Campolongo sul Brenta: Hiking Trails and Tobacco-Cultivation Landscape

Campolongo sul Brenta lies on the right bank of the Brenta, at the southern end of the Valsugana. The mountainous area reaches an elevation of 1,200 m; nature and educational trails wind through centuries-old forests. The area offers different perspectives for planning your trip: paths through the mountains, routes along the Brenta and traces of traditional tobacco cultivation.

Hiking between Forests and Tobacco Terraces

The Alta Via del Tabacco is also known as the “Museo Diffuso Alta Via del Tabacco.” The route links higher-altitude settlements and tobacco terraces, making the cultural landscape part of the trail. One section runs from Valstagna to Campolongo: it is 9 km long, has an elevation gain of 700 m and takes about three hours. This time estimate is a guide for planning your hike; trail conditions and signage may change.

The Alta Via del Tabacco can be divided into three sections. Each section can be made into a loop by descending into the valley and returning to the starting point along the Brenta. When planning, you can therefore choose between the high trail and a possible return through the valley. The details for the 9 km stage refer to the section between Valstagna and Campolongo.

The Antonia Dal Sasso nature trail offers a different perspective on the landscape. Its area includes old tobacco terraces, small valleys, springs and hay meadows; it is also described as having a remarkable profusion of flowers. The trail is intended for school classes and interested groups who want to learn about natural features and the traditional human use of the Valbrenta. Its educational focus connects nature topics with the history of the landscape.

A shorter local path is also described: from the piazza in Campolongo, it climbs uphill to the clearly visible Cappella degli Alpini. Check trail conditions before setting out; conditions and signage on the Alta Via may also change.

Routes along the Brenta

A largely flat cycling route is 21 km long, passes through Campolongo and connects several towns in the Brenta Valley. Its length and described course help distinguish it from the Alta Via del Tabacco: this is a cycling connection through several towns, while the Alta Via is a hiking route through higher-altitude settlements and tobacco terraces. Check route conditions before setting out.

The TRODOI TRAILS 14 route runs from Campolongo to Campese. The return route follows a combined cycle and footpath along the Brenta back to the starting point. Another option on the river is a rafting descent of approximately 10 km from the hamlet of San Gaetano to Campolongo sul Brenta. If you plan this descent, check whether it is offered on your chosen date.

Church and Cultural Landscape

Construction of the Church of Madonna del Carmine began in 1793, in the Neoclassical style, based on designs by Antonio Gaidon, an architect from Bassano. Its furnishings include an altarpiece of the Assumption of Mary by Giambattista Canale and a ceiling fresco. The interior also contains wooden sculptures, including a statue of Madonna del Carmine and a crucifix. The original two-part baptismal font is made of Asiago stone and has a decorated pyramidal cover.

The tobacco terraces are not just part of the Alta Via: typical cultivation terraces are still visible in the hamlets of Vialetti, Orlandi, Zannini and Contarini. The mountainous area also includes traditional mountain huts used for grazing livestock. Together, these features offer insight into agricultural use, which, alongside the churches and paths, shapes the local cultural landscape.

If you are looking for a hotel in Campolongo sul Brenta, you can start by considering what you want to focus on during your stay: hiking stages and nature trails, cycling connections in the Brenta Valley, or the cultural landscape and its churches. This lets you tailor your search to your travel plans without treating different routes and experiences as interchangeable.

Discover more destinations: Lonigo, Montecchio Maggiore-Alte Ceccato, Nove, Ponte Di Barbarano, Vo, Lumignano, Lastebasse, Pedemonte.

For the broader travel overview: Vicenza.