Discover what to do in Pastrengo: the pumpkin festival, a bike ride in Pastrengo, Forte Degenfeld. Want to know more? First of all…
Where is Pastrengo?
The municipality of Pastrengo borders to the north with Cavaion Veronese, to the south with Bussolengo, to the east with Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella and Pescantina, and to the west with Bardolino and Lazise.
What to do in Pastrengo? Attend the pumpkin festival
The 2024 edition of the pumpkin festival is scheduled from Thursday 5 to Monday 9 September in the hamlet of Piovezzano, in the fascinating setting of the imposing Forte Degenfeld.
On the occasion of this traditional event, the charming town lapped by the Adige River comes alive with spacious dining areas where you can choose from exquisite pumpkin-based dishes, the renowned fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family that finds ideal climatic conditions to grow lush in the fertile territory of Pastrengo, a short distance from the shores of Lake Garda.
During the event, you will have the opportunity to savor delicious recipes such as classic pumpkin risotto, pumpkin tortelli with butter and sage, pumpkin gnocchi with tomato sauce, pumpkin and gorgonzola pie, and meat and pumpkin stew, just to name a few of the dishes featured in last year’s menu.
The event program includes photographic exhibitions, drawing and creative fruit and vegetable carving courses, parades in elegant folk costumes, as well as group walks to discover the main historical and natural landmarks of the municipality.
If you are wondering what to do in Pastrengo, the pumpkin festival is an opportunity to spend the beautiful season outdoors with artistic workshops, craft markets, stalls with local agricultural products, and gastronomic excellences to enjoy in a welcoming rural town, located about 20 km from the historic center of Verona, framed to the east by the sinuous course of the Adige and to the west by the spectacular Lake Garda.
For more information about this lively folk event, you can check the Facebook page PRO LOCO Pastrengo and the website prolocopastrengo.it.
Bike ride in Pastrengo and Bussolengo
The starting point of the short itinerary is the parish church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at Via San Gaetano, 2. Leave the facade of the place of worship behind you and proceed north to the fork, then keep right and proceed for 220 meters (always keeping right) close to a hill dotted with silver olive trees, firs, and cypresses. At the intersection, turn left and proceed north for about 65 meters, then continue straight in the locality of S. Zeno, passing by the 14th-century church of San Zeno. Continue north for 750 meters along the country road that winds through cornfields, sunny vineyards, bright olive groves, and lush hedges of elms, acacias, ailanthus, and hackberries bordered by stone walls.
Keep left and continue on Via Piovezzano Vecchia. At the intersection, turn right onto Via Caduti di Pastrengo to reach Forte Degenfeld. After the visit, proceed southeast on Via Caduti di Pastrengo and Via Piovezzano Vecchia until the intersection with Via Brennero.
Turn right and follow Via Brennero and Via Due Porte for 650 meters to the roundabout, then take the first exit, cross the bridge on Via G. Marconi, and turn right onto the bike path that runs parallel to the canal of the hydroelectric plant.
Follow the bike route for just over 5 km, then cross the bridge on your right onto the municipal road Pol in Bussolengo (45.47757743968001, 10.838271710900854). At the intersection, turn right and follow Via Roma to the roundabout, take the first exit and follow Via Pastrengo for 3 km, entering the serene rural landscape dotted with vineyards and orchards surrounding charming farmhouses, then (45.48349269928265, 10.806057991107215) keep right on Via della Carica and continue on Via Morsella. At the intersection (45.491199303326404, 10.799719410805437), turn right onto Via XXX Aprile. After about 170 meters, turn right again onto Via Roma to return to Via San Gaetano.
Forte Degenfeld
An essential destination for hiking and military history enthusiasts wondering what to do in Pastrengo, Forte Degenfeld is a defensive settlement perched on top of a hill covered with black locusts, maritime pines, cedars, cypresses, pale olive trees, and many other flourishing tall plants.
Built by order of Field Marshal Josef Radetzky in the second half of the 19th century, the fortified complex was part of the defensive system built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire known as the Quadrilateral, whose vertices correspond to the cities of Peschiera del Garda (about 14 km from Pastrengo), Mantua, Legnago, and Verona.
