The Varone Waterfall Cave Park is certainly one of the most evocative and popular natural itineraries among the many tourists who visit Lake Garda every year.
Located in the municipality of Tenno (TN), just 3 kilometres from the nearby town of Riva del Garda, it can be easily reached by driving along state road 421 in the direction of Ponte Arche.
The Varone Waterfall Cave is a unique geological phenomenon, formed over tens of thousands of years. In a very distant era, the slow work of erosion of the vast Quaternary glacier of Lake Garda shaped the valley of the lower Sarca, leaving clear signs even in the smaller side valleys, such as the Ballino-Tenno valley. With the disappearance of the glacier, the river waters began to flow freely, eroding the terrain with greater intensity and forming the original waterfall much lower than its current position.
Over the course of about 20,000 years, the process of erosion has shaped the rock, creating deep and narrow incisions, especially in the hard rocks such as the jurassic Varone limestone. The water, laden with sand and debris, created swirling eddies that acted like drills, digging the gorge deeper and deeper.
This erosion process still goes on today, at a rate of about two millimetres per year, progressively moving the edge of the waterfall upstream and bringing erosive eddies with it.
The Varone Cave represents a typical example of regressive waterfall erosion, a process in which erosion causes the waterfall surface to recede over time.
Currently, the gorge extends 55 metres into the Lower Cave and reaches a depth of 73 metres near the Upper Cave. The waterfall as a whole measures 98 metres in height.
The Lower Cave, the Upper Cave and the Botanic Garden.
The Varone Waterfall Cave Park was inaugurated on 20 June 1874, with a solemn ceremony in the presence of numerous local authorities and an exceptional godfather: Prince Nicholas of Montenegro, who was on holiday at Lake Garda during that period.
The visit to the Varone Waterfalls Cave Park includes two main observation points: the first is located at the Lower Cave, while the second is situated at the Upper Cave.
The Lower Cave can be reached by walking along the path that starts from the entrance of the park, following a long walkway built into the rock that leads to the heart of the mountain, at a depth of 55 metres. The walk is truly impressive and takes place at a height of about one metre above the rushing water.
At the end of the walkway there is a balcony from which it is possible to admire the waterfall in all its majesty. The roar generated by the water falling from a height of 98 metres is remarkable and the coloured lights that illuminate the narrow gorge add a touch of magic to the sight.
The itinerary inside the Natural Park then passes through the Botanic Garden, going up a flight of 115 steps among Mediterranean and Alpine plant species of all kinds, such as palms, cypresses, oleanders, olive trees, oaks, larches and black pines. From this point the panorama is truly enchanting, offering a view that sweeps from the surrounding mountains to the Riva del Garda plain, also known as the 'Busa'.
Closing the itinerary inside the park stands the Upper Cave, accessible through a 15-metre tunnel carved into the rock at the beginning of the last century. This passage leads to a balcony from which it is possible to admire the initial part of the waterfall, inside a natural gorge that extends 73 metres into the mountain. At the end of its course, the waterfall gathers in a small lake, before flowing towards the Lower Cave.
This enchanting place is certainly worth a visit, as many internationally renowned artists, poets and writers have done in the past. Among them are Prince Umberto II of Savoy, Emperor Franz Joseph, Gabriele D'Annunzio, Thomas Mann and Franz Kafka.
Among the services that the Varone Waterfall Cave Park offers to its visitors there are a bar, a souvenir shop, a car park and a large outdoor picnic area equipped with tables and benches.
To consult the ticket prices and opening hours, we refer you to the official website of the Varone Waterfall Cave Park, wishing you a pleasant visit to this wonderful corner of Garda Trentino.
Image gallery
Click on the button below to open the image gallery.
How to get to the Varone Waterfall Cave Park
Click on the button below to open the detailed map.
Lake Garda Experiences
A world of activities made for you and your friends. Choose between excursions, guided tours, tastings and much more. Plan your leisure time in the best possible way and enjoy the exclusive special offers.