Hike from Monte Lussari to Tarvisio

A hike through the pilgrimage site of Monte Lussari in the Italian Julian Alps

Starting point

The upper station of the cable car on Monte Lussari. Parking in the valley near the cable car is free.
 

Description of the hike

During our last visit to this beautiful place, we fell in love with the Malga Lussari mountain hut, its residents, and especially the cheeses and salamis it offers. And that was actually the main goal of this trek as well. We took the cable car up to the pilgrimage site of Monte Lussari. And we were very lucky. While heavy clouds hung low in the valley, the summit of Monte Lussari was just above them.

After getting off the cable car, we were treated to fantastic views of the surrounding mountains above the clouds. We walked through the pilgrimage site, full of souvenir shops and small pubs, and climbed to the summit of Monte Lussari. The view was truly breathtaking. Then we followed the red trail toward the mountain hut. The trail leads through the forest and descends quite steeply. At the mountain hut, we once again enjoyed a platter full of cheeses and cold cuts and rested for a while.

From the mountain hut, we continued across the meadow and left the marked trail at the chairlift. We then continued along the ski slopes. First, we had to climb Monte Florianca. Unfortunately, we were back in the clouds again, so we had no views. That’s why we kept moving quickly. The trail descends from the mountain, and we were once again walking along a ski slope. Then we turned onto a forest trail and continued our descent. Finally, we joined a wide forest road, which led us to the town of Tarvisio. By the end, the clouds had finally cleared, so we enjoyed beautiful views of the surrounding area. In Tarvisio, we treated ourselves to a hearty lunch as a reward. Fortunately, they don’t have siesta here...
 

Difficulty

With a few exceptions, this easy hike is mostly downhill. You’ll mostly be walking along wide paths, ski slopes, or forest trails. The route is ideal for families with children. Dogs are allowed on the cable car, so it’s also great for dog owners.
 

Water availability

There are pubs on Monte Lussari, and along the way is the Malga Lussari mountain hut.
 

Mountain peaks

From the summit of Monte Lussari, at 1,788 meters above sea level, there are fantastic views of part of the Italian Julian Alps, as well as the Slovenian part of these mountains, including Mount Mangart.
 

Danger

The route is very easy and safe. There are no difficult sections.
 

Food

There are restaurants on Monte Lussari and a snack bar at the Malga Lussari mountain hut. You’ll occasionally walk through herds of cows, so dogs must be kept on a leash.