Fondo - Borgo d'Anaunia
Unique natural beauties
- The Rio Sass canyon
- The Smeraldo lake
Fondo is the administrative centre of the upper Val di Non and is located between the Alpine passes of Palade and Mendola. It is connected to the nearby South Tyrol/Alto Adige region, and benefits from a much-praised position surrounded by green hills and Alpine woods.
To hikers and mountain-bikers the area offers spectacular trails on the surrounding mountains. The Canyon Rio Sass, a true canyon with occasional 50-metre-deep spots, crosses through the village, which is full of picturesque houses. Looking out from a portico, you can admire the deep gorge through the rocks, where an iron trail leads up to Lake Smeraldo.
In Fondo you can practice ice skating in the Palasmeraldo ice rink, while alpine skiing is possible in the Passo Mendola ski areas.
Fondo was founded in 1516 by Emperor Maximilian I. Two beautiful churches worth visiting are S. Martino and the age-old S. Rocco church. The frescoes on the façades of the houses in the historical town-centre - dated back between the 14th and the 16th centuries - are a special feature of the area.