Belluno: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

Now in Belluno--:--:--

--°

Belluno sits on a spur above the meeting of the Piave and the Ardo, with the Dolomites to the north and the Venetian plain to the south. For almost four centuries, from 1404 to 1797, it belonged to the Republic of Venice, and its squares, palaces and gates still look like a small Venetian town in the mountains. This walk crosses the old town from the main square to the southern gate. About an hour and a half on foot; the old town is small and mostly pedestrian.

A short history of Belluno

The Romans called the city Belunum, and it stands on a bluff above the Piave River, at the gateway to the Dolomites. From 1404 to 1797 it was ruled by Venice, and it then passed to Austria until it joined Italy in 1866. On the night of 9 October 1963 a mountainside collapsed into the reservoir of the Vajont Dam in the province, and the wave that swept down the valley destroyed the town of Longarone and killed about 2,000 people. Belluno has remained a small city, the centre of a mountain province whose squares still show traces of Venetian building.

The ten best sights in Belluno

1
Piazza dei Martiri
The long main square; cafés under the arcades and the evening stroll
2
Cathedral of Belluno
Renaissance cathedral with a tall baroque bell tower
3
Palazzo dei Rettori
The Venetian governors' palace on Piazza Duomo; seen from outside
4
Palazzo Fulcis
The civic museum: the Ricci painters and Brustolon's carvings
5
Porta Dojona
The old main gate into the walled town
6
Porta Rugo
The southern gate, above the drop to the Piave
7
Certosa di Vedana
A Carthusian monastery under the cliffs, 15 minutes west; seen from outside
8
Museo Vajont
In Longarone; the story of the 1963 disaster, 25 minutes north
9
Vajont Dam
The dam still stands; guided walks along the crest in season
10
Nevegal
Belluno's own ski and walking hill, 20 minutes up

sleepntripMystery worldPlaces whose story is not over yet

The moai, the Nazca lines, Göbekli Tepe and more.

To the mystery world

What is an audio walk?

Tours in Belluno →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Belluno:

Free walking tours in Belluno

Venetian Belluno

Piazza dei Martiri · The square takes its name from four partisans hanged here from the lamp posts by the German occupiers in March 1945, a few weeks before the end of the war. Before that it was the Campitello, the market field outside the walls.
Porta Dojona · The gate was the main entrance to medieval Belluno and was rebuilt in its present form in the 16th century under Venice. Through it ran the road from the market field, today's Piazza dei Martiri, into the walled town.
Palazzo Fulcis · The museum shows the work of two painters born in Belluno, Sebastiano Ricci and his nephew Marco Ricci, who worked in Venice, London and Florence in the 18th century. It also holds furniture carved by Andrea Brustolon, a Belluno sculptor famous for his wood.
Palazzo dei Rettori · The palace was built at the end of the 15th century for the rettore, the governor Venice sent to rule the town. Its open loggia and arched windows are pure Venetian Renaissance, transplanted to the foot of the Dolomites.
Cathedral of Belluno · The cathedral was designed in the early 16th century by the Venetian architect Tullio Lombardo. Its bell tower was added in the 1740s to a design by Filippo Juvarra, the architect of the Savoy kings in Turin.
Porta Rugo · The southern gate stands at the edge of the spur, where the town ends in a drop to the Piave. From the lane beyond it you see the river and the bridge below, which shows why the site was chosen for a fortified town.

Vajont and the Piave

North of Belluno the Piave valley narrows towards Cadore and Cortina. On 9 October 1963 a mountainside fell into the reservoir behind the new Vajont dam, and the wave that came over the top wiped out the town of Longarone in minutes. This route goes to the dam and the museum, then back by a lake and up Belluno's own hill. About 90 km and half a day by car; the dam crest can be walked only on guided visits.

Ponte nelle Alpi · The town is named after its bridge over the Piave, and it is where the valley roads divide: north up the Piave to Cadore and Cortina, east to the Alpago and Lake Santa Croce. Every road from the Dolomites to Venice passes here.
Longarone · About 2,000 people died in the Vajont disaster, most of them in Longarone, which was almost entirely destroyed. The town was rebuilt in modern style, and its new church, by the architect Giovanni Michelucci, stands as a memorial.
Museo Vajont · The museum tells the story through photographs of the valley before and after, and through the warnings that were ignored: engineers knew Monte Toc was moving, and the reservoir was kept filled. In 1969 an Italian court found those responsible guilty.
Vajont Dam · At about 260 metres the Vajont was then one of the highest dams in the world, and it survived the disaster almost intact. The landslide filled the reservoir behind it, so the dam now holds back rock instead of water.
Lago di Santa Croce · The lake lies in a natural saddle between the Piave valley and the plain, and a steady afternoon wind blows through it most summer days. That makes it one of the best known spots for windsurfing and kitesurfing in northern Italy.
Nevegal · The Nevegal is Belluno's house mountain, a ski area since the 1950s within half an hour of the town. On its slopes is the Botanical Garden of the Eastern Alps, with the flowers of the Dolomites grown in one place.

The wild park and Feltre

West of Belluno lies one of the least developed corners of the Dolomites: the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, with no ski lifts and few roads. This route enters it along the Mis valley, past a monastery under the cliffs, a green reservoir and rock pools, then turns south to a castle and the walled town of Feltre. About 100 km and a full day by car. The Mis valley road is narrow; in summer there is a short one-way and parking system.

Certosa di Vedana · The Carthusians, an order of silent hermit monks, founded the charterhouse here in the 15th century, under the walls of the Monte Peron. Each monk lived alone in a small house with its own garden around the great cloister; its tall walls and church are seen from the road.
Lago del Mis · The lake was created in the 1960s by a dam on the Mis torrent, flooding part of the valley floor. Its green water and steep wooded sides make it look natural, and the road runs along its shore into the park.
Cadini del Brenton · The cadini are a chain of round pools carved into the limestone by the stream, linked by small waterfalls. A short path with footbridges runs beside them, and in summer the water is clear enough to see the bottom.
Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park · The park was created in the early 1990s and covers about 30,000 hectares of rugged mountains between the Piave and the Cismon. It has no ski lifts and almost no roads inside, and chamois, golden eagles and marmots live in its upper valleys.
Castello di Zumelle · Zumelle guarded the road from the Piave valley to the plain, and parts of it date back to the early Middle Ages. Today it belongs to the local municipality and is used for medieval festivals and exhibitions.
Feltre · In 1510, during the War of the League of Cambrai, imperial troops sacked and burned Feltre for its loyalty to Venice. Venice rebuilt it, and the merchants decorated their new houses with frescoed facades, which is why it is called a 'painted city'.

sleepntripFree with every roomThree audio walks in every city

A guide in your headphones, stop after stop.

To the walks

Getting to Belluno and getting around

Belluno Station · Trains to Venice via Treviso or Conegliano and north to Calalzo for Cortina
Belluno bus station · Buses to the valleys, Cortina and the lakes, outside the train station

Cheap eats in Belluno

Belluno eats like the mountains of the Veneto: polenta, beans, cheese and game, with fresh pasta from the shops and excellent ice cream. Coffee at the counter is cheap, and a slice of focaccia or a pastry makes a quick lunch. Prices are in euros and noticeably lower than in Cortina.

Bristot Caffè · Espresso at the counter about 1.30-1.60 €
Pasticceria Bellunese · Pastries on Piazza delle Erbe, about 2-4 €
Panificio Al Vecchio Forno · Bread and focaccia by the slice, about 2-4 €
Pastificio Menazza · Fresh pasta to take away, a portion about 4-6 €
Gelateria La Delizia · Gelato, about 2.50-4 €
Il Gelato di De Bona · Gelato near Piazza Cesare Battisti, about 2.50-4 €

Museums in Belluno

Palazzo Fulcis · Civic museum of Belluno; about an hour
Museo Vajont · The disaster and the valley before it; 1-2 hours
Cathedral of Belluno · Renaissance interior; the bell tower is the landmark
Palazzo dei Rettori · The Venetian palace on Piazza Duomo

Nature and day trips near Belluno

Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park · Few roads and no lifts; real hiking country
Cadini del Brenton · Short walk by the rock pools
Lago del Mis · Green lake on the park road
Nevegal · Walks and the alpine botanical garden
Lago di Santa Croce · Lakeside walks and wind sports

Things to do in Belluno with kids

Nevegal · Easy slopes in winter, meadows and the botanical garden in summer
Lago di Santa Croce · Beach, paddling and watching the kites
Castello di Zumelle · Walls and towers to explore; events in summer
Cadini del Brenton · Footbridges over the pools

Where to eat in Belluno

Osteria Del Tiziano · Local cooking near Piazza dei Martiri
Osteria Dal Bocia · Simple osteria by the main square
Trattoria Moretto · Home cooking in the upper town
Trattoria Rugo · By the southern gate
Al Ponte della Vittoria · Below the old town by the river bridge

sleepntripRoad and rail routesEvery night on the road, our hotel

Whole routes, with a room up to $80 at every stop.

To the routes

Frequently asked questions about Belluno

What is there to see in Belluno?

The top sights in Belluno are Piazza dei Martiri, Cathedral of Belluno and Palazzo dei Rettori. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Belluno?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Belluno without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Belluno?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Belluno, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Venetian Belluno.

How do you get to Belluno and get around?

The main ways are Belluno Station and Belluno bus station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Belluno, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Belluno that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

Looking for a hotel in Belluno for your dates?

Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.

All hotels in Belluno

Plan a trip across ItalyLa dolce vita from north to south→