Culture, Conservation, and Community Resilience on a Weeklong Trek in the Dolomites

Text and Photos by Jesse Ilan Kornbluth

“We must recognise our own responsibility—and power—to protect the environment for future generations.”

THE CAMMINO RETICO

Across Europe, long-distance trekking is everywhere, but the Cammino Retico in northern Italy is one-of-a-kind for its mix of natural beauty, history, culture, local cuisine, ecological diversity, and physical challenge.

What really makes it stand out, though, is its unique origin story and the team behind the project.

The Cammino Retico is one of the continent’s first—and only—community-managed and maintained long-distance hikes (if there are others, I’d love to hear about them).

It was dreamed up by Francesco de Bortoli, a retired Bellunesi factory worker, in the final days of 2023 and brought to life in the spring of 2024 by L’Associazione di Promozione Sociale Carpe Diem, a cadre of volunteers from the villages along the trail—brewers, nurses, teachers, and students.

Despite—or perhaps because of—its independence from corporate sponsorship or central government support, the trail is incredibly well maintained and marked.

EACH VILLAGE FEELS LIKE A SLICE OF THE PAST

At the beginning of April, I solo-hiked the nearly 200 km trail over seven days through the Italian Dolomites, following the path of the pre-Roman Raetian civilisation.

The Cammino Retico is both physically demanding and culturally rich. Multiple starting points along the trail help keep foot traffic to a minimum, even during peak hiking season.

Days on the Cammino are spent trekking over rugged mountains, through scenic valleys, past sprawling fields, and alongside rushing rivers.

Each day ends in a different village across Belluno—except for one night when I crossed into Trentino, where the landscape and architecture changed dramatically.

Each village feels like a slice of the past—isolated hamlets with their own traditions, dialects, crops, and cuisines. The terroir and flavours between villages are worlds apart, though they’re only a mountain or valley away.

PERFECTLY AUTHENTIC, SELF-AWARE, AND UNPRETENIOUS

Beyond the stunning natural scenery, meeting the locals along the Cammino was a true highlight. Every village had a story, and everyone was eager to share their wisdom, work, and wine.

I met Roberto, who crafts furniture from native timber for his village inn; Michela, a beekeeper who brings local students into her apiary to teach them about the alpine ecosystem; Luciano, the retired nurse turned local historian who shared the secrets of his village’s 15th-century church; and Manuela, my de facto guide who—when she’s not teaching at the local primary school or working with the Red Cross on refugee resettlement—feels most at home in the mountains.

“I think trees communicate through their roots,” she told me. “The way the natural world communicates is beyond our understanding.”

Over the course of my week on the Cammino, those words echoed loudly.

Every day brought a new landscape and adventure. One of the most memorable was the 30-ish km trek between the villages of Aune and Lamon, wandering through valleys carved by wild rivers in shades of blue and green I’d never seen.

Around 5 km in, I was invited to learn about a 600-year-old church built atop ancient pagan tombs, and then for coffee at the churchkeeper’s home before heading back on the trail.

I crossed mountains with shrines dedicated to local mountaineers carved into the rocks and came across an abandoned alpine village—where I shared my prosciutto cotto sandwich and orange cake (baked by Manuela) with a family of wildcats now occupying the empty stone houses.

I ended the day in Lamon, a small village with just one operating pub—Stella d’Oro—which serves as an osteria, hotel, café, and community hub.

It’s the kind of place where generous servings of vino de la casa are poured from a big glass jug, and the day’s menu is scribbled on a chalkboard: perfectly authentic, self-aware, and unpretentious.

Dinner was the local speciality of grilled Lamonese lamb with Lamonese beans—both found only in the hills surrounding Lamon—all lovingly washed down with a carafe of imported wine. And by imported, I mean it was delivered from the next village over.

I THINK JUST ABOUT ANY COLD BEER WOULD TASTE LIKE SWEET VICTORY AFTER A WEEK OF HIKING

The communities along the Cammino keep their traditions alive through self-sufficiency and a focus on native agriculture, hardly surprising, considering their emphasis on cultural and environmental conservation.

I spent every night in small local inns, where each meal offered a little lesson in history and the delicious rewards of eating local.

To cap it all off, I ended the hike at the legendary Pedavena Brewery, where I was greeted by the leaders of the Carpe Diem Association.

I think just about any cold beer would taste like sweet victory after a week of hiking, but the brews were truly exceptional. I’ll have to make a return trip without the hike to confirm. For my research.

Hiking the Cammino Retico is the kind of trip I could never get sick of, and I know I’ll be back soon.

The Cammino’s volunteer association has just launched an auxiliary four-day route that follows an even more challenging trail—the Cammino Retico Southern—which I hope to complete soon. (There’s also a bicycle route.)

THE TREK BEGAN TO TAKE ON A GREATER MEANING

The peace and reflection I found on the trail reminded me of the supremely powerful combination of physical challenge, solitude, and nature—a feeling I’d forgotten about for too long, and one I’ll continue to chase as long as I’m able.

In the moments when I’d had enough of my own thoughts, I popped on an audiobook (The Overstory and Olga Dies Dreaming were my choices for this trip).

Charley Crockett—a friend I often photograph on tour—had released a new album several weeks earlier, Lonesome Drifter, and I had waited until the Cammino to listen.

It turned out to be the perfect soundtrack for hours traversing rugged trails with beautiful views, without encountering another soul.

Reflecting on what I had experienced and learned on the Cammino, the trek began to take on a greater meaning.

As communities across the globe are increasingly faced with the perils of climate change, environmental degradation, food insecurity, and global trade tensions, the importance of grassroots, community-driven conservation and supporting local businesses becomes even clearer.

With corrupt politicians increasingly selling off natural resources for corporate interests, more communities will need to step up to safeguard natural landscapes.

The Cammino Retico’s unique, bottom-up approach offers a blueprint for similar initiatives, especially in places where government support is lacking.

We must recognise our own responsibility—and power—to protect the environment for future generations.

I’ve seen similar projects take shape to great effect in areas where the authorities have neglected the natural landscape or local population—in Puerto Rico, Colombia, India, the American West, and beyond.

You don’t need to spend a week hiking through the Dolomites to come to this conclusion—but it sure helps drive the point home.

What to Know Before You Go

When to go:
Early spring to early summer. I went at the end of April. The weather was perfect, and the inns were mostly empty. Camping is an option as well. During peak summer, the days are hot, trails are more crowded, and accommodations are more scarce. Late summer and early fall are probably great times to go as well.

Must bring (all available at Decathlon in every major city in Italy):

A backpack with good support
A great pair of boots
Wool socks and quick-dry clothing (I washed my hiking clothes in the sink every night)
Blister tape
A packable waterproof windbreaker
Hiking poles
Italian honey energy gels (they actually taste good) and snacks
CamelBak (most days you won’t find anywhere to buy snacks or water on the trail)
The AllTrails app. The association has developed an offline map layer so even if you miss a trail marker, you’ll be able to follow the path.