Things to see in Belluno

This city of Veneto is known, but not enough. Few people know how interesting it can be to spend a short stay in this capital which is also the only Italian to be included in a National Park, that of the Belluno Dolomites.

The mountain climate that reigns in Belluno regenerates the senses in winter and spring. A real panacea for the spirit, which gives peace and serenity. In Belluno, there are many things to see and even more activities to do. It is worth stopping in Belluno to visit the historic center and stroll through the narrow streets, as well as eat good local food and go on excursions to the most beautiful mountains in Italy.

Let's see what are the things to do in Belluno and how to enjoy this wonderful city waiting to be discovered.

What to do and see in Belluno

Visit the historic center of Belluno

From here you can see the Palazzo dei Rectors, a superb example of the Venetian Renaissance with a portico, mullioned windows, and loggias in the center which now houses the prefecture of the city. Next to it, you can admire the civic clock tower, and behind it is the famous Belluno Cathedral, built in the seventh century and then rebuilt in the eighteenth century with a 68-meter-high bell tower.

Walking through the narrow streets of Belluno will take you to interesting squares, such as that of the Martyrs, which is the main one in the city, and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, where the theater and the civic museum of Belluno are located. Here is the Doiona gate, the oldest in the city.

Enter the Civic Museum

Belluno is an ancient city but at the same time has a lively cultural ferment that can be found in the civic museum. The exhibition area covers three thousand square meters, spread over five floors and 24 rooms, covered with eighteenth-century stuccoes and frescoes, which are worth a visit in themselves. You can admire works by artists such as Tintoretto, Montagna, Brustolon, Marco and Sebastiano Ricci, and Ippolito Caffi. There are also valuable collections of porcelain, jewelry, drawings, and engravings.

Visit Borgo Piave

It is the lowest part of the historical center of Belluno and also the most characteristic. It was from here that the rafts loaded with wood left for Venice, where the shipyards were located. Via Uniera dei Zater is the name of the street dedicated to the raftsmen who had their guild here. Here you can see the small church of S. Nicolò, the patron saint of the village.

Take a hiking trail in the Belluno Dolomites National Park

On foot, by bike, or on horseback, there are many ways to discover the Park. The nature trails and theme trails are very surprising: the Val Pramper nature trail runs through one of the most spectacular valleys in the Dolomites, where you can walk among scree. The Val di Canzoi path, on the other hand, is an easy circuit around Lake Stua, in the middle of one of the Park's most famous valleys. These are just some of the itineraries that can be followed in these wonderful areas.