Wild swim in 9 metre pools inside the astico gorge

About

One of the strongest wild swimming landscapes near Vicenza: deep natural pools, limestone canyon, icy mountain water and a riverside trail enclosed by the Prealps. The literary connection is unusually precise too, you can stand beside the same gorge Fogazzaro described in Daniele Cortis.

SWIM + WALK

Cross the stone bridge for access to the natural pools and small river beaches. The trail continues beside the canyon towards the hydroelectric plant, with repeated views down into the Astico. Contrà Pria als o lies on the Upper Astico Valley cycle route, so cycling in is possible. The river is torrent fed, so depth, current and access change after rain. The 8 to 9 metre figure refers to the deepest pools, not the entire swimming area. In summer Pria Park adds seasonal food and visitor services near the river. The gorge itself is accessible throughout the year.

THE STORY

Around 40 km north of Vicenza, below the mountain town of Arsiero, the Astico river cuts into the limestone of the Vicentine Prealps. Cross the old stone bridge at Contrà Pria and the valley suddenly tightens into rock, with clear water filling deep basins between polished walls and small river beaches. Some of the natural pools reach 8 to 9 metres deep.

This is a real wild swimming spot, and a cold one. Even in summer the water reaches only around 13 to 14°C. Beneath the surface live trout and grayling, while a footpath follows the gorge beside the river, so the place is worth the drive outside swimming season too.

There is also an unexpectedly serious literary reason to know this stretch of water. Antonio Fogazzaro wrote the Pria gorge directly into his 1885 novel Daniele Cortis, describing its enclosed green water, rocks and foaming river. Fogazzaro, born in Vicenza, was nominated repeatedly for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and Daniele Cortis was specifically named among the works supporting his 1901 nomination.