Cesiomaggiore in the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park

Cesiomaggiore is an ancient village that stretches from the slopes of the Cimonega Group to the Piave valley, crossing hills and wide meadows. It is placed on the right side of the Piave River, between Belluno and Feltre, and its territory is part of the natural reserve Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park (Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi). Despite being little known it offers many natural and cultural attractions, as well as gastronomic specialties: first of all the Piave cheese and the DECO potatoe.

Cesiomaggiore in the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park

The village's ancient name was Caesius, from the Roman Caesia. Its Roman origin is supported by the finding of an ancient milestone and some remains of the Claudia-Augusta road. It is a wide village and comprises many hamlets, which are more or less populated. The whole territory of Cesiomaggiore is included in the natural reserve Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park: there are a lot of walking trails along the Park's valleys, and also many protected species you can observe, especially in Val di Canzoi. Despite being still a little wild, today this valley is an ideal destination for weekend trips and in the past it was rich in lime kilns. Here you can find several paths that lead to the surrounding peaks as well as numerous picnic areas and an artificial lake. To the south, there is the popular Busche lake, a damp area of natural interest, where you can also take a sunbathe.

Cesiomaggiore: what to see

There are many churches on the territory of Cesiomaggiore, some of which are very old and rich in frescoes, and there are also some interesting manor houses such as Villa De Mezzan located in Menin, which is a private property, Villa Corrà and Villa Muffoni, situated both in the village's center, Villa Facino-Pasole and Villa Martini situated in Soranzen, and Villa Tauro alle Centenere, which keeps findings of the Roman times, like the milestone of the Claudia Augusta Altinate Road. Also from a cultural point of view there are some interesting buildings to visit: the Ethnographical Museum of the Province of Belluno located in Seravella di Cesiomaggiore, which displays items from the local tradition, and the Bicycle History Museum "Antonio Bevilacqua", displaying over 200 restored relics which reenact the evolution of bicycles from the nineteenth century to nowadays.

Cesiomaggiore and its gastronomic products

Cesiomaggiore is also well-known because it boasts the presence of Lattebusche, the dairy which produces the Piave PDO cheese, the Cesio cheese, the Montasio cheese and the typical Schìz, which is a soft cheese that goes well with polenta. Moreover, since a few years now, also the DECO Potatoe of Cesiomaggiore has become part of the local specialties. In august the village organizes the famous Potatoe Festival, which is dedicated to this special tuber and attracts every year several gourmets. Typical products include also the Sponcio Maize, which is listed in the national register of traditional products, as well as the apples, especially the Ferro Cesio variety, and honey.