Seren del Grappa: Valle di Seren, Mountain Trails and History

Seren del Grappa Between History and Mountain Landscapes

Seren del Grappa combines the landscape of the Grappa Massif with traces of the past. The Museo Fotografico della Grande Guerra “Eugenio Secco” contains 170 reproductions of historical photographs. They document the events of the First World War in the Feltrino area and on the Grappa Massif. In the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena, the high altar houses an altarpiece painted in oil on canvas in 1504 by Jacopo da Valenza. It depicts the Madonna and Child, as well as John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene, in a carved, gilded wooden frame. Jacopo da Valenza was active from 1485 to 1509. Above Seren del Grappa there is also the spring known as Acqua della Salute, which is fed by Valscura and Peùrna.

Valle di Seren and Conca delle Bocchette

Valle di Seren is a starting point for walks and excursions. The mixed forest of Valle di Seren contains silver firs, Norway spruces, deciduous trees and beech trees. Conca delle Bocchette is a glacial cirque formed during the last Quaternary glaciation, approximately 130,000 to 10,000 years ago. It features diverse vegetation as well as traces of former settlements and rustic buildings. Rifugio Bocchette lies at an altitude of 1,300 metres on the northern side, at the foot of Monte Grappa. The Conca delle Bocchette section of the Anello naturalistico del Grappa begins at Rifugio Bocchette di Mezzo, which can be reached from Seren del Grappa.

Trails Around Valpore

Several trails begin at the car park near Acqua della Salute, including the ascent to Cima Sassumà. Alta Via 8 is also known as Alta Via degli Eroi and runs along the mountain ridges around Valle di Seren. Another option is the Anello M.te Salarol – da Valpore: this approximately four-hour circular trail begins and ends at the car park near Aula Verde Valpore. In part, it follows Alta Via degli Eroi. Along the way, you can choose between old trenches from the First World War and an easier path below the ridge. Centro didattico Valpore is open from May to October.

Memorial Sites and Local Life

Sentiero Bosco degli Eroi includes material traces, sculptures, poems, works of art and stories connected with the First World War. From Seren del Grappa, you can reach it via the road to Cima Grappa; at the level of Albergo Forcelletto, the trail to Rifugio Bocchette branches off. A cross stands on the summit of nearby Monte Pertica in memory of the victims of the conflict. To visit the Museo Fotografico della Grande Guerra “Eugenio Secco”, contact the municipal library in the same building. It is open on Wednesdays from 09:00 to 12:00 and on Fridays from 14:00 to 18:00.

The Fojaroi built at higher elevations served in summer as living quarters, accommodation for shepherds and animals, and facilities for cheese production. In Valle di Seren on the northern side of the Grappa Massif, a few Fojaroi are still preserved, some of which can be visited. The museum in Borgo Sagrilot covers the subjects of haymaking, keeping animals in barns and wine production. The change from Zern to Col dei Bof could indicate that a settlement originally used seasonally at a higher elevation developed into a permanent residential centre specialising in keeping dairy cows and dairy farming. The artwork “Resurrection” measures 410 × 110 × 110 cm.

Other Places in the Surrounding Travel Area

Other destinations in the same area: Canai, San Gregorio Nelle Alpi, Falcade, Spert, Pian Molin-costa di Mezzo, Cortina D'ampezzo, Cencenighe Agordino, Sospirolo.

To the higher-level travel overview: Belluno.