Le contrade di Badia Calavena and the windmill blade of Monte Pecora

A simple trekking tour to find out an ancient city quarter and innovative system for renewable energies in Eastern Lessinia.

20,30 km / on foot, appropriate for family too

Itinerary description 

The nice square of Badia Calavena, with the magnificent abbey's cloister, is the point of departure of this long itinerary, which is separate in two different parts: colle San Pietro and Monte Pecora. From the square you will go on tarmac around the church and then you will follow the steep trail, dedicated to Lucio III, Medieval pope who visited Val d'Illasi during his pontificate. At the middle of hill the rise stops for some hundreds meters, where there are a comfortable trail, which permits to admire an amazing landscape. At a small source you will go toward a church on the top dedicated to San Pietro, which is on the ruins of first settlement of friar an on the basis of a Medieval Castle; the lateral rectory today has a museum about flint and others prehistorical things.

Going on you will reach contrada Campanari and going straight contrada Seri and below Monte Pecora, overlooked by the windmill blade functional since 2008. The construction is over 100 meters and from there the landscape is indescribable, from Colli Euganei until the prealpine peaks. The itinerary continues towards South and flanks contrada Righetti until Il Casin (particular upland), to follow a dirty road, which crosses the wood valley in Val dei Molini until contrada Signoretti, abandoned, and the big contrada Volpi. The Monte Pecora's bulk is present during the route, which goes on on the tarmac and it completes the circumnavigation of the mount to go to locality Seri; arrived in city quarter you will go on the left and following the dirty road in the broad-leaved wood, you will reach in locality Giri.

Giri is a multitude of buildings toward South, refurbished and known for the terrace Brolo delle Biodiversità, particular plantations of various mountain fruits. Following the dirty road you will get back in tarmac, and going on the right you will arrive in locality Campanari and at Chiesa di San Pietro, where you will go back to the point of departure.

Technical informations

Difficulty: itinerary with medium difference in height, mainly on dirty road, tarmac, pastures and contradas. Suggested period: all year- for fit walkers too. 

Practicability: on foot or mountain bike. 

Length: 20,30 km
Time: 6:30
Difference in height: 600m
Stops: Badia Calavena (469m) – Colle di San Pietro (675m) – Seri (750m) – Monte Pecora (869m) – Righetti (763m) – Il Casin (780m) – Signoretti (759m) – Volpi (755m) – Seri (750m) – Giri (669m) – Colle di San Pietro (675m) – Badia Calavena (469m).