Cavaso del Tomba
Cavaso del Tomba is a municipality of about three thousand inhabitants set on the southern slope of the ridge that runs down from...
Updated 12 July 2026
The story
The story of Cavaso del Tomba
At the foot of Monte Grappa, in the Treviso Prealps
Cavaso del Tomba lies on the southern slope of the ridge that descends from the Grappa massif towards the Piave, in a landscape of wooded hills and narrow valleys such as the Valcavasia, crossed by the Curogna stream. The municipal territory, split into numerous hamlets scattered across the slopes, offers a still lightly built-up environment, with chestnut and beech woods, hay meadows and small rural clusters. The relatively modest elevation makes the area accessible even to those who do not practise demanding hiking, while mountain lovers find more articulated, panoramic routes on the trails towards Monte Tomba and the surrounding alpine pastures, with views over the Feltre Prealps and the Veneto plain.
Monte Tomba and the memory of the Great War
Monte Tomba, 868 metres high, marks the border between the provinces of Treviso and Belluno and is tied to one of the most dramatic chapters of the First World War on the Italian front. Long contested between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops, with fierce artillery duels and hand-to-hand fighting, the Tomba ridge returned permanently to Italian control in June 1918, following the Battle of the Solstice, one of the decisive engagements that led to the end of the conflict on the Italian front. The mountain still preserves traces of trenches and fortifications today, destinations for historical-naturalistic trails that combine hiking interest with the memory of the war, deeply felt throughout the foothill area between the Grappa and the Piave.
A village inhabited for millennia
Cavaso del Tomba's territory shows traces of human presence dating back more than ten thousand years, with finds from the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Roman period. The church of San Martino in Castelcies preserves a stone engraving dated to the second century BC, among the oldest documents in the province of Treviso. The historically most significant period for the town, however, dates to around the year 1000, when a castle stood on the hill with a small attached village and a chapel, the original nucleus of today's settlement. The ruins of Castelcies castle, now reduced to a few traces, remain a popular walking destination for those wanting to retrace the municipality's medieval origins.
Chestnuts, mushrooms and mountain flavours
Cavaso del Tomba's local cuisine closely reflects the foothill landscape surrounding the town, making wide use of forest and hillside produce. Chestnuts, especially the prized marroni gathered in the surrounding woods, are among the territory's most distinctive products, alongside porcini mushrooms and radicchio, grown in the lower, cooler parts of the municipality. In autumn, village festivals celebrate exactly these products, with roasted chestnuts, mushroom dishes and seasonal menus offered at local trattorias. It is a simple, genuine cuisine, tied to the seasons rather than to trends, reflecting the rural, mountain character of this corner of the Treviso Prealps.
Close to Possagno and the Asolan Hills
Cavaso del Tomba's location makes it easy to reach some of the best-known destinations in the Treviso foothills. A few kilometres away lies Possagno, birthplace of sculptor Antonio Canova, home to the famous Tempio inspired by the Roman Pantheon and the Gypsotheca museum housing his plaster casts. In the opposite direction lie the Asolan Hills, with the village of Asolo, among the most beautiful in Italy, and vineyard-covered hills sloping down towards the plain. This proximity makes Cavaso del Tomba a convenient base for anyone wanting a varied stay, alternating mountain hikes, cultural visits and food-and-wine tastings within the same geographic area.
Experiences not to miss
- Escursione sui sentieri storici del Monte Tomba, tra trincee e panorami
- Hike along the historic trails of Monte Tomba, among trenches and panoramas
To see
What to see in Cavaso del Tomba
Routes · Trovido Route
