Valstagna between Karst, the Brenta and a History of Trails

Valstagna brings together impressive karst landscapes, the history of the Brenta Valley and trails that connect nature, settlements and historic terraces. Anyone wishing to combine culture, geology and hiking on a trip to Italy will find a range of themes here for an individually planned stay.

Museums and Karst Landscape

The Museo etnografico Canal di Brenta documents the life and history of the Brenta Valley through historic photographs, farming implements and historical information. The museum also presents the history of timber transportation: the wood was carried down the medieval staircase of Calà del Sasso and then transported on rafts along the river.

At the entrance to the Grotte di Oliero system is the Museo di Speleologia e Carsismo “A. Parolini”. It explores geology through minerals, fossils and the chemistry of the karst process. Near Valstagna, the Grotte di Oliero are a classic karst phenomenon from which the springs of the Oliero River emerge.

Calà del Sasso and the Rafts of Valstagna

Calà del Sasso connects a historic trail route with clear points of reference: its upper entrance is next to the hamlet of Sasso di Asiago, while the lower entrance is not far from the church in Valstagna. The Palio delle Zattere also continues the tradition of rafting. This historical, cultural and sporting event has the rafts of Valstagna’s nine contrade compete along a three-kilometre course on the Brenta River.

Hiking, Rock Flora and Underground Worlds

The path through the Grotte di Oliero park passes beneath high rock walls covered with a diverse rock flora. A boat trip of around 30 minutes explores the underground world of the Grotta Parolini at Oliero. The rock steps of the Calieroni waterfalls are also located near the Contrada Torre in Valstagna, between which the Frenzela cascades down.

For longer tours, the Alta Via del Tabacco offers a route in its own right. The section from Costa to Valstagna is about 10 kilometres long, includes 600 metres of elevation gain and takes approximately 3.5 hours on foot. The Alta Via del Tabacco is a trail in the Canale del Brenta–Valstagna area that links the paths along the orographically right-hand side of the Valbrenta. It is also presented as the “Museo Diffuso Alta Via del Tabacco”, which connects the settlements on the slopes with the historic terraces.

Orientation for Planning Your Trip

From Bassano del Grappa, the Valsugana state road leads north towards Trento. At Valstagna, cross the bridge over the Brenta and turn north towards Costa to reach the Alta Via del Tabacco. When choosing a hotel or other accommodation, you can take your personal priorities into account: museums and local history offer a different focus from the karst world of Oliero or a hike on the Alta Via.

More Destinations

If you would like to compare additional places for planning your trip, you can find more destinations here: San Germano Dei Berici, Marano Vicentino, Recoaro Terme, Schio, Montecchio Precalcino, Poiana Maggiore, Bosco di Tretto and San Floriano.

For the overarching travel overview: Vicenza.