A German-speaking linguistic island at the foot of Monte Peralba, with its wooden-house hamlets and the springs of the Piave river.
A short history
Sappada, Plodn in the local speech, sits at 1,245 metres at the northern tip of the Cadore, where Veneto meets Friuli and Austria. It is a linguistic island: people here still speak an archaic German dialect, Plodarisch, brought around the year 1000 by colonists who arrived from the Austrian valley of Villgraten.
The village is not a single settlement but a row of fifteen hamlets strung along the road, each with its own old name. The oldest ones keep their Blockbau wooden houses, with logs notched at the corners and balconies facing the sun. Sappada Vecchia, the Cima hamlet, is the most intact part and shows how people once lived among haymaking, forests and long winters.
Just above the village, below Monte Peralba, the springs of the Piave rise. The river Italians call sacred to the homeland starts here as a small stream among the stones. Until 2017 Sappada belonged to the province of Belluno in Veneto; then, by referendum, it passed to Friuli, but it stays tied to the Comelico and the Dolomites around it.
The most deeply felt tradition is the carnival, the Plodar Vosenòcht, held over the three Sundays before Lent. The symbol mask is the Rollate, a figure between man and bear wrapped in a fur coat with a hood, striped trousers and hobnailed boots. Its name comes from the rolln, the heavy cast-iron spheres tied at the waist with a chain, which make a dull sound as they move through the streets.
Sappada's cooking carries the marks of this border history. In the dairies and high mountain huts they make local cheeses and ricotta, while in the houses people still prepare Mohnkrapfen, the sweets filled with poppy seeds. Higher up, beyond the springs, the Val Sesis opens at the foot of the Peralba, which at 2,694 metres is the highest peak in the area.
How to fit Sappada into a three, five or seven day trip: The Dolomites in 3, 5 or 7 Days: How to Plan Your Trip.
What to see
- The springs of the Piave, at the foot of the Peralba, where the great Venetian river begins its course.
- The wooden hamlets of Sappada Vecchia, the notched-log houses of the oldest part of the village.
- The Mühlbach waterfalls, among the woods near the village, the goal of an easy walk.
How to get to Sappada
Sappada lies at the head of the valley, reached on state road 355 that climbs from Santo Stefano di Cadore along the Piave. Those coming from the motorway leave at Carnia (A23) and go up the Val Degano, or arrive from the Cadore passing through Pieve. The nearest railway station is Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore, then you continue by scheduled bus or by car for the last stretch of valley.
When to go
In summer the village is cool and green, good for walking up to the springs of the Piave and among the wooden hamlets. In winter there is snow, with cross-country and downhill runs and the Sappada carnival with its wooden masks. Spring and autumn are quiet seasons, with the colours of the woods and few tourists.
Frequently asked questions
What to see in Sappada?
The springs of the Piave below the Peralba, the wooden hamlets of Sappada Vecchia with their notched-log houses and the Mühlbach waterfalls. A walk through the fifteen hamlets is also worthwhile, to hear the local German dialect.
Why is German spoken in Sappada?
Because it is a German-speaking linguistic island. Around the year 1000 colonists arrived from the Austrian valley of Villgraten, bringing an archaic German dialect, Plodarisch, still alive among the inhabitants.
How do you get to Sappada?
You climb state road 355 from Santo Stefano di Cadore, along the Piave. From the motorway you leave at Carnia and pass through the Val Degano, or you arrive from the Cadore. The nearest station is Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore, then bus or car.
Where does the Piave rise?
The Piave rises above Sappada, at the foot of Monte Peralba, as a small stream among the stones. The springs are reached on foot with a short walk from the village, and they are one of the most visited sights in the area.
What is the Sappada carnival?
It is the Plodar Vosenòcht, the carnival held on the three Sundays before Lent. The symbol mask is the Rollate, a figure between man and bear dressed in fur, with cast-iron spheres called rolln tied at the waist that ring out along the streets of the village.
What do you eat in Sappada?
In the village you find local cheeses and ricotta from the dairies and high mountain huts, mountain cured meats and Mohnkrapfen, the poppy-seed sweets of the local German tradition. These are the flavours of the German-speaking linguistic island.