Hiking to Stavoli di Moggio
Stavoli di Moggio: the most isolated village in Italy
Imagine a place completely isolated from the rest of the world. Perhaps the first image that comes to your mind is a tropical atoll, but today it doesn’t actually take much to isolate a place. Just remove all the comfortable means to reach it. Stavoli di Moggio is an abandoned village in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. It is the perfect destination for a spring hike to take a break from the craziness of the world.
The hike to Stavoli di Moggio starts from the village of Campiolo di Sopra, a hamlet of Moggio Udinese.
To reach it from Udine drive north along the SS13 state road towards Tarvisio. On the left, you will find the road to Moggio Udinese.
After the bridge, turn left towards Campiolo and proceed until you reach the hamlet. The starting point of the trail is located in the center of Campiolo di Sopra.
Where to park
As anticipated, the trail starts in the center of the small town of Campiolo. When you see the CAI signpost (on the left) proceed for 200 meters. You will find a clearing on the right in which you can leave the car.
Hike recap & GPX
- Total km: 7
- Elevation Gain: 400
- CAI Trail: 417
- Total time:2h30
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Children: Yes
- Dogs: Yes
- Support points: not present
The trail to Stavoli di Moggio
The hike to the Stavoli di Moggio can be divided into two parts:
- From Campiolo di Sopraa to the bridge over the Rio Glagnò. This part is almost entirely flat.
- From the bridge over the Rio Glagnò to Stavoli di Moggio. This part is where you will have most of the elevation gain.
The walk does not present any difficulties and there are no dangerous sections, which makes it feasible even for children (a local website focused on hikes for children says from 4 years upwards).
The trip to Stavoli di Moggio is recommended in all seasons but in my opinion, it is perfect for a nice spring hike in an unknown part of Italy.
From Campiolo di Sopraa to the bridge over the Rio Glagnò.
If you type Campiolo on Google it will be combined with the word Autogrill. Campiolo Ovest is a refreshment point on the A23 motorway and the town that previously enjoyed a beautiful view of the Fella River now finds itself in front of the highway pylons.
Stavoli is away from the frenzy of the modern world and the last houses of Campiolo di Sopra seem like a decompression phase to accompany us in a world that no longer exists.
The CAI trail 417 starts downhill, winds among the half-finished houses, and escorts us to the bank of the Rio Glagnò.
We continue along the river for a long stretch. The eyes are divided between the admiration for the crystal clear water and the imposing and looming rock walls that make us feel at the bottom of a canyon. We pass an underpass under the railway and after a few meters, we reach the iron bridge which overpasses the Rio Glagnò.
From the bridge over the Rio Glagnò to Stavoli di Moggio.
Sooner or later the climb comes. Here you will find it waiting for you after the bridge over the Rio Glagnò.
The positive side is that the climb that leads to Stavoli di Moggio is all made of steps. You will almost feel like you are stepping into the gym with the satisfaction of not having paid a single cent and of arriving in a nice place.
To accompany you, you will find thick heather bushes and some votive shrines. As you get up, the trees will become more sparse and at a certain point, you will be able to have a nice view over the valley and also over the abandoned villages of Moggessa di Qua and Moggessa di Là.
While it has no dangerous stretches, this trail will still give you some thrills when you cross other iron bridges over deep ravines.
Stavoli di Moggio
The wood ends up out of the blue to leave room for a large meadow at the end of which you will see Stavoli.
To welcome you in the small hamlet of Moggio you will find the church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
When we visit Stavoli it appears completely uninhabited except for a woodcutter. The silence is broken only by the slow flow of water in small drains and by the wind that creeps through the narrow streets. Apart from the woodcutter, the only clue that foreshadows the human presence is the scent of sauce that we smell in the streets.
Get lost in the streets and if you find it, reach the old fountain/lavatory that we totally missed. Alternatively, go back to the church and sit on the nearby bench for a few minutes.
The return is on the same path as the outward journey.
The History of Stavoli
There is not much information on the origin of Stavoli. On documents, it appears for the first time in 1800.
Although the town has always been reachable only on foot, over the years it has hosted up to 200 inhabitants who had managed to have the aqueduct connected.
In the village, you will find some illustrative tables with vintage photos and some information on the history of the place.
Perchè fare questa camminata a Stavoli di Moggio
The hike to Stavoli di Moggio is much more than a beautiful spring hike in Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is one of those trips that will change the way you see the world.
How do you live in such a place? How do you live isolated from the world? Could I live in such a place? Does heaven look like this?
These are just some of the questions you will ask yourself between the houses of Stavoli. At the time of our hike (March 2022) the world seems to be falling apart. The war has returned to Europe and we are dealing with our greed for energy. Walking through the streets of Stavoli, I didn’t know if what I had in front of me were vestiges of the past or a glimpse into a near future to which we will inevitably return.
Stavoli is perhaps less beautiful than the Stavoli of Orias but is more isolated. It gives the idea of being in another world with different rules and rhythms from those found in the plains.
It is also interesting to note that despite our so-called progress to isolate and get rid of a place it is enough to eliminate convenient ways to reach it. Walking has truly become a subversive gesture.
Do you want to discover more hikes in Friuli Venezia Giulia?
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