Da Giazza alla Val Fraselle

Itinerary Description

The square of Giazza, an ancient village in the high Val d'Illasi of Cimbrian origin, is the starting point of this evocative excursion in the enchanting setting of the dense Giazza Forest; leaving the inhabited area, we ascend alongside the flourishing Fraselle creek until we reach the provincial road near the famous Locke spring, where a sign in Cimbrian welcomes hikers and lovers of pure mountain water. From the nearby bend, we leave the asphalt to follow the comfortable dirt road that, flanking some small hamlets with typical Germanic toponyms (Feceraute, Gisoul), immerses us in the green of the forest; the roar of the flourishing water accompanies hikers throughout the first part of the route, which also includes a visit to a lime kiln located right next to the path and well marked with an arrow. Just a few hundred meters further, we come to the ford, once over a small wooden bridge, now instead comfortable thanks to a recent hydraulic intervention; the road begins to climb and soon allows us to reach Casa Vaizelù, a picturesque mountain building with an adjacent spring. 

Just past the buildings, we leave the road to take the CAI trail no. 284 that cuts across the entire left hydrographic slope of the Val Fraselle without any particular steep sections until we reach the locality of Prusti di Sopra; in this stretch, the majestic monumental linden trees, once used as an open-air stable by shepherds, are truly astonishing. 

From the ruins of Prusti di Sopra, we descend quickly to Prusti di Sotto, reached by a dirt road that has been partially restored; following this road, we cross the Selle, panoramic grassy valleys used as mid-season pastures; the comfortable path reaches the eponymous hamlet of Selle, a west-facing locality where Malga Selle is located. Here you can admire the rocky ridges that delimit the Lessinia plateau.

From Selle, a well-marked trail leads into the forest and, with continuous turns, reaches Telderi, a small locality above the Giazza cemetery that has hosted a breeding of llamas and alpacas for several years. The trail continues towards Giazza, but first, a stop is a must at the Carbon site of Nello and Giorgio of the Osteria Ljetzan, who each year in early May keep alive the tradition of “making charcoal” by lighting the charcoal pile and producing precious wood charcoal, which they then use to cook delicious grilled dishes in their tavern in the square of Giazza.

Technical Information

Difficulty: hiking itinerary with an average elevation gain without particular difficulties, extending on dirt roads and marked paths through beech and red fir forests and medium mountain pastures.
Walkability: on foot, suitable for families (strollers are not recommended)

Length: 5.5 km
Average travel time: 2:15 hours
Vertical development: 400m
Itinerary stages: Departure from the square of Giazza (770m) – Locke Spring (830m) – Feceraute (885m) – Gisoul (960m) – Lime kiln (985m) – Casa Vaizelù (1035m) – Monumental lindens (1020m) – Prusti di Sopra (1005m) – Prusti di Sotto (985m) – Selle (995m) – Telderi (840m) – Carbon site (805m) - return to the square of Giazza (770m).