Calalzo di Cadore: nature, bike and Dolomites

A holiday without the stress of the car, of having to drive carefully on the road. A holiday taking advantage of public transport such as trains and buses, or cycling. All this is possible in Calalzo di Cadore. A railway junction linking Venice to Cadore, it is the last railway station in the north of the province of Belluno. Once off the train, which has a bicycle compartment, you can take the La Lunga Via delle Dolomiti cycle path to Cortina and from there to Dobbiaco, or follow the numerous paths to reach your oasis of peace: Calalzo lake and its surroundings.

Right near the station starts the cycle path, with a view of the Marmarole mountains, which leads to Cortina d'Ampezzo after about 35 km. This track was built on the old Calalzo-Cortina railway line, built in 1915 to facilitate movement during the First World War and suppressed in the 1960s. The track, mostly asphalted, is reserved and closed to traffic, including motor vehicles, although there are a few kilometres to be covered on State Road 51 of Alemagna. The itinerary is gently sloping and can be enjoyed by everyone, even children. It passes through various towns in Cadore, such as Domegge, Borca and San Vito.

Also starting from the station, in Lagole you can take a pleasant walk to reach the springs of water rich in therapeutic properties, thanks to its high sulphur content, and the small lakes, such as the Laghetto delle Tose, where you can swim, or reach Lake Calalzo and from here the paths that lead along the slopes and valleys, or take the old Roman road called Giro delle Coste that leads to the ancient village of Rizzois. And to stay in shape, the fitness trail in San Giovanni.

Calalzo is also the ideal starting point for hikes into the wild and impervious Val d'Oten, which means "last", indicating that there is no other place that can hold a candle to it, on the Antelao, at the foot of the Marmarole, to the Pile waterfall, which is a bit difficult because you have to walk along a narrow gully dug by the water, or along the Molinà stream, where several mills for grinding grain once stood. For those wishing to practise other sports, there is a football pitch, bowls and tennis courts. It is also possible to practice sports fishing in the local streams, on the Piave and in the lake.

In winter from Calalzo it is possible to reach the ski areas of Auronzo-Misurina, Cortina d'Ampezzo and Sappada, also by public transport from the railway station. Also worth discovering is the village and its hamlets, which are rich in evidence of the past. Definitely worth a visit are the parish church of S. Biagio, which contains works by Orazio Vecellio, son of the better known Titian; the church of S. Anna, which contains valuable paintings and reliquaries; "Il Ponte", a suggestive building, a typical example of Cadore architecture, or the small church of Caravaggio, a Marian pilgrimage destination.