Italy: Hiking the Dolomites' Tre Cime & E-Biking the Prosecco Hills

Route: Mestre→Conegliano→Calalzo→Mestre

1. 1Day 1Welcome to Italy, check-in in MestreOvernight: Mestre

   • Check-in and welcome meeting

     We meet in Mestre, part of the Metropolitan City of Venice and the base of this trip. Once rural land over the Venice Lagoon, Mestre is now a crossroads of north-eastern Italy, with trains and buses to Venice every 10-12 minutes.

     • Spritz and cicchetti: the town centre is lively, so we start with a spritz and some cicchetto.

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2. 2Day 2Valdobbiadene, Possagno and AsoloOvernight: Conegliano

   • The land of Prosecco

     The car comes out today and the hills take over: wine in the morning, art after lunch!

     • By e-bike through the vineyards: we pick up e-bikes and ride the hills of Valdobbiadene on our own, one of Italy's renowned wine regions, past vineyards and open vistas.

     • Winery stops and a tasting? We stop at local wineries to learn about the production process and wine types, then a tasting with cured meats and cheeses.

   • At Canova's house

     After lunch we drive to Possagno.

     • Canova's house-museum: the home of Antonio Canova, the 19th-century sculptor, keeps the plaster casts he modelled his sculptures on.

     • Evening in Asolo: late afternoon we continue to Asolo, one of Italy's most beautiful villages, for a drink in the castle garden and a Venetian dinner.

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3. 3Day 3Zumelle Castle and Cison di ValmarinoOvernight: Calalzo

   • A dive into the Middle Ages

     Today is medieval: a castle, a cave and a village in the Belluno and Venetian pre-Alps.

     • Zumelle Castle: near the village of Mel, the 2000-year-old Zumelle Castle was fought over through history and is now restored to its medieval splendour.

     • Medieval lunch: inside there is a themed lunch in the tastes of the time.

     • To the Blue Cave: then the Blue Cave and its turquoise water.

   • Castelbrando and an aperitivo

     The afternoon goes to Cison di Valmarino, one of Italy's finest villages, with trails, horse rides and farmhouses serving local delicacies.

     • Aperitivo at Castelbrando: above the village stands Castelbrando, a castle that sets the scene for an aperitivo of regional produce.

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4. 4Day 4A day at high altitude: Mount LagazuoiOvernight: Calalzo

   • High altitude

     The highest point of the itinerary, and the day the Dolomites take over from castles and wine!

     • Through the World War I tunnel: hiking Mount Lagazuoi takes us through a historic tunnel carved during World War I up to 2752 m, one kilometre of history and landscape. It runs about 2 hours and demands some physical exertion.

     • Prefer the cable car? A cable car option exists too.

     • Lunch at a mountain hut: lunch is at an authentic alpine hut on the peak.

   • Views over the Dolomites

     Back down from Mount Lagazuoi, the mountains aren't done with us yet.

     • Last mountain views: we take in the Dolomites all around us before heading back to our accommodation.

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5. 5Day 5Lake BraiesOvernight: Calalzo

   • A jewel in the mountains

     A gentler day after the altitude, built around one lake cradled in the middle of the Dolomites: Lake Braies, with panoramas from every angle. We choose how to enjoy it:

     • A walk around the lake? We follow its perimeter on foot.

     • Or out on the water? We cross it in a rented wooden boat.

     Either way the clean mountain air does the rest, and the pace stays slow.

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6. 6Day 6Tre Cime di Lavaredo, back to MestreOvernight: Mestre

   • A postcard-like place

     One more Dolomites walk, the most photographed of them all, before the drive back to where we started!

     • Around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo: from the Auronzo hut at 2400 m we set out on a 9 km panoramic walk around the peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo: mostly flat, gentle slopes, suitable for all.

     • Picnic or hut? Lunch is a picnic on the meadows or at a cosy hut along the trail.

     • Back to Mestre: at the end of the day we head back to Mestre.

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7. 7Day 7Venice, the city of loveOvernight: Mestre

   • Exploring the city

     The last full day is Venice, reached by train or bus across the lagoon. Comfortable shoes on?

     • Around San Marco: we cross the scenic Ponte della Libertà, then explore on foot or by vaporetto: Piazza San Marco, the Palazzo Ducale, the Basilica di San Marco.

     • Sunset from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: at sunset, the panoramic view from the Terrazza del Fondaco dei Tedeschi.

     • Round the bacari: then the Venetian tradition of going to bacari for an ombretta and cicchetto.

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8. 8Day 8Time to go home

   • Check-out and goodbye

     The last morning is check-out and nothing more, with the group splitting up in Mestre.

     • Check-out: it happens here, and from that point the trip's services end.

     Then it is arrivederci, until the next WeRoad adventure!

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