Primiero Slow Tour

First stage of the Primiero Slow Tour: from the Primiero valley floor to Passo Cereda, crossing the Val Canali, one of the most beautiful and scenic areas of the Dolomites

The itinerary starts in Fiera di Primiero at the large parking lot next to the headquarters of the Tourist Board of San Martino di Castrozza, Passo Rolle, Primiero and Vanoi. Following the Canali stream to the village of Tonadico, you cross the stream to head towards the locality of Madonna della Luce. From here, through a recently renovated path, you reach the foot of the historic and scenic Castel Pietra, symbol of Tyrolean domination over the Primiero valley. Skirting the ruins of the castle, continue on the path towards the locality of Cesurette. In a few minutes, crossing the provincial road again, you reach the Welsperg lake, a picturesque mirror of water reflecting the peaks of the southern sector of the Pale di San Martino. The itinerary then continues on the Sentiero delle Muse Fedaie, an educational path designed by the Paneveggio Pale di San Martino Park, which has one of its headquarters in the nearby Villa Welsperg. Right next to the villa, you take the forest road that climbs the right side of the mountain, immersed in lush spruce and larch forests. Continue until you reach the wide grassy area of Colzoncai and then proceed on path 738 "Piero Agostini" until you emerge onto the SP347 leading to Passo Cereda. From here, with another 10 minutes of walking, you reach Passo Cereda, the final destination of this first stage.

Second stage of the Primiero Slow Tour: from Rifugio Cereda at Passo Cereda to Rifugio Caltena, skirting the Pale Alte and Monte Padella

The itinerary starts from Passo Cereda heading towards Malga Fossetta via path 729. Once you reach the Malga, which is open with catering services in the summer, continue around Col Spiz on path 723 until you take the forest road leading to Domadoi. Just before the Domadoi meadows, take path 744 which climbs into the forest on the left. Here, two options open up: if you take path 744, you climb to reach 1850 meters at the Croce del Monte Padella, then descend on the opposite side of the mountain (still path 744) until you arrive at Rifugio Caltena. This option is more challenging but also more scenic as the top of Monte Padella offers a 360-degree panorama from the Pale di San Martino to the Lagorai Chain, to the Vette Feltrine and the nearby Cimonega Group. Alternatively, you can continue on the forest road to the locality of "Stiozze," taking path 723 to the "Ritasa" meadows and from there path 743 which, entering the forest, leads to the Scofa forest road. After about a kilometer on the forest road, you take another path (still marker 743) that climbs to "Sforzelin della Chegantaia" and from there in 10 minutes to Rifugio Caltena. This second option is slightly longer in terms of distance covered but stays at significantly lower altitudes, never exceeding 1400 meters.

Third stage of the Primiero Slow Tour: from Rifugio Caltena to Rifugio Fonteghi via the San Giovanni meadows and the suspension bridge over the Rio Neva

The itinerary starts from Rifugio Caltena following the paved road that descends to the underlying meadows (marker 726) until you reach a junction in the locality of Poit. From here, descending briefly to the right, you will find a sign on the left with directions to "Cordognè-San Giovanni." Taking the path (marker 728A), you climb through a forest environment until you reach the crest of the mountain, then following it southwest for about a kilometer. This very scenic part of the route allows you to admire the landscape of the Vette Feltrine and is equipped with a series of information boards and wooden benches. In the final part, the path descends until it meets a forest road in the locality of Falasorni. Taking the road to the left, continue to the San Giovanni meadows, a place dear to the inhabitants of Mezzano, where there is also a particularly beautiful and panoramic chapel with respect to the Vette Feltrine group. From San Giovanni, continue towards Poit, where, following marker 726, you reach the Iner meadows before descending into the forest to the locality of Val de Riva. At the end of the descent, you see the suspension bridge over the Rio Giasinozza (30 meters high and 70 meters long), built in 2019. Crossing the bridge, you climb the remaining 20 minutes of walking until you reach Rifugio Fonteghi, the endpoint of this third stage.

Fourth stage of the Primiero Slow Tour: from Rifugio Fonteghi to Rifugio Vederna via the Sentiero degli Abeti Giganti and forest road 733

From Rifugio Fonteghi, take path 735 that climbs to the left, crossing Piadochin and reaching the forest road of the Valpiana di Sotto meadows (marker 733). Continue until you reach a crossroads that marks the beginning of the Sentiero degli Abeti Giganti, a thematic loop trail created by the municipality of Mezzano to discover the majestic red and white fir trees in the area, among the tallest in Trentino. Taking the path to the left, follow it first to the locality of "Pozza dell'Ors" and then to Malga Val de Stua di Sopra, an old malga used for summer pasturing, located in a panoramic position at the foot of the Vette Feltrine. From the malga, take the forest road on the left called "Boal dei Canalini," which allows you to descend to the forest road with marker 733, to be taken westward. This road, not particularly challenging but rather long, allows you to reach Rifugio Vederna in about 2 hours of walking. In the final stretch, the view, previously closed by the surrounding woods, opens up to the extensive pastures of "Pian Grant," where Rifugio Vederna and the nearby Madonna della Neve chapel are clearly distinguishable.

Fifth and final stage of the Primiero Slow Tour: from Rifugio Vederna to Fiera di Primiero via the panoramic Croce del Monte Vederna and, descending to Imèr, rises to Fiera via the Primiero cycle-pedestrian path and the Madonna del Sass path.

From Rifugio Vederna, climb along the forest road with marker 741 to the panoramic Croce del Monte Vederna (1584 meters), with a spectacular view of the entire Primiero valley floor, the Folga-Grugola mountain group, and the Pale di San Martino. Retracing the forest road, return to Rifugio Vederna and then continue descending on the forest road with marker 736. In the locality of "San Paolo," leave the forest road and take the 736 path of the Val Caora, which descends steeply until reaching the Val Noana. From here, continue alongside the paved road (thus avoiding the three tunnels) until you reach a wooden bridge, crossing which you reach the Calavise Camping area in another 10 minutes of walking (still marker 736). From the Calavise locality, continue until you take the Primiero cycle-pedestrian path that runs alongside the Cismon stream. When you reach the locality of Oltra, leave the cycle-pedestrian path and continue on the Madonna del Sass path (marker Quota 860), which, staying halfway up at a slightly elevated position compared to the cycle path, reaches the lush Osne meadows and the locality of "Mondin," then gently descends to Fiera di Primiero, the final destination of the Primiero Slow Tour.