Passo Monte Croce Carnico – Passo Pramollo

Leaving the car park at Terme di Arta we immediately head north on a traffic-free secondary road for 5 kilometres, and then join the main road which will take us all the way to the border. On this route there’s plenty of excitement and encounters with our country’s history.

The route begins uphill, and continues that way as far as the border. After some 15 km and having completed the toughest section of this first ascent, nicknamed “il moscardo”, we come face to face with the Great War museum, underlining the extent of this area’s involvement in the terrible events of 1915 to 1918. We’re a stone’s throw from the Austrian border, where the “Carnic Porters” and the Italian army defended Italy during those blood-soaked years. After another kilometre, we’re once more face to face with the war.

At km 16.9k, as we admire a wonderful waterfall tumbling down the rocks on our right, directly opposite, in the meadows on the other side of the road stands the Ossuary of Timau. After this and until reaching the border, there’s nothing but perfect asphalt, sustained climbing, one hairpin bend after another, and no houses contemplating the spectacular scenery towards the Italy-Austria border, which we’ll reach after 24.5 km. Here we can take a well-deserved break at the bar at the top of the col.

After a brief refreshment stop, we then plunge into the descent towards Austria (take care on the twisting road).

After 36.5 km, having passed the hamlet of Mauthen, we take a marvellous cycleway that nearly always flanks the river Gail, passing through the delightful villages of Stranig, Waidegg and Rattendorf before reaching Tropolach. Here we start the beautiful yet challenging ascent to Passo Pramollo. During this 11.5 km climb, mostly on a wide road surrounded by woods, we pass the Nasfeld ski installations, the only buildings we’ll see prior to our return to the border.

Just after crossing the border, there’s an obligatory stop at Lake Pramollo. Here you’ll find various choices for refuelling with food and water. The descent we tackle right after the border is still extremely winding, albeit spectacular, all the way to the hamlet of Pontebba, where we take the magnificent Alpe Adria cycleway. Since this cycleway has won several awards for its beauty, needless to say that riding on the splendid track built on a former railway line is a thrilling and satisfying experience.

Having cycled over the wonderful iron bridges on the river Fella and through dozens of tunnels built for the old steam trains – which now stand in the old stations (Chiusaforte) converted into bars for cyclists, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s only a few more kilometres back to our departure point.