Comelico Superiore
Comelico Superiore is a scattered municipality in the upper Belluno province, set among the Dolomites on the border with Austria,...
Updated 12 July 2026
The story
The story of Comelico Superiore
History and origins
The Comelico area has a long history tied to controlling the mountain passes toward Austria. Candide is among the oldest villages in the area: as early as 1186 the Caminesi, feudal lords of Cadore, drew up the deed of sale of Monte Ombrio to the local inhabitants, evidence of an organised community well before the modern era. Today's municipality of Comelico Superiore was formed by the administrative union of the four historic villages, which have retained a strong local identity over time, still visible in the different dialect variants and traditions of each settlement.
What to see, main places
Each hamlet has its own character: Padola also serves as a starting point for excursions toward the Passo Monte Croce Comelico and the Austrian border; Candide preserves the oldest layout of the settlement; Casamazzagno stretches across a panoramic slope with views of the surrounding peaks; Dosoledo has the compact core typical of Cadore's mountain villages. The parish churches of each village, with their slender bell towers, remain the visual landmarks of the landscape, together with the huts and hay barns scattered across the slopes, evidence of the forestry and pastoral economy that has shaped this valley for centuries.
Nature and surroundings
Comelico Superiore is surrounded by some of the northernmost peaks of the Belluno Dolomites, in an environment still relatively untouched compared to other Venetian alpine valleys. Coniferous forests, high-altitude pastures and trails leading toward the border offer opportunities for summer hiking as well as cross-country skiing and winter mountaineering, with the Padola area as the main reference point for snow sports. Its proximity to the Passo Monte Croce Comelico also makes the area a gateway toward the Val Pusteria, in South Tyrol.
Food and local produce
Comelico's cuisine reflects the mountain tradition of Cadore, built on alpine dairy products, malga cheeses, cured meats and dishes based on barley and potatoes, grown at the lower elevations of the territory. Cattle farming, historically central to the local economy, still feeds a milk and cheese supply chain tied to the mountain dairies dotted across the pastures around the villages, an activity that persists alongside tourism as the area's main source of income.
Events and traditions
Comelico's Ladin and Cadore identity is expressed above all through its language, which the four villages keep alive at home and through local cultural initiatives, and through the patronal feasts of each hamlet, community gatherings marked by the liturgical calendar. Village life still closely follows the seasonal rhythms of the mountains, with summer alpine grazing and winter snow-related activities as the year's main markers.
How to get there and location
Comelico Superiore lies at the far north of the province of Belluno, about 130 kilometres from Venice and 60 from Belluno, on the border with Austria via the Passo Monte Croce Comelico. It is reached by car up the Piave valley from Santo Stefano di Cadore, the only practical access route given the absence of direct rail links; the nearest stations are in Calalzo di Cadore. It is a destination that takes time to reach, and precisely for this reason keeps a mountain character largely untouched by mass tourism.
Local life and economy
Comelico Superiore's economy rests on livestock farming, forestry and mountain tourism, with a demographic pattern typical of peripheral alpine valleys, marked by depopulation and an ageing population. Local administrations focus on hiking and winter tourism as levers for development, promoting the Ladin language and culture as a distinguishing feature compared with other, better-known Dolomite valleys.
Experiences not to miss
- Walk between the four villages of Padola, Dosoledo, Candide and Casamazzagno, each with its own character
- Head up toward the Passo Monte Croce Comelico on the Austrian border
- Listen to the local Ladin dialect spoken in everyday village life
- Taste the malga cheeses produced in the area's summer alpine dairies
- Follow the summer trails through forests and high-altitude pastures
- Try cross-country skiing or winter hikes around the Padola area
To see
What to see in Comelico Superiore
Routes · Trovido Route
