The territory of Belluno includes most of the mountain groups of the Dolomites, amounting to about 70 per cent of the most famous mountains in north-eastern Italy: an immense natural heritage that the whole world envies us. To preserve an area of special environmental interest within this area, the Belluno Dolomites National Park was established in 1990.
We are in the south-eastern part of the Dolomites: the heights range from gentle reliefs to peaks of over 2,000 metres, the environments range from the meadows of the valley floor to vertiginous rock faces, passing through meadows, woods and forests. There are few inhabited centres: here man is still the host, it is nature that triumphs.
The Belluno Dolomites are the ideal destination for anyone who feels the need for a breath of fresh air and regenerating activities such as walking, cycling, climbing or horse riding.
The stars of mountain tourism in the Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige regions, such as Cortina d’Ampezzo or the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, are a short distance away and can be easily reached on a day trip. But there is no need to travel far to find dreamy spots: every valley in the Belluno Dolomites leads to enchanting places, works of art modelled by nature over the centuries.
When we speak of the Belluno Dolomites, what exactly are we referring to?
It seems like a banal question, but in fact there is a risk of confusion because sometimes this term is used to generically indicate all the mountains that fall within the territory of the province of Belluno and other times, more correctly, the mountains that fall within the territory of the national park.
Let’s try to provide some clarity.
The territory of the Belluno Dolomites National Park covers an area of about 32,000 hectares in the central-southern area of the province of Belluno between the Cismon Valley to the west, the Piave Valley to the east, and the Maè Basin and Basso Agordino to the north.
The mountain groups that fall within the park’s territory are the Feltrine Alps, Pizzon-Feruch-Monti del Sole, Schiara-Pelf and Talvena. The highest peak is Mount Schiara, 2565 metres.
There are 15 municipalities in the province of Belluno that fall within the national park territory, namely: Belluno, Cesiomaggiore, Feltre, Gosaldo, La Valle Agordina, Longarone, Pedavena, Ponte nelle Alpi, Rivamonte Agordino, San Gregorio nelle Alpi, Santa Giustina, Sedico, Sospirolo, Sovramonte and Val di Zoldo.
In turn, the park municipalities are part of 5 mountain unions: Agordina, Belluno Ponte nelle Alpi, Cadore-Longaronese-Zoldo, Feltrina and Valbelluna.
Some very attractive localities such as Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Alleghe, Auronzo di Cadore and Lake Misurina are often included in the lists of what to see in the Belluno Dolomites, but they are not part of the national park (in some cases, for example in the case of Cortina or the Tre Cime, they fall within the territory of other protected areas). We have dedicated specific in-depth pages to these localities.
The park territory includes medium and high mountain environments, very different from each other, which lend themselves as locations for all the open-air activities typical of mountain tourism. Here are the most popular ones.
The Parco delle Dolomiti Bellunesi is a true paradise for those who love walking. Criss-crossed by a dense network of paths and trekking routes immersed in greenery, the park offers something for everyone.
You can start off slowly with the ‘Due passi alle porte del Parco‘ (A stone’s throw from the park gates) trails, short circular routes in the valley bottom perfect for those who just want to stretch their legs, or with the ‘Sentieri Natura‘ (Nature Trails), other short routes in low and medium mountain areas.
For those with a specific interest, there are themed trails: of varying length, with levels ranging from tourist to expert hiker, they allow you to explore aspects such as the morphology of the area, archaeology, military routes, forest vegetation, small churches in the foothills and others.
In addition to the routes created by the park authority, it is also possible to walk on more than 200 km of paths managed by the CAI-Club Alpino Italiano: there are no less than 52 paths and 5 via ferratas of the CAI (Italian Alpine Club) that wind through the Belluno Dolomites.
Finally, the Belluno Dolomites also offer the opportunity to engage in touring mountain holidays, thanks to the two high routes that cross the national park.
The Alta Via delle Dolomiti No. 1 is a demanding trekking route of about 125 km and 7,300 metres in altitude difference, divided into 12 stages. The starting point is the famous Braies Lake in the province of Bolzano, the arrival is in Belluno.
Slightly shorter, but still recommended for well-trained hikers, is the Alta Via delle Dolomiti No. 3: about 100 km in eight stages to reach Longarone starting from Villabassa-Niederdorf (also in this case the start is in Trentino-Alto Adige). There are numerous variants for experienced hikers.
Some important pages of Italian mountaineering history have been written on the rock faces of the Belluno Dolomites. It is a living tradition, which continues thanks to the passion of locals and tourists eager to test themselves on crags and vertical walls of epic appeal.
Most of the climbs and via ferratas in the Belluno Dolomites are reserved for experts, in some cases due to the technical difficulties, in other cases due to the long approach times that could exhaust untrained climbers.
It is therefore advisable to inform yourself well about the difficulty of the route you intend to undertake, to avoid finding yourself facing a climb or ferrata beyond your physical capabilities.
Cycling within the Belluno Dolomites Park is permitted, but some simple rules must be observed. On state, provincial and municipal roads it is possible to cycle without any restrictions, on forestry-pastoral roads cycling is generally permitted (with a few exceptions), while on paths it is forbidden.
Despite the bans, there is no lack of opportunities to enjoy the magnificent mountain landscape of the Belluno Dolomites on a bicycle.
There are 11 mtb routes suggested by the park authority, some of which wind entirely within the park territory, others begin or end outside the park.
The province of Belluno is home to some of the most famous ski resorts in the Dolomites, such as the Civetta Superski, the Cadore-Auronzo-Misurina ski area and, of course, the famous slopes of Cortina. None of these, however, are part of the Belluno Dolomites.
This does not mean that skiing is not a popular activity in the 15 municipalities of the park. On the contrary, one could say that it is at home!
In the municipality of Gosaldo, for example, there is the Forcella Aurine ski area, with easy slopes and two cross-country skiing rings; in the Feltrino area you can ski on Mount Avena, with slopes of various levels.
Within the Dolomiti Bellunesi park, it is also possible to go horse riding, but only in certain delimited areas (known as zones C and D) and on the forest roads in the other zones (with some exceptions).
There are three horse riding routes created by the park authority
What are the best places to stay in the Belluno Dolomites in winter? Are they also suitable for a summer holiday? Are there interesting museums or monuments to break up outdoor activities with a cultural visit?
Here is a mini-guide to the attractions not to be missed in the Belluno Dolomites park.
Val di Zoldo is the main centre of the valley of the same name, furrowed by the Maè stream and lying between Lake Pontesei and the foot of the Civetta and Pelmo mountains.
Created from the union of two municipalities, Forno di Zoldo and Zoldo Alto, this municipality is the best location in the Belluno Dolomites where to spend a skiing week. The best known hamlet within the municipal territory is in fact Pècol: this is the village closest to the SkiCivetta, one of Italy’s most important ski resorts.
Although famous for skiing, Val di Zoldo is also perfect for a summer holiday. Thanks to the lifts operating in the warm season, you can reach the high altitude trails quickly and effortlessly. If, on the other hand, fatigue doesn’t frighten you, you can try your hand at more demanding day hikes or walk theAnello del Zoldano, a six-stage trekking route.
An ideal base for those who want a comfortable mountain holiday, with all services at hand, is the town of Feltre.
Immersed in the magnificent natural landscape of the Belluno Dolomites, Feltre is an easy town to reach, both by car and public transport, and offers numerous opportunities for splendid excursions in the vicinity. The jewels of the Feltre Alps are Mount Alvis and Mount Pavione.
The historic centre is lovely, rich in characteristic views, museums and monuments. Feltre is also a lively town, with a busy programme of sports competitions and other events throughout the year.
The historical capital of Cadore, the historical region of Veneto in the Upper Piave River famous for the bloody events of World War II, Pieve di Cadore is one of the most important administrative, commercial and cultural centres in the area.
This pretty town is rich in historical and cultural attractions and is known for being the birthplace of Titian Vecellio, one of the most famous exponents of Venetian painting. The house where the famous artist was born and the Eyewear Museum, dedicated to the history of one of the area’s main economic activities, are well worth a visit.
Due to its location, Pieve di Cadore is an ideal gateway to the Belluno Dolomites Park and a good base for a comfortable mountain holiday.
Excursions of all levels depart from the hamlets close to the centre: among the most interesting are the Alta Via di Tiziano (Titian’s High Route), which connects the town to the Val Pusteria in Trentino, and theAlta Via di Grohmann (Grohmann’s High Route), which reaches San Candido.
A special place to get to know the wilder Dolomites, little beaten by mass tourism, are the Monti del Sole (Sun Mountains): a slice of the Dolomites enclosed between the Valle del Mis, on the border with Trentino, and the Val Cordevole, a narrow valley that connects the lower Belluno area and the Agordino.
We are a short distance from the city of Belluno, but urbanisation is already a distant memory. Little trodden and not always perfectly signposted like the trekking itineraries of the more touristy areas, the paths of the Monti del Sole offer landscapes of uncontaminated nature, suitable for those who want a total immersion in the green… but beware, because they are almost always routes suitable for experienced hikers.
If you dream of a return to a simple mountain, free of touristy frills, and are familiar with medium to difficult trails, this is the area for you.
What could be nicer than drinking a cold mug of beer after a good walk, a bike ride or a day on the ski slopes? If you feel the same way, treat yourself to a stop at the Pedavena brewery, the historic brewery in the Belluno area.
The Pedavena brewery was inaugurated in 1897 and already the following year was equipped with a small tasting room; in 1937 it was expanded with new spaces to accommodate an ever-increasing number of visitors.
Today it is one of the largest breweries in Italy: its rooms are reminiscent of the festive and convivial atmosphere of German beer gardens, but Pedavena remains an all-Italian brand, of which the locals are justifiably proud. Stop by for a guided tour of the brewery and while you’re there, extend your stop with a dinner of mountain dishes.
There is another good reason to come to the area: from the brewery starts an interesting mountain bike route of about 39 km that leads to the Dal Piaz hut on the Vette Feltrine peaks.
The accommodation facilities inside the park are the ideal solution for those who want to spend their holiday totally immersed in mountain tranquillity.
The proposals are varied, ranging from the cheapest and most spartan solutions, such as huts and hostels, to more comfortable ones such as hotels, b&b’s and flats.
For a luxury hotel, perhaps with a spa, or for other exclusive facilities such as a charming alpine chalet, you will have to look outside the protected area, with little urbanisation. You only have to travel a few kilometres to find resorts with a wide choice of accommodation.
The Belluno mountains are well connected to the rest of the Veneto region and the neighbouring Trentino-Alto Adige region. Getting there is easy both by car and by train or bus: let’s see how.
The main gateway to the Belluno Dolomites is naturally the city of Belluno, but it is not necessarily convenient for you to pass through here: depending on your final destination, it may be more convenient to pass through Feltre.
The two towns are easily reached by motorway, the A27 Venezia-Belluno in the first case and the A31 Val d’Astico in the second
A31 Val d’Astico in the second. Once in the Belluno area, the main holiday resorts can be reached by taking one of the main arterial roads: state road 50, state road 47 (better known as the Val Sugana motorway) and state road 51 (Alemagna).
In the national park territory, the road network is considerably reduced: the main arterial roads are two provincial roads, the SS2 Valle del Mis and the SS203 Agordina.
Not much changes for those who want to reach the Belluno Dolomites by public transport rather than by car: here, too, the reference towns are Belluno and Feltre. Both can be reached by regional trains on the Padova-Feltre-Belluno-Calalzo line, and Belluno is also served by direct trains to Venice and Treviso.
From Feltre and Belluno it is possible to reach all the main holiday resorts by bus with the local company Dolomitibus; there is also a direct bus connection to/from Venice and Treviso airports. Please check the timetables before departure as some journeys are only seasonal.
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