When the Dolomites are tinged with the colors of autumn, the Belluno area changes its pace. The woods ignite with golden and copper shades, the valleys rediscover the flavors of the season, and the small villages return to celebrate rituals and traditions that recount the identity of the mountains. It is a particularly evocative time to discover the Belluno Dolomites, amidst festivals dedicated to local products, the bellowing of deer, the final desmontegade, cultural appointments, and itineraries to be explored on foot or by bicycle.
The autumn season also arrives at a time of growing attention toward Veneto and its mountain destinations. The Venetian Dolomites are increasingly present in travel itineraries dedicated to the discovery of Italian territories, while Pieve di Cadore prepares to experience a particularly significant year: 2026 marks the 450th anniversary of the birth of Titian, and the village will represent Veneto in the fourteenth edition of Il Borgo dei Borghi, the Rai 3 competition linked to the program Kilimangiaro, which annually highlights twenty Italian villages, one for each region, through their heritage and the communities that inhabit them.
The taste of autumn amidst pumpkins, chestnuts, and apples
The Belluno autumn reveals itself primarily through its products. Pumpkins, chestnuts, apples, and walnuts become the protagonists of festivals and fairs across the various areas of the province, offering the opportunity to get to know a gastronomy deeply linked to the mountains and their seasons.
In Valbelluna, from October 2 to 4, the Sagra della Zucca Santa Bellunese in Caorera celebrates a traditional agri-food specialty used in both sweet and savory preparations. Exhibitions, markets, and musical performances accompany the event, transforming it into an opportunity to connect with local culture.
In Pedavena, from October 4 to 25, it is time for the Festa della Castagna, one of the most representative appointments of the season. At the heart of the event are roasted chestnuts and a market exhibition dedicated to agri-food products and local craftsmanship.
From October 9 to 11, the village of Mel hosts Mele a Mel, with courtyards and streets animated by producers and artisans. From mountain cheeses to Dolomites honey, from grappas to various varieties of beans, from walnuts to potatoes and pastin, the route becomes a journey through the flavors of the territory. The apple naturally remains the protagonist, in its numerous varieties, cultivated according to healthy and organic practices.
Finally, in Feltre, the Antica Fiera di San Matteo returns on November 8, featuring agricultural producers from the Feltrino area and the province of Belluno, accompanied by gastronomic offerings and initiatives also designed for families.
In Cansiglio, on the trail of the bellowing deer
There is a sound that, more than others, announces autumn in the woods of the Dolomites: it is the bellowing of male deer during the mating season.
Until October 13, guided excursions in the Cansiglio Forest, accompanied by nature and environmental guides from the Mazarol cooperative, allow visitors to hear this spectacular call and, with a bit of luck, to catch other signs of the wildlife that inhabits one of Europe’s most evocative forest environments.
Autumn is also the season of the desmontegade, the return of livestock from the mountain pastures to the valleys. On October 3 and 4, the Grande Desmontegada di Pedavena celebrates this moment through mountain products, ancient crafts, and traditions of rural life.
On the same dates, in Auronzo di Cadore, Gnoche ’n Festa e Desmonteada combines the tradition of Cadorine gnocchi with the parade in traditional dress that accompanies the return of the animals to the valley, amidst craftsmanship and music.
On October 17 and 18, Cortina d’Ampezzo also celebrates the return from the mountain pastures with the Fešta del Dešmonteà, an event dedicated to local traditions and community life.
Between culture, mountains, and historic villas
Autumn in the Belluno Dolomites is not only about nature and gastronomy. It is also an ideal season to approach the history and culture of the territory.
From October 2 to 11, Belluno hosts Oltre le Vette, a historic festival dedicated to the mountains that this year reaches its thirtieth edition. Exhibitions, meetings, and performances take inspiration from the journey through the Dolomites undertaken in the nineteenth century by the English writer and artist Amelia B. Edwards.
On October 17 and 18, the Giornata delle Ville Venete also returns, offering the chance to visit several historic residences in the Belluno area. These include Villa Villalta, Villa De’ Mezzan, and Villa Buzzati, the latter open on October 18 with a guided tour and an immersive reading dedicated to Dino Buzzati, on the 120th anniversary of his birth.
It is a different way of traversing the Dolomite landscape: not just by looking at it, but by entering into the stories, the architecture, and the people who built its identity.
From ancient forges to contemporary craftsmanship
The mountains also preserve the traces of ancient trades.
On October 31, an excursion organized by the Museo Ladin Fodom leads to the discovery of the remaining evidence of ironworking in the territory of Livinallongo del Col di Lana. The itinerary, approximately 7.5 kilometers long, allows for a combination of walking and memory, traversing a landscape where the history of local communities is still legible.
Later, on November 21 and 22, the setting of Villa Patt in Sedico hosts the Merry Artigiane Christmas Market, dedicated to artisanal and creative activities led by women. Art, creativity, and female stories thus accompany the entry into the Christmas season.
On foot or by bicycle, immersed in the colors of autumn
For those who love to experience the mountains slowly, autumn is one of the most interesting seasons for walking.
Walking proposals cross the Cansiglio, the Val di Zoldo, the larch forests around Cortina d’Ampezzo, and other landscapes that connect the valley floor and high altitudes. The foliage becomes an integral part of the experience, creating a particularly evocative contrast with the Dolomite peaks.
Bicycles also offer an original way to traverse the territory. The Gran Anello Bellunese extends for 250 kilometers, divided into seven stages that can be covered by MTB or gravel bike, crossing the Valbelluna amidst villages, woods, and landscapes along the Piave.
The route begins at the Agriturismo Miari Fulcis in Belluno, where the map and the “passport” intended to collect stamps from the different stages are provided. However, it is not necessary to tackle the entire itinerary: the track also allows for the choice of single days of cycling, adapting the experience to one’s own pace.
An autumn to be experienced without haste
From festivals to trails, from the bellowing of deer to the desmontegade, from historic villas to roads to be explored by bicycle, the Belluno Dolomites show a particularly authentic face in autumn.
It is a mountain less tied to the frenzy of the high season and closer to its natural rhythms: those of the woods changing color, of the animals following the cycle of the seasons, of the products that reach the tables, and of the communities that continue to safeguard gestures and traditions.
The updated calendar of events and all information on the initiatives are available on the official tourism promotion portal of the Belluno Dolomites.
