Cison di Valmarino, an enchanted borgo among Prosecco hills and Prealps castles

A borgo that seems to come from a fairy tale

In the Trevisan Prealps, where the DOCG Prosecco hills rise toward the first Dolomite peaks, hides one of the most beautiful and least known borghi in the Veneto. Cison di Valmarino is a small village of a thousand inhabitants nestled in the Valmareno, a narrow and intensely green valley that opens between Vittorio Veneto and Follina. It is listed in the circuit of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, yet it remains a place where tourism arrives in small doses — enough to keep the shops and inns alive, not enough to alter the silence that you breathe along its cobbled streets.

Arriving from Treviso — an hour by car through the hills — you are struck by the position of the borgo: a cluster of stone houses gathered at the foot of a wooded hill, dominated by the imposing mass of CastelBrando that appears among the trees like a medieval vision. The surrounding landscape is a succession of orderly vineyards, chestnut woods and meadows that in spring are carpeted with wildflowers.

CastelBrando: a thousand years of history on a hill

The history of Cison is inseparable from that of its castle. CastelBrando — the current name goes back to the Brandolini counts who held it for centuries — is a fortress of Roman origin that in its two thousand years has been a watchtower, a feudal residence, a convent and finally a luxury hotel. The present structure, majestic and scenic, blends medieval, Renaissance and Baroque elements in a complex that extends across an entire hill.

It can be reached on foot from the borgo via an uphill path of about twenty minutes, or by panoramic funicular. The interior halls — visitable even by non-guests of the hotel — preserve frescoes, armour and period furnishings. But it is the view from the terrace that justifies the climb: the valley unfurls below like a green carpet, with the borgo in miniature, vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see and the Prealps closing the horizon.

The Via dell'Acqua and the trails of the Valmareno

The most celebrated trail around Cison is the Via dell'Acqua, a circular route of about three kilometres that follows the Rujo stream through beech and chestnut woods. Along the way you encounter small waterfalls, emerald pools, old mills and the ruins of an ancient sawmill. It is a walk suitable for everyone, pleasant in every season but particularly evocative in autumn, when the colours of the woods are reflected in the water of the stream.

For more experienced walkers, the area offers more demanding hikes toward the Passo di Rolle and the pre-Alpine peaks. The Sentiero degli Alpini climbs toward the Col de Moi with panoramas spanning from the Trevisan plain to the Belluno Dolomites. In spring these trails are carpeted with primroses, violets and wild cyclamen.

Prosecco DOCG and the cuisine of the Valmareno

Cison di Valmarino lies at the heart of the production zone of the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG Prosecco, and the surrounding hills — recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019 — are a mosaic of vineyards cultivated on steep slopes using traditional techniques. Several cellars in the area welcome visitors for tastings, offering the chance to sample Prosecco where it is born, far from city bar counters.

Local cuisine is that of the Trevisan Prealps: hearty and tied to the products of forest and garden. You eat porcini and chanterelle mushrooms gathered in the surrounding woods, polenta with Morlacco del Grappa cheese, slowly spit-roasted meat and seasonal game. The trattorias of the borgo are few but authentic: wooden tables, generous portions and the sound of the stream drifting through the open window.

In autumn Cison hosts the Mostra Mercato dell'Artigianato in the splendid setting of CastelBrando: a weekend of local artisans, typical products and demonstrations of old crafts that draws visitors from across the province without ever becoming chaotic.

The territory around Cison is dotted with small cellars producing Prosecco Superiore DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene, the finest among Proseccos. Unlike the large wine houses of the area, here you find artisan producers who work heroic vines on steep slopes, with low yields and excellent quality. A cellar tasting, perhaps accompanied by soppressa and Morlacco del Grappa cheese, is the best way to understand the soul of these hills.

How to get there and when to visit

Cison di Valmarino is reached from Treviso in an hour by car along the SS51 toward Vittorio Veneto, turning off into the Valmareno. The nearest railway station is Vittorio Veneto, from which Cison is a short bus or taxi ride (15 minutes). Public connections are infrequent: the car is the most practical option.

Spring is the best period for wildflowers and walking; autumn for the colours of the woods and the harvest. Summer is pleasant thanks to the altitude and the valley's coolness. Winter is tranquil and can offer striking snowy views, though some facilities close seasonally.

Practical information

- CastelBrando can be visited on guided tours; booking recommended at weekends.

- The Via dell'Acqua starts from the centre of the borgo; bring light hiking shoes.

- Free parking at the entrance to the village.

- Combine with nearby Follina (4 km) and its Cistercian abbey for a full day out.