SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA
San Martino di Castrozza
1450 meters
Born as a tourist resort in the 19th century, it still has all the liveliness and glamour of an elegant and busy 'alpine capital'. The town, in typical mountain style, preserves only traces of the old medieval monastery that used to provide lodgings for travellers and pilgrims.
It lies in a wide expanse of meadows, fully exposed to the sun and surrounded by thick conifer woods, with countless lanes and walking paths unwinding through them.
Great scenery for this prestigious resort is provided by the Pale di San Martino, one of the best known Dolomites groups
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PASSO ROLLE
Passo Rolle (1.980 meters.)
It's the mountain pass connecting San Martino di Castrozza to the other Dolomites Valley.
Dominate by the Cimon della Pala sharp needle, the pass can easily be reached from San Martino (9 km far away).
The place is the starting point of many walks and excursions, mountain bike tours and climbing activities.
PRIMIERO
650-750 meters
The broad valley lying at the foot of the Pale di San Martino is home to six lively villages: Fiera di Primiero, Siror, Tonadico, Transacqua, Mezzano and Imèr.
These are towns with the charm of century old history: Primiero used to be border territory, part of the Austrian County of Tyrol, but entertaining intense commercial and cultural exchanges with nearby Veneto.
Located along the course of two torrents, the villages are joined by wide meadows and quiet lanes where you can walk or go on a bicycle.
PRIMIERO SURROUNDINGS
1000-1400 high meter
The possibilities offered by a holiday in Primiero do not stop at villages, but include many charming places in the surroundings, where typical mountain hotels, refuges and farms offer ideal stays to nature lovers.
One of this beautiful surroundings is "Val Canali", an alpine valley of eastern Trentino. It's one of the most beautiful valleys into the Dolomites landscape. It's between 1000 and 2900 meter high meter. In "Val Canali" you can find "Castel Pietra". This is a castle that was inhabited by the family Welsperg until a fire destroyed it in '600. You can see "Villa Welsperg" too, that was built in '800 and recently renovated. In summer into Villa Welsperg you can see exhibitions about the nature and traditions of Primiero
VANOI VALLEY
700-1000 high meter
The Vanoi valley extends over a vast area of about 125 square kilometres and is mainly covered by magnificent conifers.
More than a hundred peaks are over 2000 metres and they swoop down to steep green slopes dotted with villages, extensive pastures, woods, lakes, mountain steams and rivers, alpine dairy farms and alpine huts are scattered over the entire area. The valley offers the natural beauty of the porphyry Lagorai chain of mountains as well as the solid granite peak of the Cima d’Aste. This extensive area, part of the nature park, remains unspoilt and untouched by man.
Taking a holiday in the Vanoi valley means immersing oneself in nature, where simple pleasures can be enjoyed together with healthy living and a sense of well being.
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Canal San Bovo and Lausen - m. 758
This charming, welcoming village is situated above the confluence of the mountain rivers of Vanoi and Lozen, on a sunny terrace facing green slopes dotted with houses and hay barns. It is an ideal spot for family holidays and a starting point for many interesting walks and excursions.
In past times the village was known for its cattle markets. The name of the village was also initially the name of the entire valley: “valle del sambuco”, “canale del sambuco” – elder tree valley.In more recent times the area of Lausen, where the Mount Totoga tunnel begins and the Gobber pass road forks off, has undergone rapid building development and offers important services to the entire valley.
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Caoria - m. 817
A typically alpine village that rises at the confluence of the Valsorda and Vanoi rivers where an alluvial cone lies in front of the rocky pyramid of Mount Cauriol. A good road continues up from here to the Refavaie Refuge (1110m).
The village is divided into two districts by the Valsorda river: “Caoria di fuori” (outer) and “Caoria di dentro” (inner). The church of San. Giovanni Nepomuceno (St John’s) is an example of modern architecture set into an alpine landscape.
Caoria offers many interesting excursions over rock features of different origins and nature. For mountain lovers the granite massif of Cima d’Asta and the porphyry chain of the Lagorai are very close by.
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Zortea - m. 1028
Zortea is a typical alpine village spread out over a gently sloping terrace and taking a commanding position in the Vanoi valley. To the north the ethereal Sass Maor peak rises up above the village and the encircling mountains.
To get to the village you can follow on up the road from Prade via Revedea, or west of Gobbera along the left bank of the Lozen river, crossing it at Mureri, at the junction one fork goes towards Zortea whilst the other goes on up to lake Calaita and its refuge.
The right hand banks of the Lozen river are well exposed to the sun and are rich in meadows dotted with hay barns. |
Cicona
As well as the villages of Prade and Zortea there are other small hamlets in the area: Cicona is perched up between Prade and Zortea and has an unusual microclimate which favours the cultivation of vegetables, small fruits and flowers.
Mureri and Valline are above Zortea in the Lozen valley.Berni and Battistoni are found lower on slopes above the river. |
Gobbera - m. 989
The village is on a saddle which divides Canal San Bovo from Imer di Primiero, between the rocky Mount Totoga and the southern slopes of Redasega: The road that climbs up from Canale passes through green meadows dotted with hay barns.
The small church of San Silvestro is not far from the village, an important place full of religious and local history.
Gobbera is considered to be the link between Canal San Bovo and Imer; in fact the villages were once many centuries under the same local authority or commune. |
Ronco and Cainari - m. 885
Two picturesque villages situated close together to the right of the Vanoi river on the steep slopes of Mount Remitta and “Pizzo degli Uccelli”. Further to the north, a few rural dwellings scattered over the slope, make up the locality of Ronco Costa. On meadows bordered by woods there are many characteristic “baite” or alpine dwellings. The surrounding landscape is severe, almost too wild, but not without its own particular charm. |
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