The Prosecco Trail: 51 km of Nature, Wine, and Adventure
My Four-Day Hike Through Vineyards and Picturesque Villages
Thursday, May 16th - Friday, May 17th - Vidor to Col San Martino, 14km, 650m ascent
After Scotland, it's time for a completely different journey, planned months ago to show Nata the magical hills where Prosecco is born and grows, as well as the Prosecco itself :)
We take the plane and, as expected, we encounter a storm over Venice, forcing us to divert to Malpensa and then return to Venice after refueling, with about three hours of delay. At 2 AM, we are tucked into our cozy accommodation in Vittorio Veneto.
The next day, there's still a lot to do, and after a short drive (thanks to Mauro), we arrive in Vidor, the starting point of our journey that will see us trekking from west to east.
Today's first destination is Col San Martino, and we'll get there after crossing vineyards, cypress paths, and hills overlooking trenches from World War I, all enriched by a beautiful sunny day (contrary to the forecasts) showing us the sacred Piave River from every point we walk.
The arrival in the village is peaceful and downhill, and we immediately inquire about trying a local winery called Adamo Camel, whose advertisement we found along the paths next to the morning vineyards.
Mr. Vincenzo entertains us, and we talk about everything as if we were old friends frequently chatting over a glass of wine. Perhaps this is also the magic of these hills and this wine.
As per Italian tradition, a delicious and abundant dinner before we retire for the new day.
Saturday, May 18th - Col San Martino - Farra di Soligo, 14km, 600m ascent
We slept in an enchanting place called Locanda Casa Marinelli; the breakfast is regal, ranging from sweet to savory, and although we are used to excellent hospitality in Italy, this kind truly pleasantly surprises us.
We start our hike leisurely (10am), passing by the Church of San Vigilio as our first stop, and then follow the Small Mountains Loop, with today's highest point at about 485m.
Lunch, once we climbed back up from Forcella San Martino, consists of a huge sopressa sandwich and a view of the valley below, behind the Treviso Pre-Alps.
We continue towards the valley of Follina, but first, a visit to the small church of Sant'Egidio with a Prosecco refreshment stop is a must.
We finish today's stage by walking along the Soligo stream and arriving at today's agriturismo, where the specialty is trout raised in the fish farm next to it.
Sunday, May 19th - Farra di Soligo - Tarzo, 18km, 500m ascent
Stage from Follina (Agriturismo La Bella) to in Tarzo (Fratta) with a visit to the abbey early in the morning.
Then we continue past private chapels and a lot (too much) of asphalt along Zuel di Qua, Zuel di Là, and Arfanta. We arrive in Tarzo, doing the last stretch through the woods with a lovely couple who share a lot of positive energy and many experiences from the Camino de Santiago and beyond.
We end at the lakes to close the day along the Murals Trail.
Monday, May 20th Tarzo - Vittorio Veneto, 10km, 400m ascent
Another hearty breakfast, another story to absorb and listen to, sometimes without trying to understand, just being there is a privilege.
We set off early, around 9:15 we are already on the move because we want to do the last stage of the official route, the one reserved for experienced hikers (EE for CAI trails) instead of the more accessible variant.
We proceed without problems but just before noon, when we have to approach Mount Baldo from Nogarolo, we notice a sign indicating the closure of our trail 1043 and the obligation to continue on the variant.
We are sorry to miss the view from the summit and the ridges, but we make the best of a bad situation, enjoying a longer aperitif than planned once we reach the final destination. And then, I had all the signs in the dream the night before ("take the wider road and you'll do well that way" I told myself in the dream, like an old shaman).
Arriving in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, there is time for some celebration for Nata's first Italian mult- days hike, while we also celebrate the organization and pioneering spirit of Michela.
We say goodbye tired but happy with the experience, already looking forward to what awaits us in the next adventure, which is life.