L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano T h e p e a c e f u l m a j e s t y o f t h e D o l o m i t e s i s w h a t c o m e s t o m i n d w h e n w e think about Trentino Alto- A d i g e . T h e r e g i o n i s p o p u l a r a m o n g l o v e r s o f nature, trekking and skiing, a s w e l l a s a f a v o r i t e f o r g o u r m e t s , w h o e n j o y i t s Mittel-Europa-meets-Italy take on cuisine. T h e r e g i o n i s a l s o i n c r e d i b l y f e r t i l e a n d bountiful, something you m a y n o t n e c e s s a r i l y associate immediately with a m o u n t a i n o u s t e r r i t o r y : a g r i c u l t u r e - i n c l u d i n g viticulture - has been one of T r e n t i n o A l t o - A d i g e ' s lifelines when it comes to its economy, especially thanks to the local production of q u a l i t y f r u i t l i k e p l u m s , c h e r r i e s , p e a r s a n d , o f course, apples. In fact, most of the apples we find in our supermarkets in Italy come from Trentino! I t s h o u l d n ' t s u r p r i s e , then, that agriculture shaped the landscape of Trentino's valleys as much as it did, and i n w a y s w e m a y n o t b e familiar with, just like the sentieri delle Rogge - or w a a l w e g e , a s t h e y a r e locally called in German - trekking trails that follow t h e o l d i r r i g a t i o n c a n a l s created in centuries past by local farmers to bring fresh, alpine waters to their fields. Waalwege are typical of both Val Passiria and Val Venosta, in the Meran area of Alto-Adige, and have a l o n g h i s t o r y m a d e o f i n g e n u i t y a n d r e s i l i e n c e . There are several waalwege, of different lengths but all simple to trek and offering s o m e b e a u t i f u l v i e w s o f v a l l e y s a n d m o u n t a i n s . Q u i t e i m p o r t a n t l y , w a a l w e g e a r e p e p p e r e d with small restaurants and e a t e r i e s , w h e r e o n e c a n satisfy the healthy appetite that walking and the alpine air are bound to give. These itineraries are accessible all year round, so you can make them part of your Alto-Adige vacation regardless of the t i m e o f t h e y e a r y o u a r e there. One of the most famous sentieri delle Rogge is the waalweg di Marlengo. It w a s c r e a t e d i n 1 7 3 7 a n d , with its 12 km (7.5 miles), it is the longest of them all! Y o u r w a l k s t a r t s a t t h e chiusa di Tel, and continues along the Adige river from M a r l e n g o t o L a n a : f i r s t , you'll walk through surreally beautiful alpine woods, only to move into the colorful and l i v e l y c h a r m o f f r u i t orchards surrounded by the m o u n t a i n s . V i e w s o f Marlengo and Meran are a p l u s y o u c a n e n j o y w h i l e walking this trail. It will take y o u a b o u t 3 h o u r s t o complete the itinerary, but if you think you may need a break here and there, fear not, because there are plenty of places to grab some bread, speck and a slice of strudel on the way, if you wish! T h e w a a l w e g d i C a i n e s r u n s a l o n g t h e F i n d e l e b a c h s t r e a m f o r about 2.5 km (1.5 miles) and it will take you less than one h o u r t o c o m p l e t e i t . I t s s t a r t i n g p o i n t i s t h e Mutlechnerof farmstead, at 840 mt of altitude (around 2 , 7 5 6 f e e t ) , a n d t h e L o n g h a l l h o f f a r m s t e a d , some 200 meters (or 656 feet) above, is that of arrival. There is some uphill walking to do, but don't worry too much, most of the path runs through trees and the sun won't bother you! A n o t h e r p o p u l a r w a a l w e g i s t h a t o f Ochsentod. This historical path connects the valley - more precisely, the village of C e r m e s - t o M o n t e S a n Virgilio, and runs through beautiful deciduous forests, offering breathtaking views of the valley of Meran. the Ochsentod waalweg became accessible to trekkers only in recent years, after having b e e n f u l l y c l e a r e d a n d restored. The Brandis waalweg is known because it leads to the homonymous waterfall, a beautiful spot immersed in nature. The irrigation canal h a d b e e n c a r v e d i n t o t h e rock in 1835 and, today, runs in a channel below the actual path. If you are up for a longer t r e k , a n d l i k e c h e s t n u t w o o d s , t h e n y o u s h o u l d c h o o s e t h e S c h e n n e r waalweg, which connects the village of Verdines to S c h e n n e r , w i t h a w a l k o f almost 10 km (6.6 miles). The first part of the trail is immersed in nature, while the second leads you back to civilization, as it runs along a lightly trafficked road. The c o o l t h i n g i s t h a t , i f y o u fancy it, you can continue along the road and reach the Taser cable car station and enjoy a ride up the mountain on it. If, on the other hand, you'd like to continue, you'll eventually reach the village of Scena. The trail is well maintained as, like most of the waalwege, is walkable all year round. These are only some of the waalwege of Alto-Adige, which bear witness to local f a r m e r s ' i n g e n u i t y a n d commitment to agriculture. They are also a way to get c l o s e r t o n a t u r e a n d i t s beauty, surrounded by the peaceful landscape of the Alps. The fresh, cleansing mountain air is a cure-all and affects positively both our bodies and our souls. P l u s , t h e r e i s s o m e t h i n g humbling, yet soothing in the mountains, something that reminds us of how small w e a r e c o m p a r e d t o t h e majesty of nature: the most beautiful gift we can give o u r s e l v e s i s e n j o y i n g i t thoroughly. FRANCESCA BEZZONE The wallwege of Alto-Adige follow the paths of old water canals (Photo: Shutterstock) Following the path of water, on Trentino Alto-Adige waalwege HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS PEOPLE

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