# Adorable Belluno - What would bring tourists here?



## jhelm

Adorable Belluno, I'd like to pass on some advice on how to make Belluno more attractive to tourists. So my English speaking friends. What do you think. First what do you think of the new logo/theme word Adorable. I will save my own comments on the word for later in the conversation. At the moment Belluno is not a big tourist city, in fact it's pretty well off the map for tourists. So what would bring people here. What would bring campers and tourists in general?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belluno


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## KeithChesterfield

jhelm - What would bring campers and tourists in general?

You could ensure EHU was available on the MH parking area, advertise price per 24 hours (€6?), post pictures of the town and what it has to offer, stay at the site on Viale dei Dendrofari and post an accurate review - that might do for starters.


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## jhelm

KeithChesterfield said:


> jhelm - What would bring campers and tourists in general?
> 
> You could ensure EHU was available on the MH parking area, advertise price per 24 hours (€6?), post pictures of the town and what it has to offer, stay at the site on Viale dei Dendrofari and post an accurate review - that might do for starters.


Yes good start. In fact they would do well to make a separate aria di sosta for campers with EHU. The location of the existing one is great but it's not that inviting. I've never tried to stay there but the disposal area is our last stop when heading home.

Problem is the city has almost no money to spend. If you have been there how long did you stay, what did you do?


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## jhelm

I'm not hearing from anyone else. Come on, now is your chance to help a city in Italy and perhaps increase the usability for us camper people.


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## rugbyken

personally have never been that far north i have visited italy twice once having avoided austria and sweden then gone st across to venice once and down the adriatic coast i clipped florence & genoa on the way home and the second trip included a visit to rome and assisi for family and home the same route,
now i am approaching retirement further afield/longer trips may happen and getting the name of the place publicised is the first stop, i am considering a trip to hungary etc and positive wecoming reports are one of the factors that will include any town on our plans,


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## gaspode

For a start you could enter details of the Sosta and campsite in the MHF campsite database? :idea:

That'll get the city camping facilities listed on iPhone/iPad and Android apps, also on TomTom camping database and the MHF USB database - for free.


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## KeithChesterfield

jhelm - If you have been there how long did you stay, what did you do? 

I'm afraid I've never been anywhere near the town but I have been through its streets using Google Street View.

My one and only trip to Italy was back in the early 70's when I went to Turin for a week on a business trip.

The town looks ok for a day visit but from what I can find online it doesn't have a great deal to cause anyone to stay much longer - unless you can tell us more about its delights and sights.

Perhaps the peaceful quiet relaxed town, parks and Churches might encourage people to visit the town but not if you want 'nightlife' and to dance the night away.


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## eddied

What you need are
a) a church that can claim something, even if only a wall-plaque, designed by Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci. If you can throw in Giotto as well even better.
b) a well laid out kinky museum e.g the museum of Bellunese cow-bells.
c) a fairly large store with attached workshop that produces something unique to Belluno, preferably highly alcholic, that people can watch being made and have a generous free tasting into the bargain e.g. Bellunese unique nettle wine liqueur served in its special locally produced drinking glass, served ice-cold.
d) a 4 star Michelin restaurant producing their own highly sought after recipe of spaghetti bellunese.
e) a tarted up motorhome sosta
f) some fantastically cheap B/B and boutique hotels featuring the 4 poster bed in which Giuliette and Romeo slept in on their dirty weekend away from Verona.
that should get the ball rolling.
Of course the real killer would be to get a couple of local kids have a vision of the Virgin Mary, somewhere in the countryside, but not too far from town.
saluti,
eddied


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## Easyriders

"Belluno Bellissimo" is better than "adorable", I think.

The panorama of Belluno shown on your link should be all you need, along with a decent campsite or aire with electricity. Perhaps if you have a campsite, you could offer a discount to MHF members using it, in exchange for spreading the word?

This also looks like a great place for sporty stuff, climbing, walking, cycling etc. Is there anywhere for outdoor swimming? Do you have marked paths and/or guides for walks etc?

What about the wildlife? We are keen birdwatchers, anything to see?

Think what you yourself, and your family and friends, love about Belluno, and then emphasise those things. Above all, welcome the sort of travellers that don't just sit around in hotels.

Good luck! May visit Belluno Bellissimo next Spring!


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## barryd

Well has you know Jhelm we passed through there a few weeks ago just before Michelle took Ill. The aire was ok. Ehu would be a bonus but not essential IMO.

I thought the town was nice enough for a visit and I have seen packed aires in less interesting towns.

What we did notice in and around your area is a fair few free aires with superb facilities including ehu for free!

The biggest pull for us was the Dolomites themselves. Simply stunning. Suaris and Barcis by the lake were superb and we also did some wilding up there.

What we also found is this area was great for avoiding the crowds in peak season.

I'll definately return. When you look on autoroute across the alps from Slovenia through your area and all the way across to France it's just awash with aires / sostas and great places to see. Obviously you need to like mountains and some if the places we have had Hank would make the bravest motorhomer break into a sweat but I would absolutely recommend the Belluno area. A dead easy hop up from Venice, Austria, Slovenia or lake Garda (which we thought was the least most interesting Italian lake).

What would be really useful for us motorhomers is a city guide in English. All it needs to be is a b&w A4 sheet with a list and a drawn map if the interesting bits of the city to see with a brief description.

From time to time we have picked these up but rarely are they in English which Johnny foreigner needs to understand is THE international language.  The French are the worst offenders!

I have done a section in this summers blog at www.hankthetank.co.uk which includes the area around Belluno but sadly not Belluno itself.


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## jhelm

First Barry, I remember you said you decided to got to Mel, seems you thought is more interesting than Belluno - why. The tourist office has lots of stuff in English by the way, but it's hard to find and not always open, closed on Sunday. You could have ridden your bike up to Nevegal, or driven up there and hiked up to the top of the mountains to the East. You could have ridden the sled on a rail down the mountain, you could have done the ropes course in the trees. You could have ridden your bike along the Piave. Or taken a paragliding lesson, or gone up in a glider from the airport. Did you see the excercise course in the park next to the sosta. 

I have never really thought that Belluno itself had a lot of attraction to tourists and the number that come here proves that. There are tons of things to do here but you have to know where they are. The way things are now I have to agree with the comment that it would be a nice place to visit for a day.

For campers the thing that is missing is a better arrangement of the sosta.


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## jhelm

eddied said:


> What you need are
> a) a church that can claim something, even if only a wall-plaque, designed by Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci. If you can throw in Giotto as well even better.
> b) a well laid out kinky museum e.g the museum of Bellunese cow-bells.
> c) a fairly large store with attached workshop that produces something unique to Belluno, preferably highly alcholic, that people can watch being made and have a generous free tasting into the bargain e.g. Bellunese unique nettle wine liqueur served in its special locally produced drinking glass, served ice-cold.
> d) a 4 star Michelin restaurant producing their own highly sought after recipe of spaghetti bellunese.
> e) a tarted up motorhome sosta
> f) some fantastically cheap B/B and boutique hotels featuring the 4 poster bed in which Giuliette and Romeo slept in on their dirty weekend away from Verona.
> that should get the ball rolling.
> Of course the real killer would be to get a couple of local kids have a vision of the Virgin Mary, somewhere in the countryside, but not too far from town.
> saluti,
> eddied


In other words some sort of key attraction.


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## jhelm

Easyriders said:


> "Belluno Bellissimo" is better than "adorable", I think.
> 
> The panorama of Belluno shown on your link should be all you need, along with a decent campsite or aire with electricity. Perhaps if you have a campsite, you could offer a discount to MHF members using it, in exchange for spreading the word?
> 
> This also looks like a great place for sporty stuff, climbing, walking, cycling etc. Is there anywhere for outdoor swimming? Do you have marked paths and/or guides for walks etc?
> 
> What about the wildlife? We are keen birdwatchers, anything to see?
> 
> Think what you yourself, and your family and friends, love about Belluno, and then emphasise those things. Above all, welcome the sort of travellers that don't just sit around in hotels.
> 
> Good luck! May visit Belluno Bellissimo next Spring!


It's really a center for sports, the problem being that it is more of a jumping off point, most things require a bit of a drive. No outdoor swimming pool a nice indoor one, more for exercise than recreation.


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## EnGog

*Adorable Belluno*

The whole north east of Italy is worth a visit but is generally overlooked. South of Belluno you have Bassano, Asolo, Marostica, Cittadella and Treviso. Further east there are many places worth a visit including Palmanova, Cividale, the Sacrario at Redipuglia, the roman ruins at Aquileia (especially the mosaics in the church), the seaside resorts of Grado (mini Venice), Sistiana/Duino and the beautiful city of Trieste.
Why not take a leaf out of Mantovas book and give motorhomers a decent toilet block with hot showers at a reasonable price with access to tourist literature.


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## barryd

Before we went through bullino we spent thre nights down the road at Valvasone where mrs d started to take ill. The sosta there was perfect. By a park, free, ehu and services Inc. It was empty in peak season! So it takes more than putting in good facilities.

We would have done more round that area but went up to the castle at Mel to relax and escape the heat ad Michelle got worse and two days later ended up in hospital otherwise we would have been up for all those activities.


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## jhelm

barryd said:


> Before we went through bullino we spent thre nights down the road at Valvasone where mrs d started to take ill. The sosta there was perfect. By a park, free, ehu and services Inc. It was empty in peak season! So it takes more than putting in good facilities.
> 
> We would have done more round that area but went up to the castle at Mel to relax and escape the heat ad Michelle got worse and two days later ended up in hospital otherwise we would have been up for all those activities.


How is Michelle now by the way.

Anyone else have some thoughts. What are the features of your favorite places. I'm more interested in thoughts about things outside the camper parking area.


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## KeithChesterfield

How about a Jazz Festival?

www.jazzfests.net/countries/?country=it


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## jhelm

KeithChesterfield said:


> How about a Jazz Festival?
> 
> www.jazzfests.net/countries/?country=it


Yes what I'm getting is the idea that the city needs something to put it on the map.


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## eddied

jhelm said:


> KeithChesterfield said:
> 
> 
> 
> How about a Jazz Festival?
> 
> www.jazzfests.net/countries/?country=it
> 
> 
> 
> Yes what I'm getting is the idea that the city needs something to put it on the map.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what you want. Get the local assesore al turismo to start thinking. Film festivals - look at the little southern town of Giffone how famous it has become with its childrens' film festival. As Keith says, a jazz festival - look at Umbria Jazz. A chocolate festival - look at Perugia. A big carnival festival. A Christmas market. A classical music festival; and the list can go on. All of these things can be organized without the Comune having to spend a lot via sponsorships and local businesses getting involved. Maybe Belluno needs a new assesore al turismo? or a new pro loco or whatever is supposed to be doing the job.
saluti,
eddied


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## jhelm

eddied said:


> jhelm said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> KeithChesterfield said:
> 
> 
> 
> How about a Jazz Festival?
> 
> www.jazzfests.net/countries/?country=it
> 
> 
> 
> Yes what I'm getting is the idea that the city needs something to put it on the map.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That is exactly what you want. Get the local assesore al turismo to start thinking. Film festivals - look at the little southern town of Giffone how famous it has become with its childrens' film festival. As Keith says, a jazz festival - look at Umbria Jazz. A chocolate festival - look at Perugia. A big carnival festival. A Christmas market. A classical music festival; and the list can go on. All of these things can be organized without the Comune having to spend a lot via sponsorships and local businesses getting involved. Maybe Belluno needs a new assesore al turismo? or a new pro loco or whatever is supposed to be doing the job.
> saluti,
> eddied
Click to expand...

It's the new assesore that I will be meeting with on Monday to present the ideas I have gathered up.


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## eddied

jhelm said:


> eddied said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> jhelm said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> KeithChesterfield said:
> 
> 
> 
> How about a Jazz Festival?
> 
> www.jazzfests.net/countries/?country=it
> 
> 
> 
> Yes what I'm getting is the idea that the city needs something to put it on the map.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That is exactly what you want. Get the local assesore al turismo to start thinking. Film festivals - look at the little southern town of Giffone how famous it has become with its childrens' film festival. As Keith says, a jazz festival - look at Umbria Jazz. A chocolate festival - look at Perugia. A big carnival festival. A Christmas market. A classical music festival; and the list can go on. All of these things can be organized without the Comune having to spend a lot via sponsorships and local businesses getting involved. Maybe Belluno needs a new assesore al turismo? or a new pro loco or whatever is supposed to be doing the job.
> saluti,
> eddied
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It's the new assesore that I will be meeting with on Monday to present the ideas I have gathered up.
Click to expand...

  Best of luck then. I guess you'll need it.
Do tell us how the meeting goes.
saluti,
eddied


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## jhelm

eddied said:


> jhelm said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> eddied said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> jhelm said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> KeithChesterfield said:
> 
> 
> 
> How about a Jazz Festival?
> 
> www.jazzfests.net/countries/?country=it
> 
> 
> 
> Yes what I'm getting is the idea that the city needs something to put it on the map.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That is exactly what you want. Get the local assesore al turismo to start thinking. Film festivals - look at the little southern town of Giffone how famous it has become with its childrens' film festival. As Keith says, a jazz festival - look at Umbria Jazz. A chocolate festival - look at Perugia. A big carnival festival. A Christmas market. A classical music festival; and the list can go on. All of these things can be organized without the Comune having to spend a lot via sponsorships and local businesses getting involved. Maybe Belluno needs a new assesore al turismo? or a new pro loco or whatever is supposed to be doing the job.
> saluti,
> eddied
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It's the new assesore that I will be meeting with on Monday to present the ideas I have gathered up.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Best of luck then. I guess you'll need it.
> Do tell us how the meeting goes.
> saluti,
> eddied
Click to expand...

Thanks, all. I have no personal stake in this just trying to be helpful.


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## meavy

*Bravissima Belluno*

We spent a night in Belluno last month, coming from Sernaglia la Battaglia. We liked the sosta: plenty of room, a good concrete/grass surface, water on site, rubbish bins and a pleasant outlook on the exercise area.

It was ferragosto, so the city felt a bit deserted with so many shops shut up. We spent a morning looking around and then moved on to Alleghe, among other places in the Dolomites.

It seems churlish to complain in any way about a sosta which is well kept and very reasonable. We paid 2.80 euros I think for our stay and the grey/black water waste was free.

But since you ask for constructive feedback: why do you have to exit the sosta to use the waste disposal facilities?

At Alleghe, the Tourist Office has 'Il Barone' working with them to raise awareness of what's on offer. Il Barone, in colourful dress and with a little cart of local goodies, including wine, chats with visitors, has displays up on 'Il Barone consiglia..' and is clearly a local retired person who is popular with residents, unpaid it seems, does press interviews etc.

At Sernaglia, the owner of the private sosta came round to greet all new comers personally with a flyer in their own language, explaining what was on offer, bike rides, a wine visit. His personal approach made us feel welcome and we started there for 3 nights instead of our intended one.

EHU would be useful - at some sites in is free and we often stayed longer when it was available, especially in this summer's heat when the fridge and fan needed help.

Maybe there could be more info on display on the escalators? Like the London tube, with material of interest to outsiders prominently displayed? With the encouragement to call in at Tourist Info when they get to the top?

But having said all that, please thank the Tourist Office for the welcome already provide them and assure them that friends of Belluno will return in the future. 
Susan and Godfrey


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