DOLOMITES WITHOUT BORDERS

DOLOMITES WITHOUT BORDERS is the longest continuous Via Ferrata Trail in the world. "Dolomiti senza confini - Dolomites without bourders" is a via ferrata high route that crosses provincial-, state- and language boarders in nine daily stages.

In breathtaking mountain scenery, it combines twelve fixed rope routes and 17 mountain huts in nine demanding daily stages to form a circular tour, crossing provincial, national and language borders. A total of 125 kilometres and 12,000 metres in altitude difference can be covered on high alpine fixed rope routes and hiking trails in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Dolomites.

The route follows the historic climbs along the front line of the First World War. Away from villages and roads, it connects the provinces of South Tyrol and Belluno in Italy and East Tyrol in Austria. Exactly 100 years after the end of the war, the circular route was opened as the Via Ferrata Friedensweg (Peace Trail via Ferrata) on the initiative of Bepi Monti, the operator of the Carducci Hut, with the help of an EU project.

His basic idea was that mountains are not a barrier, but rather a place of encounter between different peoples, languages and cultures. Thus, Dolomites without borders reflects the idea of a united and solidary Europe without borders. Reinhold Messner, who has emphasised the unifying element of the mountains throughout his life, was and is enthusiastic about the initiative and has actively supported the project along with numerous other helpers*.

The guide is accompanied by a hiking map on a scale of 1:25,000 showing the nine stages and their respective variants.