Those who like to wander in the mountains have certainly heard of the Falzarego Pass, through which road No. 48 passes between Arabba and Cortina d’Ampezzo in northern Italy. And many undoubtedly know it well as well. One of the local attractions is the path through the steep Galleria Lagazuoi adit from the slope of Lagazuoi Piccolo to its top (or vice versa).
The tunnel was built during the 1st World War. It was used for the transport and storage of military material, but also as a fortified shelter for soldiers who fought here. The total length of the tunnel, including turns, is said to be 1100 m, the elevation is about 500 m.
You can easily get to Passo di Fazarego by bus from Cortina d’Ampezzo or more comfortably by car from anywhere in the area The winding roads are well maintained, but the speed is limited to 50km/h, so it pays to set off well in advance. The parking lot in the pass fills up quickly during the morning.
The Galleria del Lagazuoi is passable in both directions. Physically fit individuals usually climb the via ferrata “Sentiero dei Kaiserjäger” to the top of Lagazuoi Piccolo (2778 m above sea level) and after a short rest continue through the tunnel down. However, there is a cable car from the pass to the top of Lagazuoi Piccolo. So there is also the option to climb up the tunnel with a comfortable ride back. If the weather is not good, you can take the cable car up to Rifugio Lagazuoi and walk through the tunnel from top to bottom. Even so, your legs will hurt a lot 🙂
