At Toblach the München-Venezia cycle route follows the Ciclabile delle Dolomiti as it heads south through the Dolomites to Cortina d'Ampezzo and then through the villages of the Cadore. This is perhaps the highlight of the whole route. The ciclabile follows the route of the trenino delle Dolomiti, the train line that once linked Austria and the Veneto. It's one of Italy, and Europe's, most scenic cycleways.

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Toblach to the Passo Cimabanche

The cycleway starts close to the station in Toblach (Dobbiaco), going under the road as it heads out of town. It climbs gently over the next 15 kilometres, with an altitude gain of a little over 300 metres before the Passo Cimabanche (1535m).

The cycleway follows the Höhlensteintal (Val di Landro) that goes through the heart of the northern Dolomites, with the Naturpark Fanes-Sennes-Prags on one side, and the Naturpark Drei Zinnen on the other.

A couple of kilometres out from Toblach you pass the Toblacher See, which is almost as beautiful as the nearby Pragser Wildsee. There are a couple of places to eat or get a drink beside the lake.

The Sorgenti war cemetery

Three kilometres further on, look out for the Sorgenti War Cemetery (also known as the Croda Bagnata or Naßwand war cemetery).

The soldiers buried here were injured fighting on on the Monte Piana (the mountain that you can see towering above the Dürrensee) and died in the nearby field hospital. Originally some 2,000 soldiers were buried here. The Austro-Hungarian empire was a multi-ethnic empire and as well as Austrians and Germans, soldiers from other countries in the empire, were buried here, along with the bodies of prisoners from Romania, Poland, and Russia.

War cemetery dei Sorgenti

After the war the Italian government adopted the policy of closing war cemeteries and bringing the soldiers’ remains to ossuaries. The German government also adopted a policy of central­ising the remains in larger cemeteries, and later after the Anschluss (annex­ation) of Austria, this policy was extended to the remains of Austrian soldiers.

However, even in death, the Nazi government’s racial policies continued to operate so the bodies of soldiers from the other countries that had made up the empire — who were now regarded as Untermensch — were left behind, and, judging from the names on some of the crosses, so were Austrian and German Jewish soldiers.

The cemetery was then effect­ively abandoned. Fortunately, in the 1950s, a local woman, Waltraud Fuchs, took respons­ib­ility for caring for it. Today, it is cared for by her son Hanspeter. It has been declared a national monument — although there are also signs appealing for donations for the cost of its upkeep.

Next stop is the Dürrensee (Lago di Landro) 11 kilometres from Toblach. Look out for a turning on your left that leads to the Drei Zinnen Blick — a scenic viewpoint from which you can see the Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks — Tre Cime in Italian).

The altitude of the lake is just under 1400 metres, leaving a bit over 100 metres more ascent until you get to the pass.

The Dürrensee (Lago di Landro)

At the pass the München-Venezia crosses over into the Veneto and begins the long, 46-kilometre, descent to Sottocastello di Cadore.

From the Passo Cimabanche to Cortina d'Ampezzo

The cycleway and the road continue together to the old station at Ospedeletto. After that they diverge, the road descends into the valley of the Torrente Boite while the cycleway continues on the valley side, descending more gradually down into Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Woodland gives way to open montainside. Monte Cristallo looms above you, and in front the vista opens up of a chain of mountains.

The Ciclabile delle Dolomiti on the flanks of the Monte Cristallo north of Cortina d'Ampezzo

The cycleway brings you to a junction with the SR48 as it descends from the Passo Tre Croce. On the other side of the road is the old train station — now used as the coach/​bus station.

If you want to visit the centre of Cortina, you have to contend with Cortina's one-way system. My suggestion would be to turn right (onto the SR48) and then right again (the one-way system doesn't give you any other option). Follow the markings on the road for Belluno and Venezia, and then bear left. At the junction go left (signs for Belluno, Pocol and for the Falzarego and Giau passes). If you want to visit the centre of Cortina, then take the next left into the Piazza Pittori Fratelli Ghedina. The centre of Cortina is a zona traffico limitato, so it might be worth getting off your bike to be on the safe side.

If you don't want to visit the centre of Cortina then continue where the cycleway resumes on the other side of the bus station.

View of the Cadore from the road to the Passo Falzarego

Cortina – Sottocastello di Cadore

Coming out of Cortina there's a section of pista ciclabile through the woods that's a little gravelly. The pista ciclabile gets back into its stride at the Dogana Vecchia 8 kilometres on from Cortina. Dogana Vecchia means old customs house - this used to be the border between Italy and Austria.

From here on though it's a wonderful cruise down towards Calalzo di Cadore. As well as the scenery look out for the beautiful old station buildings.

The route takes you almost to Calalzo di Cadore: near the end you have to make an abrupt right turn and descend down into Sottocastello di Cadore. The signs are easy to miss - look out for signs for Belluno.

Video

Here's a short speeded-up video showing the cycleway from the the Vecchia Dogana near Cortina d'Ampezzo to the point where you need to turn off to go to Sottocastello.

Sign for the München-Venezia cycle route

Articles in this series

• München-Venezia Overview
• München-Venezia: 1: München to Achenkirch
• München-Venezia: 2: Achenkirch to Hall-in-Tirol
• München-Venezia: 3: Hall-in-Tirol to Brenner
• München-Venezia: 4: Brenner to Fortezza Franzensfeste
• München-Venezia: 5: the PusterTal (Fortezza Franzensfeste to Toblach)
• München-Venezia: 6: the Ciclabile delle Dolomiti
• München-Venezia: 7: the Via Alemagna (Sotto Castello di Cadore to the Lago di Santa Croce)
• München-Venezia: 8: the Lago di Santa Croce to Treviso
• München-Venezia: 9: Treviso to Venezia