Via Romea Germanica
On foot, by bike and on horseback towards Rome...
THE ROUTE
The Italian portion of the route starts at the Brenner pass, follows the Isarco valley towards Vipiteno and Bressanone along the Chestnut Footpath while overlooking beautiful sceneries: the Dolomites, the Marmolada, the Sella group, the Lagorai. After Chiusa, Collalbo and Bolzano, the via enters the Adige valley and meets Termeno, Salorno and Trento and its vineyards, along the ancient via Claudia Augusta. After the Cimirlo pass it flows through the green Valsugana getting to the Levico and Caldonazzo lakes; it then reaches Borgo Valsugana, Arte Sella and then follows the blue water of the Brenta river to the Bassano bridge.
Now the route continues through the Po valley crossing the cities of Padua, Ferrara and Ravenna and finally the Trasimeno lake. The lake is the gate to the Tuscia area and following the Via Cassia you will get at last to Monte Mario, from which you will see the Saint Peter’s basilica and its dome (the “Cupolone”).
2200 km in total, 1045 km of which from Stade to the Brenner pass.
DISCOVER THE ROUTE IN VALSUGANA
Trento - Levico | Download the route here!
Length: 20,6 km
Difference in altitude -> Ascent: 783 m | Descent: 487 m
Practicability: on foot or by bike
Levico - Borgo Valsugana | Download the route here!
Length: 14,4 km
Difference in altitude -> Ascent: 4 m | Descent: 124 m
Practicability: on foot or by bike
Borgo Valsugana - Cismon del Grappa | Download the route here!
Length: 31,6 km
Difference in altitude -> Ascent: 670 m | Descent: 620 m
Practicability: on foot or by bike
OUR ACCOMMODATIONS
DISCOUNTED SERVICES
| Name |
Offered service |
Opening hours |
Phone (+39) |
E-Mail |
| Famiglia Cooperativa Bassa Valsugana |
Grocery store |
7.00 - 12.00
16.00 - 19.00 |
3298620131 |
fc.bassavalsugana.sede@ |
| Villa S.Ignazio Coop. Sociale |
Hostel / overnight stay - meals |
7.00 - 23.00 |
0461 238720 |
coop@vsi.it |
| Samuele Società Cooperativa Sociale |
Job placement for people with disabilites. Cafè, small grocery store, small study rooms |
8.30 - 15.00 (Mon-Fri) |
0461 230888 |
info@coopsamuele.it |
THE OBJECTIVES
- historic research on the old itinerary;
- valorization of the territory, together with the local population;
- valorization of “slow hiking” and promotion of a sustainable lifestyle;
- union of cultures and religions of Northern and Southern Europe;
- contribution to a united Europe.
THE HISTORY
In the Wolfenbüttel library is kept a document that dates back to around 1256: it describes the roads connecting the Hanseatic city of Stade with Rome, mainly for pilgrims, and crosses several big cities such as Bolzano, Trento, Padova, Ferrara, Ravenna, Forlì, l'Alpe di Serra, Arezzo, Castiglione del Lago, Orvieto and Montefiascone. This document is part of the Annales Stadenses and has been written by Abbot Albert in the Convent of St. Mary in Stade, from where he left in 1256 heading towards Rome; he annotated several routes with precise information of towns, distances, and state of the roads. Among his itineraries there also is the “Melior Via”, the route passing through the Brenner Pass, what has been known since then as the “Via Romea Germanica”.