingemar Stenmark and Deborah Compagnoni have participated in the past. (For a few years the "Topolino" trophy has been held one year in Bondone and one year in Marilleva).
Another sporting event associated with Bondone is the "Trento-Bondone" up-hill automobile race, (there is also a motorcycle race along the same winding road). Throughout the year there are many other sporting events held in Bondone, such as the "Trofeo Chiesa" inter-regional mountain running races, whilst in winter there are many ski races: ranging from championships for different categories of professionals (policemen, firefighters, doctors, salesmen, etc.), to cross country and off-piste skiing races (for instance the "trofeo Marcello Pilati"),and the spectacular dog sledge competition (a race valid for the AIM Italian Championships and for qualifying for the European championships ESDRA).