A track for motorcyclists, hikers, horseback excursionists and mountain bike riders
Via Vandelli is an amazing mountain road built in the 1700s, with some sections still in good condition in the Santona area and near Resceto, which offers stunning panoramic views of the Apuan Alps: approximately 7 km long with a 1000m vertical rise.
A hard but beautiful trail, with a mixed surface suitable for motorcyclists – who can ride at considerable speed on certain tracts but will have to slow down when they reach the rocky sections – hikers, horseback excursionists and mountain bike riders.
This astonishing road of great historic importance, was built at the behest of the Duke of Modena by Domenico Vandelli, an abbot and an engineer, as a means of communication between Modena and Massa.
At the time, it was not very successful because once completed the road, despite being endowed with spectacular views, turned out to be very difficult to travel due to the weather conditions.
Currently, the old Via Vandelli can be followed without encountering real technical difficulties, apart from its steepness; along the way the vie di lizza – tracks along which slabs of marble were made to slide down to the valley using the "lizzatura" system – and traces of the path that led to the iron mine and “Finestra Vandelli (Vandelli’s Window)” are still visible.
Finestra Vandelli, at 1442 m of altitude, is a recess excavated in the rock to allow horse drawn carriages to stop along the way: from this spot, you can admire the views of Alto di Stella and the Guzze caves, and it is just 5 minutes from the Conti ai Campaniletti refuge.
Via Vandelli is also known as Via della Tambura, which follows CAI Trail No. 35, starting in Resceto and ending in Arnétola: Resceto (485m) - Via Vandelli – junction trail 170 – junction trail 166 – junction trail 163 - Finestra Vandelli (1442 m) deviation for the Conti refuge - Passo Tambura (1620 m) junction trail 148 – Arnétola (900 m) junction trail 146 and trail 147.
For more itineraries along Via Vandelli you can visit:
www.escursioniapuane.com
