Discover Valle Di Cadore

Valle Di Cadore between the valley floor, history and high-altitude trails

Valle di Cadore lies on the green valley floor at the foot of Monte Antelao. If you are looking for a place with clearly distinguishable historical sites and paths leading to higher elevations, landscape, archaeology and religious buildings come together here. The Lunga Via delle Dolomiti cycle path passes through Valle di Cadore and can be walked or cycled. It is completely closed to motorized traffic, paved and has even, manageable gradients.

Archaeological evidence and historic districts

Based on archaeological finds and votive objects of Roman and pre-Roman origin, the history of Valle di Cadore dates back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Finds from Valle di Cadore also suggest the presence of an Early Medieval necropolis dating from the late 6th to the early 7th century AD.

Four Roman-period buildings were discovered in the districts of Stean and Villa, probably to be interpreted as villas. Two buildings in Villa contained rooms with floral-decorated plaster and mosaic floors. One of these buildings included a room measuring 15 × 11 m, while the other had a room measuring 9 × 9 m; the buildings date from the 1st to the 2nd century AD.

Further evidence can be found in Rusecco and Fies. In 1910, three bronze situlae were found in Rusecco. One of them bore a Venetic inscription dedicated to Loudera, a deity equated with the Roman Libera and associated with the cycles of death and rebirth in nature. In Fies, in the higher part of the village, a stone slab with a Latin inscription from the 1st century AD was found. It testifies that Lucius Saufeius donated a schola, meaning a meeting and ceremonial room, as well as a solarium, a terrace, to an association or corporation.

Costa, San Martino and the Via Romana

Costa is a historic village where houses with distinctive Venetian features stand alongside traditional Cadore mountain houses and buildings from the first centuries AD. The historic Via Romana passes through Costa. Along the route are buildings with vaults, balconies, coats of arms and artistically designed corners.

San Martino stands on a rocky promontory above the Valle del Boite. The 18th-century Church of San Martino was built on the ruins of a castle of Roman origin and is currently closed for safety reasons. The church contains paintings by Antonio Lazzarini and an altarpiece by Francesco da Milano.

Trails to Rifugio Costapiana and the highlands

From Valle di Cadore, follow the paved road to Rifugio Costapiana, which climbs to the upper part of the village. At the marked bend with a spring and the hut sign, you can continue on foot in about two hours or by car. Rifugio Costapiana can be reached on foot, with snowshoes or on ski touring skis. Next to the rifugio stands a chapel of the same name, built and consecrated in 1508 to provide shelter for people who fled the Battle of Rusecco and took refuge in the high mountains.

From Rifugio Costapiana, there is a view of Monte Antelao and the upper Valle del Boite. S. Dionisio is an almost 2,000-meter-high hill offering a 360-degree panoramic view and can be reached on foot from Rifugio Costapiana in about one and a half hours.

Other destinations in the same destination area

For further orientation, you can also include Soccher, Perarolo di Cadore, Calalzo Di Cadore, Sospirolo, Salzen, Cibiana Di Cadore, Santo Stefano Di Cadore and Pelos Di Cadore:

For the higher-level travel overview: Belluno.