Inn Ai Faggi – Praderadego
Inn Ai Faggi is a former mountain hotel and refuge located on the slopes of Praderadego, a peak in the Belluno Dolomites of the Veneto region. The property sits in the hamlet of Borgo Valbelluna on the border between the municipalities of Follina and Borgo Valbelluna, surrounded by beech forest and alpine terrain. Now closed to guests, the structure remains a landmark of traditional mountain hospitality in the pre-Alpine foothills north of Treviso.
At a glance
- Type
- Former mountain hotel and refuge (albergo/rifugio)
- Period
- 20th century; currently closed
- Style
- Traditional Alpine vernacular architecture
- Location
- Praderadego, Borgo Valbelluna / Follina, Province of Belluno, Veneto, Italy
- Coordinates
- 46.0035° N, 12.1083° E
- Address
- Sentiero n°2, 32026 Borgo Valbelluna, Belluno, Italy
- Current use
- Abandoned / private property
Overview
Inn Ai Faggi — whose name means “Inn at the Beeches” — took its name from the dense beech woodland that covers the Praderadego massif above Borgo Valbelluna. It served as a resting point for hikers and nature seekers exploring the gentler Dolomitic pre-Alps between the Belluno valley and the Marca Trevigiana. The inn is now closed, leaving the site as a quiet remnant of the agritourism and mountain-refuge tradition that once animated this part of the Veneto.
History
Praderadego lies in the transitional zone between the Province of Belluno and the Province of Treviso, a terrain frequented since the early twentieth century by walkers following the network of numbered trails maintained by the Club Alpino Italiano. The Inn Ai Faggi was established as part of this tradition of mountain hospitality, offering accommodation and meals to those traversing the beech-covered slopes. Over time, as larger resort facilities developed in the main Dolomite valleys, many smaller mountain inns in the pre-Alpine foothills fell into decline; Inn Ai Faggi eventually closed and the building passed into private hands.
What you see
The structure is a typical example of Veneto pre-Alpine vernacular construction: a compact multi-storey building with rendered masonry walls, a pitched roof suited to heavy snowfall, and a position commanding views over the surrounding wooded hills. The immediate landscape is characterised by dense beech (faggio) stands that give the inn its name, interspersed with open clearings where the mountain trail passes. Access is via marked hiking path n°2 from the valley floor.
Cultural significance
Mountain refuges and small inns of this type represent an important layer of vernacular heritage in the Veneto Dolomites, documenting the pre-mass-tourism relationship between rural communities and the high terrain. Inn Ai Faggi is listed in the OASIS cultural heritage database as a site of local relevance for hospitality history, abandoned architecture, and traditional Alpine tourism.
Practical information
- Status
- Closed to visitors; private property — do not enter
- Trail access
- Reached via Sentiero n°2 from Borgo Valbelluna
- Hours
- Not applicable (abandoned)
- Admission
- Not applicable
Getting there
The nearest town with road access is Borgo Valbelluna (formerly Mel), approximately 35 km northwest of Treviso via the SS348. From Borgo Valbelluna, take hiking trail n°2 uphill into the beech forest toward Praderadego. No direct public transport serves the mountain site; a car or bicycle is needed to reach the trailhead.
Sources & resources
Find it on the map
See this place and what’s around it →📷 Diventa un fotografo di Cultural Heritage Online
Condividi le tue foto dei luoghi: restano pubblicate con la tua firma come autore. Più vengono viste, più ti fai conoscere — e presto un concorso premierà le foto più apprezzate.
Accedi o registrati gratis per aggiungere una foto