Via Vandelli
Via Vandelli
4.5
About
The "Via Vandelli is an ancient trade and military road of the Duchy of Modena. It was strongly supported by the Duke Francesco III d'Este and originally connected the cities of Modena and Massa, the abbot engineer, geographer and mathematician Domenico Vandelli Court was commissioned to conceive and design a new road course for business and war.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
19 reviews
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Brun066
Florence, Italy13,393 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
Despite Resceto is part of the municipality of Massa, only three times a day (and two times on public holidays) the # 78 bus coming from Massa city center reaches this tiny hamlet, built into the deep valley at the foot of Mount Tambura. Obviously those traveling by car will have less trouble reaching it.
Resceto is the current head of one of the most extraordinary (as it remained virtually untouched) examples of 18th century road technology, in Italy and perhaps in Europe: the Via Vandelli. This is due to a lucky combination of circumstances.
The first circumstance is the very thorough construction (starting 1738) of this road, which is named after the mathematician who has designed and directed the work, Domenico Vandelli. The road linked Modena with Massa, then with the Tyrrhenian Sea, when the Duchy of Modena and principality of Massa and Carrara have merged, through a marriage between the two dynasties.
The second circumstance is the sudden decommissioning, after a few decades, of the road (and especially of the daring stretch, that from Resceto reaches the ridge of the Apuan Alps), because replaced by easier routes.
The result is a conservation both of the road geometry and of its size, exactly as it was conceived centuries ago: a series of hairpin bends that in just 6 Kms run through a vertical drop of 1200 mts; and a 2,5 mts width, which smoothly allowed a carriage transit (but obviously not the intersection between two of them).
The original pavement has been recently restored, then the road is easy to walk, up to the ridge.
Follow this route over favorable weather (but be careful in the summer: the side of the valley is quite bare, then there is no shadow) allows a very interesting excursion as for the landscape, but even more for the experience that it allows, about a rare example of road archeology.
If you wish, close to the route summit, at the "Nello Conti" hut (1442 mts, open from June to September, and also on weekends) you can have your lunch.
Resceto is the current head of one of the most extraordinary (as it remained virtually untouched) examples of 18th century road technology, in Italy and perhaps in Europe: the Via Vandelli. This is due to a lucky combination of circumstances.
The first circumstance is the very thorough construction (starting 1738) of this road, which is named after the mathematician who has designed and directed the work, Domenico Vandelli. The road linked Modena with Massa, then with the Tyrrhenian Sea, when the Duchy of Modena and principality of Massa and Carrara have merged, through a marriage between the two dynasties.
The second circumstance is the sudden decommissioning, after a few decades, of the road (and especially of the daring stretch, that from Resceto reaches the ridge of the Apuan Alps), because replaced by easier routes.
The result is a conservation both of the road geometry and of its size, exactly as it was conceived centuries ago: a series of hairpin bends that in just 6 Kms run through a vertical drop of 1200 mts; and a 2,5 mts width, which smoothly allowed a carriage transit (but obviously not the intersection between two of them).
The original pavement has been recently restored, then the road is easy to walk, up to the ridge.
Follow this route over favorable weather (but be careful in the summer: the side of the valley is quite bare, then there is no shadow) allows a very interesting excursion as for the landscape, but even more for the experience that it allows, about a rare example of road archeology.
If you wish, close to the route summit, at the "Nello Conti" hut (1442 mts, open from June to September, and also on weekends) you can have your lunch.
Written March 10, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anna P
3 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
We stayed at the B&B La Gronda, Riccardo welcomed us with kindness and availability, the recently renovated building exudes history that takes you back to the centuries, when this structure was a true "emporium" of the time, the kitchen counter is beautiful, remained as it was then, comfortable rooms, genuine breakfast, in short with the stream in front which makes the air smell fresh, a stone's throw from the Apuan Alps and Massa, an environment that surprises you!
Written September 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elisabetta L
Bologna, Italy54 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
The historic route of the brilliant Vandelli is very fascinating, connecting Modena with Massa passing from the gentle Apennines to the harsh Garfagnana. The climb to the Nello Conti refuge is spectacular and the San Pellegrino in Alpe stage is also worth it. The local people are very kind, a real treat to be offered coffee on the street. For the rest, there is work to do to make this route really enjoyable. Poor signs (it takes a good app), a long stretch in the industrial area of Castelnuovo Garfagnana, several parts of low undergrowth poorly cared for and uninteresting, where you should motivate the walker at least with excellent traffic, which is missing. We need more commitment from municipalities. Last info: it is a challenging route, for good legs both for the differences in altitude and for the length of the stages, even if it has no technical difficulty (I used flat hiking shoes and then hiking sandals).
Automatically translated
Written August 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ciao,
volevo sapere se è possibile fare questo percorso ora (in inverno) e se è possibile farlo senza particolari conoscenze/preparazione tecnica.
Grazie :*
Written January 2, 2018
Io la feci anche d'inverno senza particolari problemi ma dipende se presente neve sopratutto nella parta alta. Sulla Apuane la neve cambia rapidamente e si trasforma in ghiaccio.
Written January 12, 2018
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