Sappada appears like a hermitage immersed in nature, where the air is pure and the silence is interrupted only by the sounds of nature. Despite having preserved its authenticity almost intact, it has been a tourist destination since the 800th century, offering numerous opportunities for recreation and entertainment for everyone.
Sappada is a municipality in Friuli Venezia Giulia in the province of Udine, located in a long valley crossed by the Piave, at the foot of Mount Peralba: at 1245 metres above sea level, it is the highest village in the region and is splendidly nestled between Carnia and Cadore.
Part of both the Carnia Mountain Community and the Magnificent Community of Cadore , Sappada enjoys a spectacular geographical position : the surrounding area is in fact full of waterfalls, alpine lakes, larch and fir forests, located in the presence of peaks such as Monte Peralba , the Terze Group, the Creta Forata and the Carnic Alps.
What to do in Sappada in summer
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Sappada lends itself to tourism all year round and not just in winter: in summer the town and the surrounding landscapes are an explosion of colours and scents that encourage walks, excursions and outdoor sports.
Discover the best offers to spend a summer holiday in the best alpine chalets and cabins in the Dolomites, the best structures immersed in the heart of the Dolomites with a typical alpine style
Strolling through the 15 villages that make up what is effectively a large municipality means passing artisan workshops but above all appreciating the architecture that characterizes them, especially in Cima Sappada and Sappada Vecchia . Immediately catching the eye, with their flower-filled balconies , are the houses built with the ancient Nordic-style blockbau technique , which involves wooden beams arranged horizontally one on top of the other and then recessed into the corners.
Sports enthusiasts can rent mountain bikes or e-bikes , venturing along the mountain paths and perhaps taking the road that leads straight to the source of the Piave , then descending into the Val Visdende which is located between Sappada and the municipality of Santo Stefano di Cadore.
For an even greener experience, there's a riding stable near the sports field that offers horses for excursions through the woods , perhaps stopping every now and then to spot mushrooms: with the ongoing climate changes, it's not uncommon to spot them even in summer and then enjoy them fresh.
Speaking of locally sourced food, sport fishing enthusiasts or those who simply want to try their hand at fishing with a line and bait can head to the Ziegelhutte lake : trout are abundant here and, once caught, they can be consumed on site using the barbecue located on the banks of the lake.
Golf lovers can spend time at the Sappada Golf Club and try out its 9 holes : it goes without saying how beautiful this golf course is, located where people ski in winter and home to the Nevelandia winter playground.
Families with children can have fun at the Adventure Park : suspended bridges, pulleys, and ropes characterize the six courses, each with a different level depending on the needs of any new Indiana Jones. The most daring can test their courage on the Vertical Limit course, where the heights are truly thrilling.
House to see in Sappada in summer
Experiencing Sappada in summer means spending your days walking on hiking trails and reaching naturalistic and historical places of extraordinary beauty.
Remaining in the center of Sappada, precisely in the hamlet of Mühlbach, the Alpine Fauna Park offers the opportunity to see typical Alpine animals up close, such as chamois and especially deer.
From the park it is easy to reach the nearby Piccolo Museo della Grande Guerra in the hamlet of Bach : open in the summer, it is housed in an old forge and contains relics relating to the First World War, weapons, uniforms, camp stoves, trench objects, gas masks, helmets and a very rare field first aid kit.
The museum is the starting point for reaching the Cascatelle and the subsequent Grande Cascata , very scenic in the height of summer when the water flow is at its maximum: from June to September, the entire path to reach them is illuminated so as to allow everyone to enjoy these waterfalls even in the middle of the night.
To learn about the history of Sappada and the Ladin culture, we recommend a visit to the Giuseppe Fontana Ethnographic Museum : it is within this museum space that you can learn curiosities about the local flora and fauna but above all you can learn about the origins of the town, when between the 10th and 11th centuries a group of settlers from Cainthia and Tyrol, with the permission of the Patriarch of Aquileia, founded the villages that today give life to Sappada, a German-speaking linguistic enclave.
Another interesting museum space is located in the hamlet of Cretta and is the Museum of Rural Civilization : it is a 19th-century wooden house furnished with original furniture and the caretaker, through anecdotes and curiosities, leads visitors by the hand in understanding the daily life of the ancient Ladins.
There are many places steeped in mysticism in Sappada, one of which is the late Baroque Church of Santa Margherita and the Calvary Chapel , with three wooden crucifixes. To reach the chapel, you start from Mühlbach and, following the stream of the same name, continue up a slope dotted with 14 small chapels, symbolically retracing the Via Crucis.
Between Santo Stefano di Cadore and Sappada there is a wooden bridge overlooking the marvelous Orrido dell'Acquatona , a gorge from which the waters of the Rio Acquatona plunge from a height of 50 metres: if you wish, you can descend the 190 steps to reach the heart of the Orrido.
Summer is also the perfect season to reach the source of the Piave , the "river sacred to the Fatherland" and the scene of many battles during the First World War: starting from Cima Sappada, you cross the Val Sesis up to the slopes of Monte Peralba.
The source of the Piave River is located at an altitude of 1830 meters and is adjacent to the Sorgenti del Piave Refuge, where you can enjoy traditional local cuisine and a glass of gentian grappa. If you prefer, you can continue along a forest road to the Calvi Refuge , right in front of the Sartor via ferrata. Crossing the Sesis Pass and following the Papa Giovanni Paolo II road, you reach an altitude of 2694 meters, where snow is still present even in the height of summer.
Holidays in Sappada
Summer in Sappada can be a lot of fun, probably much more so than the winter season when most of the hiking trails are closed due to snow: summer days are never very hot due to the Alpine climate , but they are very often sunny due to the valley's exposure.
To get to know Sappada and its rich landscape in depth, a weekend is certainly not enough: a longer holiday will pass in a flash in Sappada and even when you choose to stay in the city you will certainly not be bored given the many summer events organised.
Among the most engaging traditional festivals are the Hay Festival , the Folklore Festival with parades by the Holzhockar group , the Plodar Fest dedicated to traditional mountain music and finally the beautiful Sappamukki in mid-September, the festive return of the cows from the summer mountain pastures.
To enjoy Sappada in comfort, there's no shortage of accommodations: there are various types, from B&Bs to classic hotels (some with spas) to holiday apartments furnished in Alpine style . For an even more immersive experience of the area, a good option is to stay in a mountain refuge, whose main attraction is the spectacular views of the Alps.
photo credits: shutterstock
Sappada summer holidays
If you are considering taking a summer holiday in Sappada, below you can find some useful links to find hotels and holiday apartments.
Booking.com photo
