Spring

Alta Via dell'Orso is the name of the circular trail that starts from Colle Santa Lucia and winds its way through fascinating and wild Dolomite landscapes. The route was inspired by the novel “La pelle dell’orso” (The skin of the bear), by Matteo Righetto, and by the journey that the protagonists take in search of the bear called “el Diàol” (the devil).

Extensive meadows and pastures, forests, caves and deep valleys, water-eroded rocks, prehistoric caves and sinkholes, the great plateau of Lessinia in the Verona area spans over 10,000 hectares protected by Regional Nature Park since 1990. This impressive environment is enchanting throughout the seasons, but especially during autumn, when the warm sun lights up the fabulous foliage, and the deep green of the trees gradually turns to yellow, orange, red and finally fades to shades of rust.

The road slips mysteriously into the valley and runs alongside the lake, which feels eerie because you imagine it deep and cold. The wild mountains close the horizon with steep slopes and, were it not for the intriguing "national park" signs, you would almost feel like going back. Resist the temptation: the valley of the Mis shows its best farther on.

The Cansiglio is a pre-alpine plateau that extends for about 7,000 acres inside a natural basin between the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the provinces of Belluno, Treviso, and Pordenone. The main peaks of Mount Pizzoc, Croseraz, and Millifret reach their maximum height in the Group of the Horse (2,251 meters). It is one of the most beautiful forests of beech and centuries-old fir trees, a destination for hikers and nature lovers, but also an ideal place to spend a day soaking up the sun in the grass and enjoying the local cuisine.

Some people face it going uphill and soon realize that it was actually made to go down. Because you feel tired just by looking at it. It's a 4444-step gray limestone stairway, on whose side is a hollow that was used to send down to the river Brenta the logs to build Venice's ships, the Serenissima. It is a masterpiece of rock carving for human traffic use, nestled in a wild environment. The Calà del Sasso is the hardest and most secret gateway to the Plateau.

The Brent de l'Art, situated in Valbelluna, are canyons carved into the rock, and represent one of the most interesting geological sites of the left bank of the river Piave. The name Brent comes from "brentana", a word that in the local dialect means describes the flood of a torrent or river after heavy rainfall; Art is the diminished form of Ardo, the name of the torrent in question.

The Castle of San Pelagio is surrounded by three hectares of green land. We are located in Due Carrare, in the province of Padua. This is the place that, between 1917 and 1918, welcomed poet Gabriele D'Annunzio as he prepared to fly over Vienna, a notable episode of the Great War that changed the castle's fate. As a consequence, the Zaborra family, owner of the villa, decided to transform part of the property into the Museum of Flight.

Belluno's Interactive Museum of Migrations collects stories of migrations. Italians abroad and foreigners welcomed in our country, the purpose of the museum is to tell the stories of those who have left their homeland in search of work and a better life. It features video interviews, photographs, and historical documents.

The MIM is the start of a 13 leg itinerary that covers the whole province and involves the following  museums:

Monte Rite can be reached from Passo Cibiana along an accessible dirt path about 7 km long. Once you reach the top, a few steps from the Dolomites Refuge, you will find the Messner Mountain Museum Dolomites, better known as the Museum in the Clouds.

This space tells the story of exploration and mountaineering in the Dolomites. During your visit you can admire photos, paintings, works of art and artefacts to discover the true essence of the mountains and the Dolomites.

The botanical garden in Padua was founded in 1545 and is the world's oldest university botanical garden. This natural and architectural wonder houses nearly 7,000 plant species, a unique variety of specimens recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997.

The old garden, a circular structure in which a square is inscribed that is divided into four more regular squares, is the product of scientific fervour on the one hand and the ideals of order, balance and geometry that enlivened Padua's cultural landscape during the Renaissance on the other hand.