In July, Verona easily reaches 35°C. Tourists shelter under the arcades of Via Mazzini. The locals, on the other hand, vanish. You'll find them in Lessinia, on the plateau rising behind the city, where the air smells of cut hay and cows roam freely across the pastures. Lessinia in summer is not a discovery: it is the best-kept secret of the Veronese. And this year, it's more worth the trip than ever.
Why Lessinia changes everything in summer (and it's not just about the temperature)
The short answer: in Bosco Chiesanuova, the main village on the plateau, you are travelling at over 1,000 metres above sea level. While the old town of Verona gasps under the heat, temperatures here stay between 16°C and 22°C even on the hottest days. But that's not all. Lessinia transforms in summer: the malghe reopen, the mountain refuges put tables outside, the trails fill with wildflowers. The high-altitude green pastures — which in winter become cross-country ski runs — return to being corridors of medicinal herbs and dwarf junipers. Those who come expecting a winter mountain quickly realise they had the season wrong. In the best possible sense.
Summer Lessinia is also more accessible: the trails of the Parco Naturale Regionale can be walked without any alpine experience. Children, the elderly, families — every type of visitor finds a suitable option. No crampons needed. Just hiking boots, a windproof jacket, and the desire to switch off.
Camminaparco 2026: free guided hikes (yes, free) in the heart of the park
If you want to experience Lessinia without organising everything yourself, the answer is Camminaparco. The Parco Naturale Regionale della Lessinia has launched the new edition of Camminaparco 2026, a programme of summer and autumn guided hikes designed to showcase the territory and make the mountains accessible to everyone, including people with limited mobility.
The programme includes ten guided hikes across the municipalities of the Parco della Lessinia. The outings take in malghe, abandoned hamlets, forests and Great War historical sites. Also featured are more classic routes, such as the hike dedicated to the "Bramito dei cervi della Lessinia" — the evocative call of male deer during the rutting season — and "Descargar Montagna", which celebrates the return of the herds from the high pastures. These are events a tourist would never find alone, not even with a Google search.
The most significant new addition for summer 2026 is the Settimana Inclusiva: scheduled from 21 to 25 September 2026, it brings together experiences already underway and aims to promote accessible facilities and trails. It includes visits to accessible museums, hikes with joëlette chairs for people with reduced mobility, and hands-on activities.
Practical tip: for guided hikes in the upper Lessinia (Erbezzo area), meeting point is at 9.30; the cost is 15 euros for adults and teenagers, 8 euros for children aged 6 to 13. Booking is required.
What to do in Lessinia in summer: trails, malghe and a museum in a cave
For those who prefer to walk independently, the plateau offers routes for every level. Recommended itineraries include: the route from Passo Fittanze to Malga Lessinia (12.5 km, 300 metres elevation gain), the loop through the high malghe between Erbezzo and Ala (8 km, 300 metres elevation gain), and from Malga Lessinia to Rifugio Podestaria (14 km, 480 metres elevation gain). The first is perfect for a half-day; the other two call for an early morning start.
You can't go wrong at the table: the malghe open in summer serve fresh cheeses, gnocchi sbatui (literally "beaten" in malga butter), carne salà with beans, and Monte Veronese DOP — the cheese of Lessinia that Veronese restaurants feature on their menus as if it came from far away, when in fact it is made just 20 km from the city.
The most unexpected chapter of a summer in Lessinia is geological. Bolca is renowned worldwide for its prestigious fossils from the Tertiary Era — Middle Eocene, around 50 million years ago — unearthed at various sites across the territory. The museum holds a rich collection of fossils from a tropical marine environment found at the nearby fossil deposit known as the "Pesciara di Bolca", considered the most important in the world for Tertiary Era fish fossils. It is possible to complete the museum visit with a trip to the "Pesciara" (by appointment), a tunnel quarry located not far from the museum where the rock strata containing the fossils are extracted. ⚠️ Note: the museum is temporarily closed for maintenance work from 1 November 2025 until further notice; however, a temporary exhibition featuring previously unpublished specimens from the Cerato family collection is on display in the adjacent area. Check the official website museodeifossili.it before setting off.
How to reach Lessinia from Verona: journey times and practical tips
The plateau of the Monti Lessini lies half an hour from Verona — in practice, the drive from Piazza Bra to Bosco Chiesanuova takes around 40 minutes along the provincial road that climbs from Grezzana. There are no motorways or tolls: you drive through Valpolicella vineyards and beech forests, and you climb. Verona's ZTL has nothing to do with it: Lessinia is outside the restricted zone, and parking is stress-free.
Setting off early makes a real difference. The car parks in Bosco Chiesanuova fill up on July and August weekends by around 10. Those who arrive at 8.30 find silence, low mist that burns off within an hour, and the malghe lighting the fire for morning coffee. It's an entirely different experience.
During July and August, the CAI of Bosco Chiesanuova organises hikes in the surroundings of Bosco Chiesanuova every Thursday (9 and 16 July, 6 August 2026). The programme is designed for every fitness level: from easy walks for those who simply want to immerse themselves in the quiet of the woods, to more demanding ascents.
One last thing the locals know but never share: the Festival di Bosco Chiesanuova returns at the end of June. Nestled in the heart of Lessinia, at around 1,000 metres above sea level, the event from 26 to 28 June 2026 offers three days of fresh air, genuine flavours and shared moments for the whole family. It is the easiest way to experience Lessinia without any planning: you eat, drink malga wine, and listen to music with the mountains as your backdrop.
If the day before — or the day after — you sleep in Verona, you're perfectly placed. The Verona Stay has apartments in the historic centre of Verona, close to the Arena and the Teatro Ristori: just a few minutes' walk from the car parks, the station, and the road up to Lessinia. The mountains are right there above — you just have to get up early.