Across the Prealps and Hills of Prosecco

Over the course of 9 days we walk from the attractive town of Belluno, at the foot of Bellunes Dolomites, across the Prealps and through the hills found between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano that demarcate the traditional Prosecco wine producing area. While the region of Veneto is mostly associated with its world-famous cities such as Venice and Verona, or its natural wonders such as the Dolomites and Lake Garda, there are countless other gems waiting to be discovered, which is exactly what this trip proposes to do. 

The Bellunes Prealps (a subdivision of the Venetian Prealps) constitute a relatively long mountain range located directly north of Venice that emerges abruptly from the Padan Plain as a large ripple proceeding the massive waves that are the Dolomites and Alps. The range (essentially a long narrow ridge) runs roughly from the northeast to the southwest at an altitude often above 1500m (where pastures and meadows abound) and acts as an extraordinary natural balcony from which, while we walk, to enjoy unobstructed views of the Dolomites to the north and the cities of the Padan Plain to the south, including Venice (if the conditions allow for it)! 

After crossing the Prealps we arrive at the heart of the Prosecco wine producing area, which has just been added to the UNESCO’s world heritage list owing to its traditional viticulture landscape resulting from the interaction of nature and people over several centuries. It is by no means necessary to be a passionate drinker of Prosecco (if you are, all the better!) to enjoy walking through this remarkably unique chequerboard landscape characterised by ‘hogback’ hills, ciglioni – small plots of vines on narrow grassy terraces – forests, small villages and farmland.

Towards the end of the trip we also take the time to explore one of the better known Palladian villas, before continuing on foot along the top of ridge to the charming town of Asolo.

While this trip doesn’t quite fit the bill of being a continuous walking journey, it comes fairly close, and driving is kept to a bare minimum. The walking is generally along good paths and/or tracks so that it is often possible to enjoy the views while walking. We stay in just three lovely hotels, each very different from the next, with four nights spent in an extremely picturesque village during the central part of the trip.

KEY INFORMATION

The fitness level for all trips is classified according to the average distance and elevation gain of the walks offered, with fitness levels ranging from 1-5, see here for more details.