The best mountain hikes around Campolongo Sul Brenta

Grappa peak with a 360° view

The question is: why is this place worth visiting? The answer is only one: because the landscape is wonderful, because there is a spectacular view, because it is a site of historical importance, because in this place emotions and thoughts are unleashed. Getting there by the route I took is not difficult or dangerous and with the snow it is a spectacle. Good legs and in a few hours you can get there.

The Pierino Dalla Zuanna Trail (PDZ — dedicated to a mountaineer who died in a mountain accident) climbs the angular side of Monte Pubel, often climbing between rocks, with some short wooded and flat sections where you can catch your breath. Shortly after the Bivio delle Strade Militari (660 m), a second fork forces you to make a choice: on the right, you head for the equipped section; while on the left, you follow the 'quiet' variant, but not without steep sections, recommended on the way back. The equipped route is officially EEA: it is not difficult (the most experienced can even do without a harness); obviously, it requires attention and a sure step. The two variants join at the Panchina del Generale, located in an overhanging pulpit, with a stunning view of the Canale del Brenta! From there, in 10 minutes you reach the Croce di S. Francesco, on the top of Monte Pubel. Excellently maintained, marked and equipped trail; exposed to the sun and therefore muggy in summer.

The Bassano refuge is located on the top of Monte Grappa, at 1,750 meters above sea level, and is the only refreshment point near the Sacrario. The structure offers a panoramic view that ranges from the Veneto plain to the Dolomites and offers typical dishes of Venetian cuisine, such as pappardelle with wild boar and gnocchi with mountain cheeses. The refuge is a resting place for hikers and cyclists, and is open all year round, with closures on Mondays and Tuesdays during the winter. Monte Grappa is known for its historical and natural importance. An ideal destination for mountain and history lovers, it offers a 360-degree view and numerous trails, as well as being a point of reference for the memory of the world wars. The summit is accessible via trails, asphalt roads and cycle paths.

If you cycle up Monte Grappa, you should not miss a visit to the "Ossarium", a monumental memorial to the soldiers who died here in the senseless trench warfare during the First World War. The road up Monte Grappa ends at a large car park at Rifugio Bassano. From here, it is only a long flight of stairs to the Ossarium and then you can admire the extensive Ossarium and enjoy the overwhelming view. On my first visit, I pushed my racing bike up the stairs because I didn't have a lock with me. On my second visit with my friend, we locked the bikes in the car park and climbed up.

A truly suggestive place that produces thoughts, it is worth the climb both on asphalt and on the path

The top of Mount Colombera offers breathtaking views of the Grappa Massif and the plain below. Along the paths that lead to the top, you can find historical evidence of the First World War, which make Mount Colombera not only a natural attraction, but also a place of memory and reflection.

One of the most important shrines of the First World War stands at the top of Monte Grappa and has been given a new profile with a grandiloquent architectural intervention, ordained in the Fascist era, under General Ugo Cei's Special Commissioner, to bring the funerals together of an enormous number of fallen soldiers from the Great War, who until then were located at various points of the massif. The Military Sanctuary, designed by the architect Giovanni Greppi, in collaboration with the sculptor Giannino Castiglioni, and built between 1932 and 1935, consists of a series of semicircular steps, which develop on the slope, from Strada Cadorna to the top, and take advantage of the natural slope of the land. Knowing more? Click through to https://www.culturaveneto.it/it/percorsi/tappe/Sacrario-Militare-di-Cima-Grappa