From Treviso’s water walls to the peaks of Cadore, this route crosses some of the most symbolic landscapes of northern Veneto. A succession of small towns, historic villages and cities of art as you follow the course of the Piave, from the Prosecco Hills to the Belluno Dolomites.
Enclosed by a imposing ring of walls and crossed by canals, Treviso preserves important traces of its defensive past. The walls run for about 4 kilometres around the historic centre and are punctuated by bastions and monumental gateways such as Porta San Tomaso, considered one of the most significant examples of Venetian military architecture in the Veneto. Today pedestrian paths and green areas allow you to explore this fortified system that for centuries protected the town.
Sitting on top of the hill that overlooks the town, Conegliano Castle is a reminder of the strategic role which this outpost played for centuries in controlling the routes between the plain and the Prealps. Developed around the fortress was an elaborate defensive system, including walls, gates and towers, traces of which can still be seen in the urban fabric of the historic centre. Today the castle houses the local museum and offers a privileged vantage point of the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The fortified origins of Vittorio Veneto are linked to the hamlet of Serravalle, dominated by the Castello di San Martino and protected by walls and gates that controlled its access. For centuries this defensive system watched over the passage between the Treviso plain and the Alpine valleys, contributing to the development of the settlement. The castle and the historic centre of Serravalle still retain the imprint of the ancient fortified village today.
Overlooked by the Castle of Alboino on the Colle delle Capre, Feltre preserves one of the most significant defensive systems of the Venetian pre-Alpine area. Its strategic position between the plain and the Dolomite peaks made the town an important military stronghold from the middle ages onwards. This complex still tells the story of centuries of conflict and reconstruction today, while the castle area offers a spectacular view of the Vette Feltrine.
A political and administrative centre for centuries, Pieve di Cadore is located in a strategic position that contributed to its development as a stronghold of the alpine territory. The fortifications that controlled the valley and the main routes of communication towards northern Europe stood on Monte Ricco. Today the Monte is a reminder of the ancient defensive function of the territory and offers a privileged view over the surrounding mountains, emphasising the strategic role this place played in the history of Cadore.