This year the Lavaredo 80K starts in San Vito di Cadore, a quaint mountain village only 11 km from Cortina d’Ampezzo. Situated at the foot of the king of the Dolomites, Monte Antelao (3263 metres) and surrounded by Croda Marcora and Monte Pelmo, San Vito is one of the strategic starting points for excursions suitable for both expert mountain climbers as well as families and lovers of nature and sport. Thanks to its network of trails there are hikes of differing levels of difficulty suitable for trail running and mountain bikes, while during the winter it is the ideal destination for skiing and snow shoe trekking.
Among the suggested hikes, Passo Giau deserves a prominent place. Here you can visit the Giau Barrier and the Mondeval plain where the skeleton of Mondeval man, specimen dating from the Mesolithic era, was found.
A three hour hike takes you from the centre of San Vito to the Scotter, San Marco and Galassi mountain refuges. On the opposite slope you can head uphill from Serdes Bridge or Mosigo Lake until you reach Alpe di Senes, where you can enjoy the surrounding view from the Senes and Larin mountain refuges.
The start of the Lavaredo 80k is given in Lago di Mosigo which recently starred in a TV series called “Un Passo dal Cielo” (One Step from the Sky) and the film “Improvvisamente Natale” (Suddenly Christmas) and its sequel “Improvvisamente a Natale mi sposo” (Suddenly at Christmas I’m Getting Married). The lake is an ideal oasis for families thanks to the many amusements and activities available such as tennis and minigolf. The lake is breathtaking reflecting the Dolomite summits in its green waters.
What should you visit in San Vito? Besides the Pievanale and the Difesa Churches which exhibit several artworks of interest such as the altarpiece by Francesco Vecellio, brother of the famous Tiziano, another point of interest is the “Lunga via delle Dolomiti” (Long road of the Dolomite mountains) which goes through all the villages of Cadore. Here you can find the former station, which now houses the Ethnographic and Popular Traditions Museum, where you can discover art and traditions from the past as well as the fully functional model of the Trenino Azzurro delle Dolomiti (Blue Dolomites Train), complete with bridges and tunnels.
