In search of "El Diàol"

Foto di Franco Voglino
Alta Via dell'Orso

Route details Recommended period Spring, Summer, Autumn Phone+39 347 618 9044

The trail is 10.5 km long and takes about 3 hours. The total climb is 400 meters and is also suitable for families with children. A paper map describing the 10 stages of the itinerary is available from the Colle Santa Lucia Tourist Office.

Alta Via dell'Orso is the name of the circular trail that starts from Colle Santa Lucia and winds its way through fascinating and wild Dolomite landscapes. The route was inspired by the novel “La pelle dell’orso” (The skin of the bear), by Matteo Righetto, and by the journey that the protagonists take in search of the bear called “el Diàol” (the devil).

This is not only a nature trail but also a literary and cultural route that will immerse you in nature to discover some of the places recounted by the Paduan writer. 

The route overlooks the Fiorentina valley and climbs up to the Pore massif (Nuvolau-Averau group), then crosses the Livinallongo side of the Col di Lana hill (Fodòm) and rejoins the ancient Strada de la Vena road, then downhill to Villagrande. Thanks to this "literary hike" in the mountains of Colle Santa Lucia you can walk through untouched woods and green valleys, admire all the majesty and beauty of the panorama of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites and play a leading role in fantastic adventures in these breathtakingly charming places.


The rarefied settings of the story become real experiences: the ring-route is accompanied by posters in 4 languages (Italian, English, German and Ladin) featuring some passages from the novel. You will thus be guided on a unique hike among literature and nature.