Da Giazza alla Val Fraselle

The square of Giazza, an ancient village in the high Val d'Illasi of Cimbrian origin, is the starting point for this enchanting hike in the delightful setting of the Giazza Forest.

Leaving the inhabited area, one ascends alongside the lush Fraselle stream until reaching the provincial road near the famous Locke spring, where a Cimbrian inscription welcomes hikers and lovers of pure mountain water. From the nearby bend, the asphalt is left behind to follow the comfortable dirt road which, alongside some small hamlets with typical Germanic names (Feceraute, Gisoul), immerses into the greenery of the forest; the sound of flowing water accompanies hikers throughout the first part of the route, which also includes a visit to a lime kiln, located beside the path and well marked with an arrow. Just a few hundred meters further, there is the ford, once over a small wooden bridge, now comfortable thanks to a recent hydraulic intervention; the road begins to ascend and soon allows reaching Casa Vaizelù, a picturesque mountain building with an adjacent spring.

As soon as the buildings are passed, the road is left to take the CAI trail no. 284, which, without particular steep sections, traverses the entire left hydrographic slope of the Val Fraselle up to the locality Prusti di Sopra; in this stretch, the majestic monumental lime trees, once used as open-air stables by shepherds, are breathtaking.

From the ruins of Prusti di Sopra, one quickly descends to Prusti di Sotto, reached by a partially restored dirt road; following this road, one crosses the Selle, panoramic grassy valleys used as mid-season pastures; the path reaches the homonymous hamlet of Selle, where Malga Selle is located. Here you can admire the rocky ridges that delineate the Lessini plateau.

From Selle, a well-marked path leads into the forest, which, with continuous bends, reaches Telderi, a small hamlet overlooking the Giazza cemetery that has hosted a breeding of llamas and alpacas for several years. The path continues towards Giazza, but first, it is a must to stop at the Carbon's square of Nello and Giorgio of the Osteria Ljetzan, who every year at the beginning of May keep alive the tradition of “making charcoal” by lighting the charcoal kiln and producing valuable wood charcoal which they will later use to cook exquisite grilled dishes in their inn in Giazza.