Colline del Prosecco
Between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, the Prosecco Hills form one of Europe's most beautiful agricultural landscapes: herringbone-...
Updated 11 July 2026 · Sources: Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG (UNESCO World Heritage 2019)
Colline del Prosecco
The story
The story of Colline del Prosecco
A World Heritage Landscape
In July 2019, UNESCO inscribed the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene on the World Heritage List, recognising a unique cultural landscape: the “rive”, steep grassy terraces laid out in a herringbone pattern to fight erosion, still worked almost entirely by hand. The protected site covers over 90 square kilometres of hill ridges, woods and small villages, an equilibrium between human intervention and nature built over centuries of heroic viticulture. Driving the panoramic roads linking San Pietro di Feletto, Refrontolo and Guia means crossing a collective work of art: green rows climbing slopes of up to 70%, dotted with farmhouses, wayside shrines and wild cherry trees, in a landscape that changes colour with every season.
Prosecco Superiore DOCG and the Cartizze
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG is the area's flagship appellation, made from the Glera grape grown on the hills between the two lead towns. Within it stands out the Cartizze, 107 hectares of vineyard on Valdobbiadene's most prized hill, considered the appellation's “grand cru”: a terroir of clay and marl that yields richer, more structured bubbles, sold at prices reflecting the rarity of the production. Alongside the Cartizze, the 43 Rive — crus named after individual towns or hamlets — reveal the nuances of the territory: from Rive di Ogliano to Rive di San Pietro di Feletto, each label tells of a different microclimate, shaped by exposure, altitude and soil.
The Prosecco and Colli Wine Road
Established in 1966, the Prosecco and Colli Conegliano Valdobbiadene Wine Road was the first officially recognised wine road in Italy, a roughly 90-km route linking Conegliano to Valdobbiadene through the hilltop villages of San Pietro di Feletto, Refrontolo, Rolle and Guia. Historic wineries and small family estates line the route, often offering guided tastings and direct sales, while agriturismi and village taverns provide stops between one vineyard and the next. Perhaps the most striking stretch is the climb to Rolle, a hamlet of Cison di Valmarino ranked among Italy's most beautiful villages, where the view sweeps over a sea of vine rows all the way to the Prealps.
Conegliano, a city of wine and art
Conegliano is the eastern gateway to the hills, birthplace of the Renaissance painter Cima da Conegliano, whose famous Altarpiece of the Annunciation with Saints is kept in the Cathedral. The historic centre, with the long Contrada Granda lined with frescoed houses, climbs towards the medieval Castle that dominates the town from a hilltop and now houses the Civic Museum. Conegliano is also the cradle of Italian scientific viticulture: in 1876 the country's first School of Oenology was founded here, still a reference point today for training agronomists and winemakers. A pairing of art and vine that can be felt while strolling through its arcaded squares.
Valdobbiadene and the Cartizze hills
Valdobbiadene is the beating heart of the appellation, capital of Prosecco Superiore and home to the National Sparkling Wine Exhibition, the oldest event dedicated to Italian bubbles. From the town centre, dominated by the neoclassical Cathedral and the municipal Theatre, roads climb towards San Pietro di Barbozza and Santo Stefano, up to the Cartizze hill. Here the terraced landscape reaches its greatest splendour: a green amphitheatre dotted with farmhouses, where winemaking families have handed down plots for generations. On clear days, from the area's viewpoints the eye sweeps from the Dolomites to the sea, capturing the geographical variety of the Veneto in a single glance.
Villages and abbeys: Follina and Cison di Valmarino
A few kilometres from the vine rows, the Val Mareno holds two of the area's architectural gems. In Follina, the Abbey of Santa Maria is an 11th–13th-century Cistercian complex with a Romanesque-Gothic cloister among the best preserved in the Veneto, still a place of worship and pilgrimage today for its venerated statue of the Madonna. Not far away, Cison di Valmarino — one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages — retains an intact medieval centre dominated by CastelBrando, a thousand-year-old fortress converted into a resort and event venue, among the oldest fortified structures in Europe. The two stops, often combined into a single excursion, offer a counterpoint of spirituality and history to the surrounding vine-growing landscape.
Refrontolo and the Molinetto della Croda
Refrontolo is famous for the Molinetto della Croda, an ancient 17th-century water mill nestled among rocks and small waterfalls, one of the most photographed views in the hills of Treviso, made even more striking by the green vegetation surrounding it. The village also lends its name to Refrontolo Passito DOCG, a rare wine made from dried Marzemino grapes, produced in very limited quantities and traditionally paired with festive desserts. Around the mill, hiking trails wind through woods and vineyards, ideal for a walk that combines nature, rural industrial archaeology and the discovery of one of the appellation's most distinctive and least-known products.
Vittorio Veneto and the memory of the Great War
Vittorio Veneto, formed in 1866 from the union of Ceneda and Serravalle, is indissolubly linked to the battle that in October-November 1918 ended the First World War on the Italian front. The Battle Museum, housed in the 16th-century Palazzo Troyer, traces the wartime events through documents, weapons and relics. The village of Serravalle, with its frescoed houses, Gothic porticoes and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova, is among the best-preserved historic centres of the Treviso area, while Ceneda holds the Bishop's Castle. From here excursions also set off towards the Treviso Prealps, with the Cansiglio and its wooded plateaus forming a natural backdrop to the wine hills.
The flavours of the hills
The cuisine of the Prosecco Hills is the hearty fare of Venetian peasant tradition: spiedo, mixed meats slow-roasted on a spit for hours, is the signature dish of village feasts and autumn fairs. Casatella Trevigiana DOP, a soft fresh cheese, and radicchio — from the late-harvest Treviso variety to the variegated Castelfranco type — complete tables also laden with mountain-pasture cheeses and local cured meats. Sweets are never missing: from Venetian focaccia to tarts with jujube, the area's typical autumn fruit. All naturally accompanied by a glass of Prosecco Superiore, star of winery aperitivi and dinners at panoramic restaurants among the vine rows.
When to go
The Prosecco Hills offer different spectacles depending on the season. In spring, between April and May, the vineyards turn brilliant green and wild cherry trees blossom along the rows, while mild temperatures invite cycling along the Prosecco Road. Autumn, from late August to October, is the highlight: the harvest brings the wineries to life, villages host wine fairs and festivals, and the warm colours of foliage wrap the terraced rive. Valdobbiadene hosts its Sparkling Wine Exhibition during this period. Summer is ideal for panoramic evening walks, while quieter winter offers cosy wineries and the chance to taste without the crowds.
Not-to-be-missed experiences
- Percorrere in bici o in auto la Strada del Prosecco da Conegliano a Valdobbiadene, con sosta panoramica a Rolle
- Cycle or drive the Prosecco Road from Conegliano to Valdobbiadene, stopping for the view at Rolle
- Recorrer en bici o en coche la Ruta del Prosecco de Conegliano a Valdobbiadene, con parada panorámica en Rolle
- Parcourir à vélo ou en voiture la Route du Prosecco de Conegliano à Valdobbiadene, avec un arrêt panoramique à Rolle
- Die Prosecco-Straße von Conegliano nach Valdobbiadene mit dem Rad oder Auto befahren, mit Panoramastopp in Rolle
- Percorrer de bicicleta ou de carro a Estrada do Prosecco de Conegliano a Valdobbiadene, com paragem panorâmica em Rolle
- 骑行或驾车游览从科内利亚诺到瓦尔多比亚德内的普罗塞克之路，途中在罗莱驻足观景
- コネリアーノからヴァルドッビアーデネまでプロセッコ街道を自転車や車で巡り、ロッレで絶景を楽しむ
- عبور طريق بروسيكو من كونيليانو إلى فالدوبيادينِه بالدراجة أو السيارة، مع توقف بانورامي في روله
- रोल्ले में मनोरम पड़ाव के साथ, कोनेल्यानो से वाल्दोब्बियादेने तक प्रोसेको मार्ग को साइकिल या कार से तय करना
- Проехать на велосипеде или машине по Дороге Просекко от Конельяно до Вальдоббьядене с панорамной остановкой в Ролле
- Διασχίστε με ποδήλατο ή αυτοκίνητο τον Δρόμο του Πρόσεκο από το Κονελιάνο έως το Βαλντομπιαντένε, με πανοραμική στάση στο Rolle
- Përshkoje me biçikletë ose me makinë Rrugën e Prosekos nga Koneliano në Valdobiadene, me ndalesë panoramike në Rolle
To see
What to see in Colline del Prosecco
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Colline del Prosecco
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