Malga San Giovanni al Monte, Mountain hut and restaurant in Arco, Italy
Malga San Giovanni al Monte is a mountain hut with a restaurant in Arco, in the Trentino region, sitting at around 3,300 feet (1,000 m) above sea level. It has outdoor seating, a small playground, and a kitchen serving traditional mountain dishes.
The land around the hut was used for centuries as summer pasture, and the nearby hamlets of San Giovanni and Semonte grew up to house the herders and their families. Over time, the old stone houses became holiday homes, while the hut kept its role as a stopping point.
The hut sits near the old hamlets of San Giovanni and Semonte, where people once brought their flocks up for summer grazing. Today, hikers and cyclists stop at the outdoor tables to eat simple mountain food in the shade of the trees.
The hut can be reached on foot or by bike along a forest road from Arco, and a basic parking area is available nearby for those arriving by car. Some sections of the path are unpaved, so sturdy footwear is a good idea if you are walking.
The narrow lanes of the hamlet of San Giovanni, which you pass through on the way to the hut, look too tight for a car to fit through, yet they are actually drivable. Many visitors only notice these old stone houses packed closely along the hillside on their way back down.
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