Altopiano di Asiago
The Asiago Plateau, also known as the Plateau of the Seven Municipalities (Altopiano dei Sette Comuni), is a vast pre-Alpine table...
Updated 11 July 2026 · Sources: Conoscenza editoriale interna del redattore (nessuna fonte esterna consultata)
Altopiano di Asiago
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The story of Altopiano di Asiago
The Plateau of the Seven Municipalities
The Asiago Plateau takes its name from the seven historic municipalities that once formed the Spettabile Reggenza dei Sette Comuni, an ancient self-governing entity with its own statutes dating back to the Middle Ages: Asiago, Gallio, Roana, Rotzo, Foza, Enego and Lusiana Conco. The territory unfolds across a vast limestone tableland set at over 1,000 metres above sea level, surrounded by peaks rising above 2,000 metres, such as Monte Ortigara and Cima Portule. The landscape is typical of high-altitude karst terrain, with sinkholes, caves, spruce and beech forests, and wide stretches of pasture. Asiago, the main town, is a year-round tourist destination and an ideal starting point for exploring the other villages, each with its own historical and scenic identity, from the wooded valleys of Rotzo and Foza to the views over the Valsugana from Enego.
Asiago PDO Cheese
Asiago PDO cheese is probably the Plateau's most famous product, with a history spanning more than a thousand years, born from sheep farming before evolving into cattle husbandry. Today two main types are produced: Asiago Pressato, fresh and delicately flavoured, and Asiago d'Allevo, matured and increasingly intense in taste as it ages, available in mezzano, vecchio and stravecchio versions. Production still takes place in the Plateau's dairies and mountain huts, where milk from cattle grazing on summer pastures gives the cheese its characteristic aroma of mountain grass and flowers. Visiting a dairy, watching the milk being processed and tasting the different ageing stages is one of the most authentic experiences on the Plateau, often combined with a visit to a high-altitude malga (mountain dairy hut).
The Asiago Astrophysical Observatory
Asiago is home to one of the most important astronomical observatories in Italy and Europe, run by the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). The complex includes the Asiago Astrophysical Observatory in town and the Copernico Astrophysical Centre on nearby Mount Ekar, which houses the Galileo telescope, one of the largest optical telescopes in Italy. The Plateau's clear, low-light-pollution skies, combined with its altitude, have made this a hub for astronomical research since the 1940s. Today the Observatory is open to the public with guided tours, observation evenings and educational activities for families and schools, an unmissable opportunity to discover astronomical research up close and admire the Plateau's night sky, often clearer than that of the plains below.
Cimbrian Culture
The Asiago Plateau is one of Italy's most significant Germanic linguistic islands: since the Middle Ages, communities of German origin settled here and developed Cimbrian, an ancient language related to Bavarian. Although today spoken by only a few elderly people, mainly in Roana and its hamlets such as Val, Mezzaselva and Camporovere, Cimbrian survives in place names, surnames, the traditional architecture of the hamlets, and a heritage of songs, legends and proverbs. The Cimbrian Museum in Roana and the hamlet of Val tell the story of this unique culture through objects, documents and testimonies. Every summer, events dedicated to Cimbrian tradition are held, an opportunity to learn about a community that for centuries kept its language and customs alive despite mountain isolation and the great upheavals of history.
The Great War and the Military Memorial
The Asiago Plateau was one of the bloodiest theatres of the First World War. In May 1916 the Austro-Hungarian army launched the Strafexpedition, the so-called 'Punitive Expedition', breaking through Italian lines and threatening the Vicenza plain before being pushed back onto the Plateau itself, where the front stabilised for over two years of bloody fighting, culminating in the Battle of Monte Ortigara in June 1917. The territory still preserves an extensive network of trenches, tunnels, forts and war cemeteries. The symbolic site of remembrance is the Asiago Military Memorial, on the Leiten hill, which holds the remains of over 54,000 Italian and Austro-Hungarian fallen soldiers; from here the view embraces the entire Plateau. Walking the Great War trails, among restored trenches and small scattered museums, is a profound way to understand 20th-century European history.
Cross-Country and Downhill Skiing
The Asiago Plateau is among Italy's most renowned winter destinations for cross-country skiing, thanks to a network of over 500 kilometres of groomed trails through snowy woods and highlands, suitable for every level, from beginners to racers. Every year it hosts major international competitions and has repeatedly held World Cup stages. Alongside cross-country skiing, downhill enthusiasts will find lifts and slopes on the mountains surrounding the basin, such as the Melette di Gallio-Foza, Kaberlaba and Verena, ideal for families and intermediate skiers. In winter the Plateau also becomes a paradise for ski mountaineering, snowshoeing and walks in the snow among mountain dairies and silent woods, offering an authentic alpine atmosphere just a short distance from the Veneto plain.
Mountain Dairies and Honey
Mountain dairies (malghe) are the beating heart of the Plateau's rural economy: high-altitude structures where, from June to September, livestock graze freely and cheese, butter and ricotta are still produced according to traditional methods. Many malghe are now also eateries, serving simple, genuine dishes made from local produce, often reachable only on foot or by mountain bike along scenic trails. Alongside livestock farming, the Plateau is a land of quality beekeeping: mountain honey, produced from the blooms of dandelion, rhododendron, chestnut and coniferous woods, is prized for its variety of aromas linked to the rich high-altitude flora. Visiting a malga or a local beekeeping farm, perhaps taking part in a guided tasting, offers a close-up look at the flavours and rhythms of a mountain economy still strongly tied to the seasons.
Hiking and Nature
The Plateau offers an extensive network of trails suited to every type of walker: themed paths dedicated to the Great War, nature trails through sinkholes and centuries-old forests, climbs to the highest peaks such as Monte Ortigara and Cima Portule, and easier routes suitable for families, such as walks around Lake Ghertele or through the Bosco delle Fate (Fairy Wood) in Asiago. Mountain biking finds ideal terrain here, with routes crossing pastures, dairies and forests, while nature lovers can spot alpine wildlife including roe deer, red deer, marmots and numerous birds of prey. The variety of environments, from highland meadows to spruce forests, makes the Plateau a prime destination for birdwatching and for anyone seeking authentic contact with the mountains in every season.
Flavours of the Plateau
The cuisine of the Asiago Plateau is rooted in mountain farming and pastoral tradition: besides the famous Asiago PDO cheese, the local table offers dishes such as canederli (bread dumplings), malga-style gnocchi, polenta served with porcini mushrooms or aged cheeses, and game cooked according to recipes handed down through generations. Notable local products include mountain potatoes, wild berries such as blueberries and raspberries gathered in the woods, and of course honey. Traditional desserts are also common, often made with forest fruits or buckwheat. Many restaurants and farm-stays on the Plateau work with short supply chains, showcasing produce from local malghe and farmers, in a blend of farming tradition and quality cuisine that turns every meal into a real opportunity to get to know the area.
When to Go
The Asiago Plateau is a destination worth visiting in every season. Winter, from December to March, is ideal for cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and snowshoeing, as the Plateau turns into a pristine alpine landscape. Spring brings blooming pastures and nature's awakening, a perfect time for early hikes in still-cool weather. Summer, from June to September, is the season when the malghe are in full activity, with walks through the woods and mild temperatures, an excellent alternative to the heat of the plains, as well as the best period for local events and festivals. Autumn offers the warm colours of beech and larch woods, clear air ideal for astronomical observation, and mushroom season, making the Plateau captivating even outside the peak months.
Unmissable Experiences
- Visitare un caseificio dell'Altopiano e degustare le diverse stagionature del formaggio Asiago DOP
- Visit a Plateau dairy and taste the different ageings of Asiago PDO cheese
- Visitar una quesería del Altopiano y degustar las diferentes curaciones del queso Asiago DOP
- Visiter une fromagerie de l'Altopiano et déguster les différents affinages du fromage Asiago DOP
- Eine Käserei der Hochebene besuchen und die verschiedenen Reifegrade des Käses Asiago g.U. probieren
- Visitar uma queijaria do Altopiano e degustar as diferentes maturações do queijo Asiago DOP
- 参观高原的奶酪作坊，品尝不同熟成度的阿西亚戈DOP奶酪
- 高原のチーズ工房を訪れ、様々な熟成度のアジアーゴDOPチーズを味わう
- زيارة أحد مصانع الأجبان في الهضبة وتذوق درجات النضج المختلفة لجبن أسياغو DOP
- पठार की किसी डेयरी की यात्रा करें और आज़ियागो डीओपी पनीर की विभिन्न परिपक्वताओं का स्वाद चखें
- Посетить сыроварню плато и продегустировать разные степени выдержки сыра Азиаго DOP
- Επισκεφθείτε ένα τυροκομείο του οροπεδίου και δοκιμάστε τις διαφορετικές ωριμάνσεις του τυριού Asiago ΠΟΠ
- Vizitoni një qumështore të Altopianos dhe shijoni pjekuritë e ndryshme të djathit Asiago DOP
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What to see in Altopiano di Asiago
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