FROM VALSUGANA AND VAL BELLUNA TO THE SMALL TOWNS OF THE SERENISSIMA REPUBLIC

(Primolano - Belluno, 63 km)

The route starts at the railway station on the Trento-Bassano line, which in the summer offers a good bicycle transport service. At the first roundabout continue left, on via della Libertà, following the bicycle signage to Feltre. After roughly 700 metres, turn left again into 'Strada per Belluno' and go up the so-called 'Scale di Primolano', a defensive system first established in 1260 to guard the border between the Brenta Valley, Valsugana and the Feltre region, and further extended between 1892 and 1895. Recently restored due to its social, cultural and tourist significance, it is a noteworthy example of military archaeology. The road that goes through the 'stairs' is a challenging test for cycle tourists undertaking this route, considering that the climb of less than 3 km has an average gradient of 5.4%, far from negligible if you have just got off the train, and still need to warm up. This first test ends in Fastro (km 5), a hamlet curiously split between the municipalities of Valbrenta and Arsiè. You then continue on the thoroughfare, now called via Nazionale, mostly downhill, if ever so slightly, still guided by the bicycle signage to Feltre. At km 5.7, always immersed in a pastoral setting, you ride past the road to the hamlet of Mallame on your left, which leads to the Celado plateau, in the autonomous province of Trento. Keep riding along regional road 51 (now via Mezzavia) virtually without any traffic, then on via Dante, to the heart of Arsiè (km 8.3), the main village in the valley, known especially for the characteristic reservoir, almost a Nordic fjord, known as lake Corlo. After dutifully stopping to admire the characteristic piazza, do not continue on the high street but turn right into via Crociera to admire the baroque façade of the church of Santa Maria Assunta and the sixteenth century belfry, all that remains of the previous church after a fire (1510). At the end of the street turn left into via dei Martiri, next to the SS50bis State Road, and at the roundabout (km 9.2) take a right into the thoroughfare again, now called via I° Maggio. At km 10.6, just before the bridge on the lake, leave the main road for good and turn left, up a gentle climb, into Strada per Agana, a street with hardly any traffic that quickly reaches the hamlet of Frassenè (km 14). At the bridge on the Cismon stream we pick up the cycling signage again, and follow it to cross the heavily trafficked Grappa regional road safely through convenient underpasses. On the other side we take via Zucco until km 15, when we turn right into the tranquil via Nogarè and soon cross the SP12 Provincial Road, practically opposite the access road to the historic centre of Fonzaso. If you have some time you can admire the many patrician villas, evidence of the affluence of the area’s prominent families, and the parish church dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, embellished by noteworthy 17th century paintings and wooden sculpture. At km 15.8 leave the provincial road and turn left into via Madonna Prima, a pleasant road running along the hillside, then at km 17.4 turn left into via San Nicolò. On the right we will soon see the fifteenth-century shrine of the same name, bearing witness to the ancient Roman Via Paolina that went through here, a variant of the more famous Claudia Augusta. At km 17.8 turn left into via Tiol, a historical section of the ancient Via Paolina, then take SP12-via Nuova again, right on the threshold of Arten, in the municipality of Fonzaso. The seventeenth and eighteenth century were an era of prosperity and splendour also in Arten, evidenced by many fine mansions, such as the beautiful Villa Tonello-Zampiero. In the centre of the village, leave via Nuova and continue to the left, always on SP12, which is first called via Molini, then via Canaletto. At km 21.3, turn right into via Bojon, and after 200 metres you will reach the highest point for the day, at an elevation of 370 metres. After that, continue downhill on via Paterlacca, up to 10%, for about 1 km, past the village cemetery, then turn left into via Abissinia. You are now in Mugnai, a borough of Feltre. At km 22.6 turn left into via Canture, which first becomes via Valentine then via della Fosse, until the junction with via Farra (km 25.2), the road connecting Feltre-Pedavena and the Croce d’Aune Pass. We are now on the threshold of Feltre, and although Feltre and Pedavena are connected by a bike path nearby, along the Colmeda stream, no connecting infrastructure has been planned. Therefore, we must continue southward on via Farra for just over 200 metres on a fairly good bike path along the road, then turn left into piazza Zancanaro, right into viale Sanguinazzi and left again (km 25.7) into via Rizzarda-SS50, paying attention, until joining the Colmeda bike path at last. At km 26.3, cross a recently built bridge into via delle Tezze, turn left then right into via 31 Ottobre, a thoroughfare that leads right to the Porta Imperiale, the west gate to Feltre's old town. Once called Porta Cormeda, it was built in 1489 under the Podestà Girolamo Cappello, the chief magistrate, and renovated in 'classic' style in 1545. Go up the steep via Mezzaterra, and you will arrive in the very heart of the town, Piazza Maggiore (km 26.9), whose current layout dates back to the Renaissance. Here, you can admire the Castello di Alboino, the church of San Rocco and Sebastiano, the monumental Lombardesche fountains, some palaces and Palazzo della Regione, Town Hall, with Teatro della Sena. The route continues eastwards through the old town along via Luzzo until the fifteenth century Porta Oria – the ancient Porta Aurea – which, despite 19th century renovations, is still the finest surviving remnant of the medieval fortifications. Before going through, note on the left the town's Archaeology Museum and picture gallery, housed in the sixteenth century Palazzo Villabruna.

Leave the old town of Feltre, going slightly downhill on via Luzzo until the junction with Borgo Ruga, turn left into via Marescalchi at km 27.4, then right into via Mengotti on the two-way bike path until SS50, the Grappa State Road. Carefully cross this road with heavy traffic and continue on Via Molan, a residential street, which then becomes via Trafego, until the junction with Via Borgonuovo (km 29). Turn left and continue for about 1 km until the next junction with via Saluch, turn right and you will arrive in the small hamlet of Vellai. In the centre of the hamlet turn right into via Guanella, then left into via Borgo Santo (km 30.5), a quiet lane through wooded areas and clearings. At the next small crossroads take a left into via Calcin, then left again shortly after into via Lipoi. At km 32 continue on via Lipoi, which joins SS50 after a sharp bend right and an 800-metre downhill section. The following section on the busy state road, albeit short, is very problematic. However, work is under way to construct a bicycle and pedestrian underpass to address the problem. This is the meeting point of the two branches of the Val Belluna Loop (right and left bank of the Piave river), an itinerary designed by Fiab Belluno and recently added to the regional Green Tour network. At km 33.8, shortly after crossing the Caorame stream, leave the state road for good, turning left into via Pont. Then continue on via Sbarre, on a grass and gravel section at km 34.2, until finding tarmac again in via Pradon, just behind Piazzale Aratiba and the Busche railway station, where you will find public establishments. Until the Vaia catastrophe, there used to be a beautiful cycle/pedestrian walkway in the highest part of the Caorame stream, which meant none of the problems mentioned above existed, however the infrastructure was destroyed by the storm and never rebuilt. After a break, continue on via Pradon, constantly uphill until km 36.2; turn right into via Boschi di Pez, then after 800 metres right again into via Riva dei Paoletti and you will arrive in Pez (km 37.3), a borough of Cesiomaggiore. Continue on via Pez, which in the centre of the village takes a sharp turn left, then turn left into SP36-strada Maggiore and soon after turn right into via Col de Braghe (road sign to Anzaven), a pleasant country lane flanked by old houses, slightly uphill until km 38.9. We are now at an altitude of 327 metres a.s.l. and can enjoy the charming view. We then descend suddenly, turn right into via Sotto Anzaven, and go under the Belluno-Feltre railway line. At km 39.9 we take the bike path on the left and shortly after cross the Salmenega stream safely on the bicycle and foot bridge. You will now go under the railway tracks again, at the next junction go straight on via Salmenega, a narrow and very quiet lane, and at km 41.3 take a right into via Bivai. At km 42 turn left into via Volpere, and after just 200 metres turn right into via Pescamin, the start of a fairly convoluted section that, by staying above the SS50 State Road, allows for a more relaxed ride; the Municipality of Santa Giustina has contributed to the safety of the route by implementing a 30 km/h speed limit on the whole itinerary. After via Pescamin, continue on the left on via Sant’Osvaldo, then via Interna, and at km 42.9 you will arrive in Piazza Madonna di Settembre overlooking the state road, the very heart of the hamlet of Formegan. The backdrop is the small but noteworthy church dedicated to San Rocco, which holds large remnants of medieval frescoes. To continue, take a left into Piazza Dolomiti, turn right into via Nazionale, then immediately turn right again into via Orte. This narrow road, with hardly any traffic – first paved, then unpaved – takes you beneath the usual state road before running alongside the railway and gently leading into the municipal sports complex and the junction with via Pulliere (km 43.7). A fine bike path on the right allows you to reach quickly and safely the Santa Giustina-Cesio railway station on the Belluno-Feltre line (km 44.3). The line has been reopened recently after extensive works to improve the installations, railbed and station building. You can load your bike on the trains heading to Belluno as well as to Feltre/Padova. At this point, leave the station square after a few metres, and continue north to take Viale della Stazione on the right, a very short residential road that leads to a smallish roundabout. Now, take a markedly southward direction, turning right into via Venti Settembre, passing under the railway again, then turning left into via San Marco. At the next crossroads (km 44.9), turn left, then go straight into via del Campo, which then changes name to via del Molino. These roads are all signposted to alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians and cyclists, and nearly all enforce a 30 km/h speed limit, a simple yet effective way of improving safety.  A short way ahead, the Veses stream crossing, once a ford, has been upgraded to a well-built cycle and footbridge, making the route even more attractive. At km 45.6, we can see the old Santa Libera mill on the left, which operated between 1526 and 1980. In 2004 the complex was renovated by the Santa Giustina Municipality, and can now be visited by prior arrangement (info: tramedistoria@gmail.com). After the visit, continue on via Santa Libera, then turn right into via Piave, and on the left you will soon see the shrine dedicated to San Pietro and Santa Libera, near which recent excavations have brought to light several late-medieval tombs. Continue on the same road without any other distractions until the convenient double Gravazze underpass (km 48.5), going under the railway for cars, and under the high volume state road for cyclists and pedestrians. After the underpass, turn right into a convenient bike path, continue on the bridge over the Cordevole stream and you will arrive in Bribano, a borough in the municipality of Sedico. A little hairpin bend takes you under the state road and railway tracks again, then at km 49.5 you turn left into via Calida da Prà, right in front of the sixteenth-century Oratory of Saint Nicholas, where you can admire a precious triptych by the painter Giovanni Agostino da Lodi (1470-1515?). Continue until km 49.9, then take a slight left into via Silonghe, a quiet country road, which joins via S. Ubaldo and takes you to the hamlet of Longano, on the ancient Roman road connecting Belluno and Feltre. Turn left into via Piave, you will notice the church of Santa Lucia, built on top of a Roman watchtower overlooking the road, which holds valuable sixteenth century frescoes, some of which have been attributed to Giovanni da Mel (1480-1549). Leave the hamlet and cross the Gresal stream, continue for a few hundred metres, then turn left into via Mirapiave (km 51.4), where the road suddenly climbs up to cross the railway tracks on a viaduct, while the state road goes through a tunnel. Keep going slightly uphill until the junction with via San Felice (km 52.7), turn right, then left immediately after into via Villiago, and you will arrive in the hamlet of the same name. Here, the view is stunning: the Monti del Sole within the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park are the backdrop of our ride. The sixteenth-century church of Sant’Antonio Abate, which holds a precious altarpiece by Francesco Frigimelica (1560/70-1654), can also be spotted from the road. Always continue on via Villiago, which then becomes via del Boscon, cross via San Fermo, and continue on the left towards the state road, which we will avoid carefully, first by taking a small lane on the right, then the bike path next to the road. At km 56.3 the bike path ends, and you turn right into the woods, then after 500 metres you take an unsurfaced bike path on the left that leads to via Salce, a pleasant street leading to the hamlet of the same name. This is the highest point on the route, 423 metres a.s.l., after exactly 58.3 km. From here you start descending again, and go over Col di Salce, where you should stop to admire the fourteen-century church of San Bartolomeo, which holds, among other works, a fine wooden statue of Our Lady of Sorrows by Valentino Panciera Besarel. After that, take a street of the same name and a new bike path, which first descends toward the state road, then runs alongside it in the direction of Belluno. We are on the threshold of the town; unfortunately, the bike path, which runs on via Prade first, then on via Feltre, clearly needs improvement in some sections, while in others it is altogether absent. At the roundabout, go straight on via Cavour, then turn left on via Dante at the traffic lights. The railway station is right opposite.