Via Claudia | Hiking with luggage transport

Basic information about the Via Claudia Augusta

From the port of Altinum near Venice on the Adriatic Sea in northern Italy or Hostilla, a river port on the Po south of Verona, the former trade route led over the Alps to Augsburg and on to the Burghöfe fort near the Danube. The reason for the expansion of this route at that time was to connect Aquileia on the Mediterranean with the northern Roman Empire and the Danube. The former four to eight-metre-wide gravel route was used to transmit messages, goods or to transport people. Today, hiking enthusiasts enjoy the beauty of the natural landscapes and cultural highlights along the 600-kilometre long-distance hiking trail from Italy via South Tyrol and Tyrol to the Allgäu in Bavaria.

Read more about hiking and the special highlights along the Via Claudia Augusta on our travel report employees on Tour: Via Claudia Augusta.

Hiker on the Algunder Waalweg between vines, with a view of Tyrol Castle

The most beautiful tours and stages on the Via Claudia Augusta

Lake Reschensee – Lake Kalterer-See

On our hiking tour Lake Reschensee – Lake Kalterer-See, 9 days and the hiking tour Lake Reschensee – Lake Kalterer-See with Charm, 9 days you will experience the Via Claudia Augusta in South Tyrol and explore the beautiful regions of Vinschgau and along the South Tyrolean Wine Route in seven daily stages. You start your journey with a hike along the Reschensee and on to Burgeis/Mals. The second day’s stage takes you along the Sonnensteig to Schluderns. On the fourth day to the wonderful orchards of the Vinschgau to Schlanders and the following day to Naturns. The very next day we go to the beautiful spa town of Merano, wonderfully embedded in a dreamlike Alpine backdrop. After a restful night, the hiking route on the Marlinger Waalweg leads first to the apple metropolis Lana and finally to Nals. On wonderful high-altitude trails with a fantastic view over the Adige Valley, you hike to the final stage destination, the beautiful Lake Kaltern.

Two hikers on the shore of Lake Reschen marvel at the sunken church tower

From Lake Resia to Lake Caldaro

9 Days

21 ratings

Panoramic view of Lake Kaltern with the sunken church tower

From Lake Resia to Lake Caldaro with Charm

9 Days

17 ratings

View of Lake Kaltern between reddish-coloured leaves

Hiking trail in the Thousand Steps Gorge

View over a wooden fence of the steep mountain meadows into the valley and the mountains in the background

Hikers in the Silbergasse of Glurns with a view of the town's historic fortifications

Lake Reschensee – Meran

The hiking tour Lake Reschensee – Meran, 7 days, as well as the hiking tour Lake Reschensee – Meran with Charm, 7 days takes you over seven days and five stages on good hiking trails along the Via Claudia through the beautiful landscape of South Tyrol. The starting point of your active holiday is Reschen. A special highlight awaits you on the first stage of the day – a popular photo opportunity in Vinschgau, the Reschensee with its sunken church tower. Your hike takes you to the mountain village of Planeil and back down to the day’s stage destination Burgeis. The next day you march along the Sonnensteig, explore the area high above Mals and hike on to Schluderns. The following stages lead first to the wonderful fruit-growing regions around Silandro and finally further to the wine regions of Naturno. On the final stage of your holiday, you will hike from Naturns to Merano and end your hiking holiday with a good dinner in the spa town.

Our tip: Our active tours can also be booked as a hiking holiday with your dog.

Hiker marvels at the vineyards of the wide Etsch Valley

From Lake Resia to Merano

7 Days

28 ratings

From Lake Resia to Merano with Charm

7 Days

13 ratings

Two female hikers in the middle of a vineyard with hanging red grapes

From Lake Garda to Venice

Our hiking tour from Lake Garda to Venice, 8 days and the hiking tour Lake Garda to Venice with Charm, 8 days guarantee a unique and beautiful active experience in Italy right from the start. In the beautiful city of Riva del Garda you start your hiking tour with a leisurely stroll through the old town and immerse yourself in the typical Italian flair from the first moment. The first day’s stage takes you to the small town of Pietramurata. The next day you will experience another wonderful hike in the ‘Valley of the Lakes’, trek to the Lago di Terlago and enjoy wonderful views of the Adige Valley and the impressive Dolomites on the descent to Trento. The next day you embark on a historical hike along the Via Claudia Augusta, which will take you to Lake Levico and to the day’s stage destination Levico Therma. The next stages continue to Borgo Valsugana and Bassano del Grappa. You reach the crowning conclusion on the last day of your holiday – the lagoon region of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Venice. These hiking holidays are also an unforgettable experience as a hiking holiday with a dog.

From Lake Garda to Venice

8 Days

7 ratings

From Lake Garda to Venice with Charm

8 Days

6 ratings

View over several Venetian gondolas to the church of Santa Maria della Salute

Our Eurohike moments on the Via Claudia Augusta

Special photo stop: Right at the beginning of your hiking tour Lake Reschensee – Lake Kalterer-See, 9 days you hike along the Reschensee with lots of opportunities to take great pictures of the former church tower in the lake – a particularly well-known sight in Vinschgau.
Art experience in nature: A special highlight awaits art lovers and nature enthusiasts on the fifth day of the hiking tour Lake Garda – Venice, 8 days. On the hike to Borgo Valsugana you can marvel at the Arte Sella open air art exhibition.

Wine enjoyment in Vinschgau: On the fifth day of your hiking tour Lake Reschensee – Meran, 7 days you will march from Schlanders to Naturns and explore the vineyards of the best grapes in South Tyrol. In any case, there should be time for a short hiking break including wine tasting.
Tasting for foodies: On our hiking tour Lake Garda – Venice, 8 days try a wonderful tasting of Italian grappa – either in the famous Bassano del Grappa or as an end to your tour in the lagoon city of Venice.

The route of the Via Claudia Augusta

On the foot in the footsteps of the Romans

Our Eurohike hiking tours in Germany, Austria and Italy always provide plenty of healthy time out in nature and a well-deserved break from everyday life. However, our hiking tours along the Via Claudia Augusta promise a special experience. Here you can follow in the footsteps of the Romans and experience an exciting history, wonderful natural landscapes, beautiful cities, regional delicacies and imposing cultural sights along the route. A consistently attractive route guidance is our top priority at Eurohike. So you always hike on good, paved paths, gravel roads and sometimes forests and ‘Waalwege’, all of which can be mastered with a good basic level of fitness.

A typical narrow path in a vineyard that runs along a small stream

Facts and details about the Via Claudia Augusta

The most important facts and details about the cross-border long-distance hiking trail Via Claudia Augusta can be found here at a glance:

Location/route: Bavaria – Tyrol/South Tyrol – Northern Italy
Length: approx. 600 hiking kilometres
Season: The best climate for hiking holidays is from April to October
Highest point: 1,513 metres above sea level
Lowest point: 1 metre above sea level
Trail marking: Most of the route is well signposted, with our route book (see Eurohike travel documents) you are definitely always on the right track
Special feature: to this day you can experience a lot of history and culture along the Via Claudia. And what better way to experience this than on food, as it was in the Roman times

Hikers arriving in the centre of Riva del Garda

Questions and answers about hiking on the Via Claudia Augusta

Where is the Via Claudia Augusta located?

The Via Claudia Augusta extends over the three countries: Italy (South Tyrol/Northern Italy), Austria (Tyrol) and Germany (Bavaria).

How long is the Via Claudia Augusta?

The Via Claudia Augusta is around 600 kilometres long.

Who is hiking on the Via Claudia Augusta suitable for?

The Eurohike hiking tours along the Via Claudia Augusta fall under our category "walking". The route leads over good hiking paths and the daily stages can be mastered wonderfully with a good basic level of fitness.

What special highlights can be found along the Via Claudia Augusta?

A highlight on our hiking holiday Lake Reschensee – Lake Kalterer-See, 9 days, is the sunken church in the middle of the lake. In general, there are plenty of culinary delights to discover on our hiking tours along the Via Claudia Augusta: from the wonderful types of South Tyrolean wine or the typical specialties of the region - enjoyment is guaranteed not to be neglected on the hiking routes along the Via Claudia Augusta.

How long are the daily stages on the Via Claudia Augusta?

On the daily stages of our hiking tours along the Via Claudia Augusta, you cover between 10 and 22 kilometres of hiking per day, depending on the hiking tour. Note: The daily stages can usually be shortened by train or bus.

How is the route/stages on the Via Claudia Augusta?

The routes of our hiking tours along the Via Claudia Augusta differ depending on the tour - here is a brief overview:

Hiking holiday from Lake Garda to Venice, 8 days and hiking holiday from Lake Garda to Venice with Charm, 8 days: On these hiking tours the route takes you from Riva del Garda through the small town of Pietramurata to Trento, Levico Terme, Borgo Valsugana, and on to Bassano del Grappa and finally to your final destination of Venice.
Hiking holiday from Lake Reschensee to Meran, 7 days and hiking holiday from Lake Reschensee to Meran with Charm, 7 days: Over seven days and five hiking stages you hike from Reschen to Burgeis/Mals, Schluderns, Schlanders, on to Naturns and end your successful active holiday in South Tyrol in the Spa town of Merano.
Hiking holiday Lake Reschensee – Lake Kalterer-See, 9 days and hiking holiday Lake Reschensee – Lake Kalterer-See with Charm, 9 days: The route of this nine-day hiking tour leads you from Reschen to Burgeis/Mals, to Schluderns and on to Schlanders. On the fifth day you hike to Naturns and on the next stage to the spa town of Merano. The last two hiking tours take you to Nals and finally to Lake Caldaro.

When can you hike the Via Claudia Augusta?

The best time to travel for a hiking tour along the Via Claudia Augusta is from April/May to October.

In which hotels/accommodation do you stay overnight while hiking along the Via Claudia Augusta?

On our hiking tours on the Via Claudia Augusta you will spend the night in cosy hotels and accommodation. On our walking tours with charm, you can enjoy that certain extra comfort and spend the night in selected hotels with charm.