Holiday apartment in Vigo di Cadore: churches, forts and mountain trails

The range extends from short trails offering botanical impressions to long ascents and historic routes. This allows you to organise your days in different ways: with culture, a panoramic mountain hike, a route to First World War relics or a culinary detour to a mountain pasture.

Churches and history in Vigo di Cadore

The Chiesa di Sant'Orsola in Vigo di Cadore was built between 1313 and 1321 as a funerary chapel. The 14th-century building is recognised as a national monument. The Biblioteca storica cadorina was founded in 1892 by Professor Antonio Ronzon. In the Chiesa della Madonna della Difesa, architectural history and local memory come together: it was built between 1512 and 1515 and commissioned by the local population as a votive offering after the threat posed by the troops of Maximilian I of Habsburg had been overcome.

The Chiesa Pievanale di San Martino di Tours also reflects several construction phases. It dates from 1559 and was extended in the 18th century. The bell tower opposite also dates from 1599. The Chiesa di San Daniele already existed in 1345 and was rebuilt in 1350. The Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Bernardino da Siena was almost completely rebuilt in 1947, while its choir belongs to the original 15th-century building. In Salagona, the Chiesa di Santa Margherita has existed since 1272 and is considered the oldest surviving church in Cadore.

A seasonal highlight is the Presepio Animato di Laggio. Its history can be traced back to 1984 in the former primary school of Laggio di Cadore, and it is open during the Christmas season. The military-historical sites provide a different focus: the Appostamento militare Col Ciampon is considered an open-air museum with trenches, military installations and relics from the First World War. The Batteria di Col Pelos and the Forte di Col Piccolo were part of the Fortezza Cadore-Maè defence system. The Vallo alpino del Littorio is an underground defence system that Mussolini had built between 1939 and 1941.

Mountains, panoramic views and nature

Monte Tudaio offers a 360-degree panorama from the Alta Val Piave to the Val d'Ansiei, including the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Peralba. At its summit, at an altitude of 2,114 metres, the Italian Army Corps of Engineers built the Forte del Monte Tudaio between 1911 and 1915. The mountain landscape can also be experienced on a smaller scale: the Sentiero botanico Gabriele Larese follows a short, accessible trail past trees, shrubs and flowers.

The Malga Casera Razzo lies at an altitude of 1,800 metres and can be reached by car from Vigo di Cadore. There, cheeses are made from the milk of cattle grazing on the plateau or from milk sourced from nearby mountain pastures. Local cheeses can be tasted and purchased. In addition, the malga offers changing lunch and dinner menus, but only by reservation.

Trails for different day plans

Itinerario 004 is a 1.66-kilometre out-and-back route from Laggio to the Appostamento militare Col Ciampon. A longer option is the Altavia dei Forti dell’Oltrepiave: it starts in Piniè in Vigo di Cadore and runs for 59.83 kilometres to Passo Mauria. The ascent from Piniè to the summit of Monte Tudaio follows a military mule track of more than eight kilometres and takes around four hours.

Several destinations are located along specific approach routes. The Palestra di Roccia is a limestone climbing crag on Monte Tudaio and is about a ten-minute walk from the small car park at the barrier in Piniè. The Bivacco L. Da Rin Chiaurei can be reached from Piniè either via the CAI 339 military mule track or via the Sentiero dei Mede. The Forra di Romotoi section includes a suspension bridge, ladders and fixed ropes. From Col Ciampon, the Chiesa di San Daniele can be reached via a steep ascent of around 20 minutes.

Itinerario 071 leads from Laggio via the Sentiero botanico Gabriele Larese and Col Ciampon to the Chiesetta San Daniele. The approach includes fixed ropes and is considered not exposed. From Palù near Vigo, the Batteria di Col Pelos can be reached via a comfortable, uphill road for around one kilometre. The trench at the Batteria di Col Pelos is well preserved and accessible. The site of the Vallo alpino del Littorio near Piniè can be reached by following the signs to Forte di Monte Tudaio.

Choose a holiday apartment in Vigo di Cadore based on your travel interests

Your preferred daily schedule is therefore an important factor in choosing your location. Short cultural trails, the botanical path and the seasonal nativity display offer a different focus from the roughly four-hour ascent to Monte Tudaio or the 59.83-kilometre Altavia dei Forti dell’Oltrepiave. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Vigo di Cadore, you can plan around these different starting points and trail lengths. This leaves room for shared discoveries, active days in the mountains and a culinary stop at the Malga Casera Razzo, without limiting the trip to just one type of experience.

Other destinations for your travel planning include Castion, Canai, Campagna, Ornella, Pieve Di Cadore, Farra D'alpago, Puos Dʼalpago and San Pietro di Cadore.

To the main travel overview: Belluno.