Valdastico
Valdastico è un comune delle Prealpi vicentine che occupa gran parte della Val d'Astico, la valle scavata dal torrente Astico sul...
12 जुलाई 2026 को अपडेट किया गया
कहानी
Valdastico की कहानी
In the Val d'Astico, among the Vicenza Prealps
Valdastico's territory stretches along the western side of the Sette Comuni plateau, carved by the Astico stream into a narrow, green valley separating the Vicenza Prealps from the plateau massif. Altitudes range from 301 metres at the valley floor to 1,720 metres at the surrounding peaks, a span that encloses very different environments: mixed woodland in the lower part, beech forests and high-altitude pastures further up towards the plateau. It is a genuine Prealpine landscape, less well known than the nearby Piccole Dolomiti or the Asiago plateau, but capable of offering views of great natural value to those willing to explore it at a relaxed pace.
A municipality formed in 1940
Valdastico has existed as an administrative body only since 1940, when the old municipalities of Forni and Casotto were merged together with the hamlets of San Pietro and Pedescala. Before then, the valley was organised into small independent municipalities, each with its own identity and historical ties, some dating back to the Middle Ages, when the territory was held by the Bishop of Padua. From the 12th century onwards, German-speaking populations also settled in the valley, in a process similar to the one that led to the formation of the Cimbrian communities on the Sette Comuni plateau slightly further east. Even today the different hamlets retain distinct character, despite belonging to a single municipality.
The Strafexpedition and the scars of the Great War
The Val d'Astico was the scene of extremely harsh fighting during the First World War, particularly in the spring and summer of 1916, when the Austro-Hungarian offensive known as the Strafexpedition captured Posina, Laghi, Arsiero, Tonezza del Cimone and the entire valley, halting only between Velo d'Astico and Cogollo del Cengio. The whole territory suffered heavy destruction, traces of which remain in the trenches, fortifications and military cemeteries scattered along the slopes. Today the memory of those events is told through historical routes such as the Alta Via della Grande Guerra, which crosses the area, offering a different, more intimate way of experiencing the Vicenza mountains compared to the better-known sites of the Dolomite front.
The hamlets of San Pietro and Pedescala
San Pietro and Pedescala, which became part of Valdastico in 1940, still retain their own identity within the municipality today, with small settlements along the valley floor and the road climbing towards the plateau. They are simple hamlets, without major monuments, but representative of Vicenza valley life: stone houses, vegetable gardens, small farming activities and direct contact with the Astico stream, which flows clear over the rocks here. It is in these smaller settlements, more than in the main village, that one best feels the daily rhythm of a mountain community living with few services and a still-intact landscape.
Nature and valley trails
Beyond its historical memory, Valdastico offers a good starting point for mid-mountain hikes, with trails climbing the wooded slopes towards the Sette Comuni plateau or descending into the more open Val d'Astico, towards Arsiero and Piovene Rocchette. The Astico stream, with its clear waters, is a central feature of the landscape and offers pleasant spots for those seeking a break from the summer heat of the plain. This is not a territory equipped for mass tourism, but for those who appreciate quiet hiking, Great War history and mountain life lived without excessive staging, Valdastico is an honest and genuine choice.
Experiences not to miss
- Walk a stretch of the Alta Via della Grande Guerra among trenches and fortifications
- Follow the Astico stream between the hamlets of San Pietro and Pedescala
- Climb towards the Sette Comuni plateau along the valley's wooded trails
- Visit the military cemeteries and sites linked to the 1916 Strafexpedition
- Explore the wider Val d'Astico towards Arsiero and Tonezza del Cimone
पथ · Trovido Route
