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technical info
The route
Despite the shortening of the route, this queen stage across the Dolomites retains 3,600 m vertical altitude gain. Just after the start, the route takes a lengthy climb up to La Crosetta and crosses the Pian del Cansiglio. After a technical and steep descent towards Lake Santa Croce, followed by a short climb along the slopes of the Nevegal, the course arrives in Belluno. The route then passes through Agordo up to Alleghe and Caprile, crossing the Val Cordevole upstream. Here, the route changes compared to the original one, turning right towards Colle Santa Lucia, heading for Passo Giau (the new Cima Coppi). The route ascends with mild gradients, after a short descent past the Belvedere of Colle Santa Lucia. As the route arrives in Selva di Cadore, the peloton will negotiate the Passo Giau, where the road ascends at nearly 10% for 10 km. The route then drops towards Cortina, heading for the finish.
Final kilometres
After merging onto the ss. 48 (Strada delle Dolomiti) approx. 5 km before the finish, the route descends with milder gradients into urban Cortina, at 1,500 m out. Past the bridge over river Boite, the route rises at an easy 5% pitch, twisting all the way to the ‑300 m mark, where a left-hand bend leads into the home straight, on stone paving.
start / finish
climb detail
final kilometres
itinerary timetable
tourist info
Host city:
Sacile
Overview
Sacile, an attractive city in the province of Pordenone, is the westernmost town of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is unknown whether its name originates from Saccus (cove) or Sacellum (temple, sacred place). Its main characteristic is that it is a “water town”, since it originated and developed along the banks of one of the most important rivers on Friuli territory, the Livenza.
Gateway city of Friuli and historically important centre of commerce, it now stands out for its tourist aspect linked to its rich history, spectacular landscapes and the architecture of its numerous palazzos, built by noble Venetians during the Renaissance period.
For its fascinating, subtle balance between earth and water, Venetian architecture of the historical centre and breathtaking views on the river Livenza, it has earned the title of “Garden of the Serenissima”.
With a population of approximately 20,000 inhabitants on an area of 32.62km² at just 25m above sea level, it still keeps its appearance of a quiet, peaceful, people-friendly town.
Speciality food
Popular cuisine finds its roots in peasant traditions. It is composed of simple and genuine dishes, faithful to the habits of the past with revisitations that generate a mix of tradition and modernity and are expression of the rhythms of nature and of the historical contamination of a territory geographically placed between Venetian and Friulian people.
Wild spring herbs like pevarel (wild poppy), grisol (bladder campion), bruscandoi (wild hops), preti (dandelion), sparesi de rust (shoots of the butcher’s broom) and radicele (wild chicory) are the basis of first courses and side dishes. In the garden radicchio reigns supreme; it is customary to prepare Radìci e fasiòi có le frithe (radicchio and beans seasoned with cracklings) sometimes accompanied by cured meats prepared in the winter months: salami cooked with vinegar, or muset col cren (cotechino with horseradish).
Among the first courses we find soups, but also potato dumplings seasoned with sauce of rasa (duck sauce) and risi e bisi (risotto with peas); among the sauces for pasta we mention the tocio, a sauce obtained from the cooking of meat of various types. To be tasted also the bigoi in salsa, spaghetti of large diameter, served with sardele da sal (sardines preserved in salt), a typical recipe in Lent, together with renga (herring) and sarde in saor (sardines seasoned with sweet and sour onions). Among the fish dishes, the trout of Livenza is the undisputed queen.
Main courses mostly include bovine meat and chickens in tecia (cooked in the pan). Among the farmyard animals, is worth mentioning the Gal de semensa, a tradition born from the habit of preserving for the perpetuation of the species the best cockerel, a specimen that was then cooked in a pan and offered to the head of the family on August 2nd, “Feast of Men”. Tripe, nervetti and corned tongue are often found as cicchetti (small snacks or side dishes) in taverns.
Local cheese and fresh or grilled polenta, white or yellow, are always present on the table.
Among the desserts is worth mentioning the Pinza dell’ Epifania (typical cake of the Epiphany), prepared using also the polenta and enriched with raisins and dried figs.
Drinks
In Sacile there is always a got de vin (a glass of wine): wine is the most widespread and precious beverage, an ombra (a glass of wine) warms people’s hearts, relieves the labour of the day, creates conviviality.
Here clay soil and hot breezy summers are the constants that give wines of great value; fresh, fruity and elegant when young, full and structured when aged, thanks also to the growing commitment to organic farming on the part of small producers and important wineries.
Among strong red wines we mention Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Treanni Vistorta, Pinot Nero and, among fragrant white wines, Friulano (Tocai Friulano), Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon, Traminer Aromatico, Verduzzo Friulano, Riesling, Prosecco and Ribolla Gialla.
The wine is tasted pure, “cut” (diluted) with water (spritz) or, in the cold months, like Vin Brulé, a hot drink made of red wine, sugar and spices.
From marc superb grappe are distilled: traditional, monovitigno (obtained from a single grape variety) or historical, traditionally used at home also for the preservation of fruit in spirit or to create flavored liqueurs ideal for every situation (digestive, tonic, diuretic, anti-depressive grappa, grappa against infections …). It is therefore customary to find in home larders or as end of the meal at the restaurant a veritable “grappe list”: rue grappa, grappa with laurel or juniper berries, grappa made from plums, bog pine, cornole (Cornelian cherry fruits), grappa with honey (produced in Sacile), just to name a few.
Coffee also plays an important role: Grosmi, a historical roasting company, which has been operating for over 50 years, since “… the coffee was roasted on Thursday mornings, when there was the market, to perfume the whole city…” offers in its point of sale the possibility to choose which variety to taste.
Main sights
Piazza del Popolo, the ancient “Portus Sacili”, was originally an emporium intended for freight yard of the river port. Along its perimeter the Piazza is bordered by a number of palaces-fondaco in Venetian style dating back to the beginning of the 17th century and characterized by double access: from the square and the river.
The Town Hall with its loggia, today Municipio, dates back to the end of the 15th century and historically was the seat of the meetings of the Noble Council, home to the historical archive of the Notarial College and, towards the end of the eighteenth century, also venue for theatrical performances.
Palazzo Ragazzoni is a magnificent sixteenth-century palace that makes Sacile a Renaissance city par excellence. Also called “the place of delights” for its abundance and luxuries, it was a point of reference for kings, popes and emperors of the time. Inside it preserves valuable frescoes and a remarkable pictorial cycle that celebrates the glory of the brothers Giacomo and Placido Ragazzoni with the powerful of Europe, works attributed to the Mannerist painter Francesco Montemezzano.
The Duomo of San Nicolo’, one of the most evocative religious buildings in the entire region, dates back to 1496. It has a façade in Renaissance style and the interior with a nave and two aisles separated by Gothic arches. The bell tower, reminiscent of that of San Marco, stands majestically on the square of the same name, the ancient “plazuta” (small piazza), where medieval paths converge.
Palazzo Ovio-Gobbi, a seventeenth-century building, inside which there is the Center of Biblical Studies and the sixteenth-century Palazzo Carli, home to the Pino Casarini Gallery overlook Piazza Duomo, almost a small Venetian campiello.
The Church of Madonna della Pietà, built in 1610, houses a valuable statue of Pietà, (Vesperbild). Symbol of the city, this little church has a suggestive entrance portico: an atrium with a double loggia that rises directly from the water of the river Livenza and introduces into the inner space with single hexagonal plan.
Hospital and Church of San Gregorio are the witnesses of the medieval Sacile. Built in the past to accommodate wayfarers and pilgrims, today they are home to cultural events.
Well-preserved walls and circular towers surround the historical center and refer to the ancient defensive system of the city.
Ancient little churches witnessing medieval feuds are immersed in the flourishing countryside of Sacile and preserve inside valuable frescoes and works of art.
Livenza is the peculiar river of Sacile and certainly one of the most beautiful waterways that meet in the plains of northern Italy. It rises at the foot of the Prealps and its slow flow towards the sea contributes to creating a perfect balance between geometry and nature, seduction proper to river cities. Going along the river on a canoe, a kayak or a raft allows to observe Sacile with different eyes and discover a lively natural environment where art, history and nature merge into a whole.
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Overview
Cortina d’Ampezzo is a gem of sheer beauty in the middle of the Italian Alps, just 2 hours North of Venice, surrounded by the scenic peaks of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage.
Over 1000 years of inhabitation have endowed the town with a set of precious traditions, a rich history and its own local language. Cortina was among the first Alpine destinations to host tourists, firstly explorers and scientists, then the royals and aristocrats of several countries; it kept evolving and transforming, remaining at the centre of the stage: Italy’s first Olympic Games in 1956, the Dolce Vita in the 60s and then the films and film stars, the sparkly 80s. It hosted the 2021 World Ski Championships and the Winter Olympics 2026 will take place here as well.
In the summer, it offers hundreds of km of hiking trails, over 30 via ferratas, a golf course and then MTB, road biking and climbing routes. In the winter, it provides legendary ski slopes, the Olympic ice stadium, a vast array of snowshoeing and ski touring options as well as cross-country skiing pistes in the Natural Park. What gives Cortina an edge is how sports can be practised in one of the world’s most beautiful mountain environments.
Speciality food
The traditional cuisine of Cortina d’Ampezzo reflects its location and history as a blend of Italian and Tyrolean flavours with genuine local products and a sprinkle of innovation.
Typical recipes and signature dishes like spätzle, barley soup, goulash, buckwheat cake, raspberry and gelato just to name a few, are made with home-grown products, freshly prepared by experienced hands.
A mouth-watering brunch becomes not only a tasting, but also a delightful gourmands’ excursion with a breath-taking landscape on the Dolomites for a real senses’ experiences.
Not only a food holiday then, but a new outstanding experience which involves all your senses.
Herbs, fruits, seeds: all the goodness of nature
Growing many different types of vegetables, not to mention fruit, in the Alpine climate has always been difficult. However, mountain woods and meadows have several fruits, herbs and other tasty secrets to offer those who know where to find them – and how to use them.
Wild herbs growing in the Ampezzo Valley include cumin and juniper, which are used to season meats or to flavour grappas, as well as bladder campion, cheròute in the local language, best used for risottos and casunziei, a sort of moon-shaped ravioli, especially in their red version with a beetroot filling.
Spinach Canederli (Knödel), a delicious no-waste recipe
Historically a borderland between Italy and Austria, Cortina encompasses both Italian and Tyrolean flavours in its recipes.
One of the most traditional dishes are the canederli, Knödel in German. It’s a delicious recipe that enhances a poor but genuine cooking, and a clever way to use leftover bread.
Brazorà, the sweet focaccia of the Ampezzo tradition
Mountain cuisine is an important part of the Italian traditional cuisine: simple dishes made of a few basic products. However, basic ingredients doesn’t mean poor flavour.
On the contrary, some traditional recipes are so good and tasty that they are still handed down from generation to generation, and are offered in restaurants or pastry shops. One of these is the recipe for brazorà, a sweet focaccia sprinkled with sugar grains, a crown shaped dessert, just like a hug!
A long time ago it was the cake of the wedding invitation: bride and groom personally went to invite their own guests, offering a brazorà with 5 “crostoli” and 5 sugared almonds in the middle.
Drinks
One of the most famous drinks and cultural features made in the Ampezzo Valley is a potent spirit called grappa.
With roughly 40° alcohol, distilled from grapes, berries and even home-grown herbs such as juniper. There are countless variants of grappa, from the purest to the most intensely aromatised with fruit or local herbs.
This strong naturally aromatic drink is traditionally homemade, mostly from traditional recipes, often times using local and self-produced ingredients.
Grappa is a fragrant after dinner drink at home as well as typical in trendy wine-bars and cafés, mountain farms and lodges, the options are endless, in town as well as on the mountain.
Elderflower syrup is a summer classic for a refreshing moment, simply with water or at aperitivo in the form of a hugo, a cocktail with elderflower syrup, prosecco, sparkling water, mint leaves and ice.
Main sights
The treasures of the Basilica
Cortina’s Philip and James Basilica is located at the town’s heart, Corso Italia. Built from 1769 to 1775 and restored in 1975, it preserves some artistic treasures of notable value, like the frescoes by Franz Anton Zeiler and Giuseppe Ghedina, the latter a versatile artist from the Ampezzo valley active in the Veneto and Friuli regions in the 19th century.
The bell tower was inaugurated in 1858 to celebrate the name day of Empress Elisabeth of Wittelsbach, aka “Sissi”. It has a height of 65.80 metres, and in order to gild the sphere at the top, the considerable sum of 60 gold ducats were melted in Innsbruck. The clock, crafted in the 1960s, plays the chimes of London’s Big Ben.
A house like a painting
A wonderful house, covered by frescoes. It is named Ciàsa de i Pùpe, and it was once an annexe of the Aquila Nera Hotel owned by Gaetano Ghedina Tomàš. His sons, Luigi, Giuseppe and Angelo, decided to become painters instead of following in their father’s footsteps, and gifted the community this small, brightly-coloured jewel in the heart of Cortina.
On the walls, there are the faces of some great personalities: Leonardo Da Vinci, Dürer, Dante, Shakespeare and – surprisingly – Ghedina Tomàš himself. A particularly attractive touch is a white “panel”: a challenge of the Ghedina brothers to anyone who had the courage of competing with their talent.
8 – The house of time
Right at the start of Via della Difesa, you can see one of Cortina’s most distinctive buildings. A large clock on the wall shows the time and recalls the trade of its original owners: in fact, here there was once a workshop for the repair and construction of wall clocks.
9 – A plunge into the 14th century
Cortina has another small and very old treasure: the Church of San Francesco (Saint Francis). The earliest written documentation regarding this church, which was owned by the Costantini family, dates back to 1396.
Inside, you can see a fine 18th-century wooden altar, and on the wall of the choir, an enchanting late 14th-century fresco depicting three Saints.
The Museusm of the Regole d’Ampezzo
There are three museums one can reach on foot from Cortina’s town centre: the Mario Rimoldi Museum, with an outstanding collection of 19th century paintings, the Ethnographic Museum, which looks into local story and traditions, and the Rinaldo Zardini Palaeontological Museum, hosting a fascinating collection of fossils.
The Great War Museum
This open air museum was created to commemorate the First World War, fought here between the Austrian and Italian armies.
Some trekking itineraries will lead you to discover more about the Great War.
