Spiazzi – Pilgrimage Routes, History and Mountain Landscapes on Monte Baldo

Spiazzi is a suitable destination for travelers who want to combine routes, pilgrimage and history closely. From here, the footpath to Madonna della Corona follows a paved road accessible only on foot. Its bends are marked by 14 bronze Stations of the Cross. At the same time, historic paths open up the slopes of Monte Baldo, rural mountain hamlets, vineyards, forests and viewpoints over the lower Adige Valley.

Routes to Madonna della Corona

CAI Trail No. 73, also known as the Sentiero della Speranza, connects the valley floor with the heights of Monte Baldo and leads to the Santuario Madonna della Corona. The historic route is approximately 2.5 kilometers long. On the slope of Monte Cimo, it climbs steeply over steps of varying heights carved into the rock and leads through the rocky gorges of Val delle Pissotte. Along the way, the contrast between the vineyards of the Adige Valley covered with pergola-trained vines and the rugged rocky landscape around the Santuario becomes visible.

At Ponte del Tiglio, the staircase of Via Matris Dolorosae takes you to the foot of the Santuario. Seven devotional niches there invite visitors to pause for reflection. The paved access route behind Spiazzi ends at a gallery carved into the rock in 1922, where an image of the Virgin Mary is displayed. The originally exposed access route of Sentiero No. 73 was also used until 1922 by pilgrims coming from Spiazzi.

Pilgrimage Routes in Different Formats

If you are looking for a communal pilgrimage, the pilgrimage group “Il gruppo del sabato” offers a shared walk for prayer every Saturday of the year. The starting point is at 3 p.m. in Brentino, beneath the large chestnut tree. On the old pilgrimage route, the group tackles approximately 600 meters of elevation gain with many steps and reaches the Santuario in about an hour and a half. Participation is open to everyone, even if you only want to join for one Saturday.

A longer connection is the Cammino dei due Santuari. This long-distance religious route begins at Pieve di Chiampo and ends at the Santuario Madonna della Corona. For the most part, it uses existing trails marked by the CAI and leads through beech and fir forests, mountain meadows used as pasture, and valleys that retain an authentic and unspoiled appearance. Along the way, you can visit the typical Cimbrian hamlets of Bosco Chiesanuova, devotional artworks, wayside shrines and small chapels.

History of the Sanctuary and the Pietà

The religious history of the surrounding area dates back to the Middle Ages. According to medieval documents, hermits connected with the Abbey of San Zeno in Verona lived in the Monte Baldo area around the year 1000. By the second half of the 13th century at the latest, there was a monastery there with a chapel dedicated to Saint Mary of Montebaldo.

The stone Pietà group, later venerated as Our Lady of the Crown, is said to date from the period when the Knights Hospitaller owned the site of Santa Maria di Montebaldo. The Pietà statue is 70 centimeters high, 56 centimeters wide and 25 centimeters deep. It is made of local stone and painted. Its pedestal bears the inscription “HOC OPUS FECIT FIERI LODOVICUS D CASTROBARCO D 1432”. It is traditionally considered evidence that Lodovico Castelbarco commissioned the statue in 1432 and donated it to the Corona. At the entrance from Spiazzi, there is also a replica of the tomb in which Jesus's body was placed after his death.

Landscape and Routes in Spiazzi

Route C12 begins at Piazza Don Luigi Vezzola and leads uphill to the Croce area, the oldest historic center of Spiazzi. It runs through rural mountain hamlets, vineyards and forests in Spiazzi, Monte Croce and Stringari. After Malga Basiana, a path leads back toward Spiazzi via Dosso della Croce. Dosso della Croce is a viewpoint over the lower Adige Valley.

Another route from Spiazzi leads to the Bergola spring, considered the most important water supply source for Caprino Veronese. The range of routes thus extends from the religious history surrounding the Santuario to landscapes of forests, rocks, vineyards and mountain meadows.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to compare other places in the same selection alongside Spiazzi, you can find Stra, Monteforte D'alpone, San Zeno Di Montagna, Mezzane Di Sotto, Marano Di Valpolicella, Ronchi, Beccacivetta-Azzano and Via I Maggio Mediana Dell'industria.

To the higher-level travel overview: Verona.