Discover what to do in Tonezza del Cimone: the Excalibur trail, the Bisele festival, the wonder wood. Do you want to know more? First of all…
Where is Tonezza del Cimone?
The municipality of Tonezza del Cimone borders to the northeast with Valdastico, to the northwest with Lastebasse and Arsiero, to the south with Arsiero, to the east with Valdastico and Arsiero, to the west with Arsiero.
The Excalibur trail
The starting point of the 3 km hike is the free parking lot in front of Baita Pontara in contrada Sella, in the boundless grassy expanse of the Tonezza plateau dotted with firs, larches, walnuts, maples, oaks, elms, hornbeams, and alders.
Take the trail marked by an informational panel placed next to the mountain hut. Initially slightly uphill, the path furrows the valley shining in the sun, strewn with majestic, dark, and prickly crowns.
The first stop on the route is the Baito delle Coste, an ancient stone building on two levels, used on the ground floor as a shelter for livestock and on the first floor as a hay loft. Topped by a double-pitched roof with terracotta tiles from which a charming chimney protrudes, the enchanting rural dwelling is reflected in the icy circular pool of water, shaded by a tall beech tree, where animals drink.
After passing contrà Vallà, the path framed by wooden fences and dry stone walls winds through gentle slopes of fertile pastures dotted with buttercups and white lilies, then forks and leads to two bastions built by the Austro-Hungarian army during the battle of the plateaus, fought from May 15 to July 27, 1916.
The itinerary snakes through the lush forest vegetation until it reaches the mythical sword, a bit rusty, inserted in a large boulder near the amusing wooden silhouette of a knight armed with a lance.
After passing the trench dating back to the period of the punitive expedition, made of logs, stones, and metal covered with leaves, the path returns to the starting point crossing the western edge of the plateau, from which one can gaze upon the Riofreddo valley.
If you are wondering what to do in Tonezza del Cimone, the Excalibur trail takes the visitor on a sensory journey in which the slow and unstoppable force of nature manages to reconcile, overwhelming with its silent and serene mantle of foliage, the magical and fairy-tale atmosphere of ancient legends with the deep scars carved in the rock that have indelibly marked the history of the 20th century.
The Bisele festival
The Bisele festival takes place every year, with rare exceptions, between December and January. The 2022 edition was held on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December.
A recommended event for food lovers, the traditional folk celebration enhances the exquisite and nutritious dishes that characterize the culture of the picturesque villages of Tonezza. The term bisele refers to the small vegetable gardens necessary for the subsistence of the inhabitants of these mountain villages historically afflicted by deprivation and poverty.
The most representative dish of the area is Patòna, a dish certified De.Co. (municipal denomination) prepared with a mixture of potatoes and flour stir-fried with onion and sossoli, i.e., pork fat cracklings, often accompanied in cold months with savoy cabbage, sauerkraut, and slices of cotechino.
During the event, there will be wine specialties, mugs of beer, briscola tournaments, and fun activities for children.
If you are wondering what to do in Tonezza del Cimone and you wish to spend the winter season in a warm, welcoming, and carefree atmosphere featuring top-quality food and wine specialties in the spectacular setting of the vast snowy plateau nestled in the Vicentine Pre-Alps, attending the Bisele festival might be just right for you!
The wonder wood
With a length of 4 km, the wonder wood trail aims to preserve and promote the arboreal heritage of the Tonezza del Cimone plateau with a series of pleasant paths that penetrate vast and dense beech forests.
Populating the unspoiled natural oasis, among the sinuous network of thick roots and large rocks veiled with moss, rise wooden sculptures of charming owls, a squirrel carved from a cherry tree trunk, a rabbit with ears pricked to listen to the sounds and echoes of the wood, a woodpecker intent on creating its shelter.
For more information regarding the works, created by skilled sculptors of all ages, and the trails of this formidable dream location from which you enjoy breathtaking views of the Val d’Astico, you can consult the section dedicated to the wonder wood on the website www.tonezza.it.
