Discover what to do in Posina: The gnocchi festival, the German road, the small lake of Posina. Do you want to know more? First of all…
Where is Posina located?
The municipality of Posina borders to the north with Laghi, to the northeast with Arsiero, to the northwest with Terragnolo, to the south with Valli del Pasubio, to the southwest with Schio, to the east with Arsiero, Velo d’Astico and Schio, to the west with Terragno and Trambileno.
The German road
The itinerary starts from the locality of Lambre, a picturesque hamlet surrounded by a pleasant wooded area lapped by the Posina stream. Among the ancient stone houses, a path marked by signs indicating the direction of the German road winds.
Immersed in the serene tree and shrub vegetation, the path bordered by dry stone walls covered with moss leads to Casa Betta, from which the trail to Passo di Colombo at 1390 m above sea level begins.
The boundless forest panorama gives way to towering spires from which thick tufts of grass sprout.
Particularly challenging, the path at this point narrows, enclosed between high rock walls and dense beech vegetation. During the excursion you will find fascinating caves that open in the ridge.
Once you reach the top of Monte Majo, the effort of the hike is rewarded by the spectacular landscape views admired from the summit: the colossal mass of mountain reliefs punctuated by steep ribs and gullies scattered with treetops that merge into a dense dark mantle sharply interrupted by the sunlit alpine pastures that from that distance reminded me of small patches of alopecia.
From the fir-covered summit, one can see Passo Xomo, a pass between the titanic massif of Pasubio and Novegno. In the valley, the roofs of the houses gathered in tiny red clusters scattered on the light grassy slopes crossed by thin white roads.
Along the winding descent of the ridge of Monte Majo, rather difficult and steep, you will find deep caves used as positions and depots during World War I. Arriving at the contrada of Xausa (45.80337648158678, 11.255317533342296) you can take the itinerary westwards that will take you back to Lambre.
The gnocchi festival
Every year at the end of October (the 2022 edition of the gnocchi festival was held on October 30), the center of Posina comes alive with stalls and tasting points to enhance one of the excellences of local cuisine, the result of a delicate balance between a healthy and uncontaminated land and the particular microclimate that characterizes the charming village enclosed by the Vicentine Pre-Alps.
Considered a poor food that characterizes a humble and hardworking peasant population, the tuber grown in the small municipality of the northwestern tip of the Vicenza area is a product rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals ideal for cooking tasty dishes whose aroma and organoleptic properties constitute a significant aspect of the gastronomic heritage of Posina, worthy of being preserved from the spread of food homologation that in recent decades has compromised the fragile mosaic of biodiversity of numerous cultures globally through the exacerbation of intensive cultivation of resources such as soy, corn, wheat aimed at facilitating the proposals of multinational companies.
Fertilized almost exclusively with organic manure, the predominantly sandy soil retains moisture well and facilitates the production of starches that give the potatoes a consistency suitable for preparing the exquisite gnocchi, the undisputed protagonists of the event, which you can savor in the spacious dining areas in the heart of the town.
During the fair you can warm up in front of the crackling fires on which chestnuts with blackened skin are roasted on large pans and drink mulled wine while walking along the small lake of Posina, a stunning crystal-clear body of water a few steps from several bars and trattorias.
If you are wondering what to do in Posina and want to fully experience the colors and flavors of autumn with delicious specialties of a charming town nestled in the mountains, participating in the gnocchi festival is certainly a recommended experience!
