The Belluno Dolomites Cheese Road or Strada dei Formaggi delle Dolomiti Bellunesi is the route to follow to discover the fantastic cheeses of this corner of the Alps in Veneto.
As with similar routes, the road is aimed at pulling together cheese makers, dairy production, food and tourism efforts to sustain local enterprises and a working cultural heritage, both at risk from wider commercial pressures.
Whoever follows any of the ten dedicated itineraries will discover a wide selection of cheeses from the Belluno Dolomites, each with characteristics and qualities deeply rooted in their territory of origin.
The itineraries taken in Arabba Marmolada, Cadore Auronzo Misurina, Civetta - Conca Agordina - Zoldo, Cortina - Valboite, Comelico Sappada, Feltrino, Valbelluna - Destra Piave, Valbelluna - Sinistra Piave and Valbiois.
There are 18 cheeses to seek out, from the well known Montasio to such gems as Malga Bellunese, Bastardo del Grappa, Nevegal and Zigher, as well as our favourite, Schiz.
These do not include four organically produced varieties.
Associazione “Strada dei Formaggi della Provincia di Belluno”
Segreteria c/o Camera di Commercio I.A.A.
Piazza S.Stefano n.17, 32100 BELLUNO
tel. +39 0437 955137
From the dedicated website:
The ideal starting point for the Belluno Cheese Route is the Agordino area, in Canale d’Agordo to be precise, where, in 1872, the parish priest, Father Antonio Della Lucia created the first dairy producers’ cooperative together with his fellow villagers. This model of association suited the needs of the small local communities, who did not have the means or the resources to transform the subsistence economy on their own.
The present-day situation of the movement can be exemplified by another dairy cooperative, the Casél di Celarda in the Feltre area. Set up in 1895 by twelve founder members, the dairy was operative, as were numerous others in the province, until the 1970s, when it closed its doors. In recent years, delicate restoration work has brought it back to life, and it is now open to visitors, offering the chance to breathe in that air of genuine solidarity which characterized the dairy throughout its eighty-year existence.
The Casél di Celarda is located alongside the stream of the same name and is the only dairy in the province which used the force of the water to drive the elementary machinery necessary for turning the milk into cheese. Structures of this type are scattered throughout the province, with 17 in the Feltrino area alone, which are gradually being brought back into operation. The Cheese Route will also take visitors to these little museums of country life and memories.
