Rifugio Città di Fiume

Rifugio Città di Fiume is an Italian mountain hut (rifugio) owned by the Fiume Section of the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI), located at approximately 1,918 metres above sea level on the Durona pastures (Col de la Puìna) beneath the north face of Monte Pelmo in the Province of Belluno, Veneto. It is a classic Dolomites refuge, serving as a rest and overnight stop for hikers on the Alta Via 1 and the Via Alpina, and as a base for excursions and climbing routes toward the Becco di Mezzodì. The hut was inaugurated in 1964 in a former alpine dairy building, the Malga Durona, which dates to the early 17th century and was rebuilt in 1924. After a period of disuse, the CAI Fiume Section converted it into a refuge. It was renovated between 2005 and 2006 and reopened in 2007. The refuge is dedicated to the Italian population expelled from Rijeka (Fiume) after the Second World War, reflecting the history of its owning section, which is based in Padua. Operationally, the rifugio offers 4 rooms with a total of 20 beds, plus a dining room with 40 covers, outdoor lawn and tables, and a kitchen serving traditional mountain and Dolomite dishes with local and seasonal ingredients. Half-board includes dinner, overnight stay, and buffet breakfast; guests must bring their own sleeping bag liner. The hut is typically open from mid-June to early October, with winter room facilities and the possibility of winter opening thanks to its relatively low altitude and south-facing exposure, enabling snowshoeing and ski mountaineering. The manager, Mario, has been associated with the refuge since 2005. The official website provides booking requests, weather webcam, and news updates.

The Rifugio Città di Fiume occupies a building with deep roots in the alpine pastoral tradition of the Dolomites. The original structure, the Malga Durona, was established in the early 17th century as a dairy hut (Kasalm) on the Durona pastures below Monte Pelmo. The current building dates from 1924, when the malga was rebuilt. Over time, as alpine dairy practices changed, the building fell out of use and stood empty. In 1964, the Fiume Section of the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI), based in Padua, converted the former Malga Durona into a mountain hut and inaugurated it as the Rifugio Città di Fiume. The name honours the city of Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia) and is dedicated to the Italian population expelled from the city after the Second World War, a history closely tied to the section itself. The refuge has since served as a key stop on the Alta Via 1 and the Via Alpina, two long-distance routes through the Dolomites. Between 2005 and 2006, the hut underwent renovation, and it was reopened in 2007. Around the same period, the current manager, Mario, arrived at the Città di Fiume in 2005, having previously been a member of Arcanda. Under his management, the refuge has continued to operate with a focus on local, seasonal cuisine and a welcoming atmosphere for hikers in both summer and winter. The hut is typically open from mid-June to early October, with a winter room available for the colder months. Its relatively low altitude (1,918 m) and south-facing exposure make it accessible and pleasant across seasons, supporting activities such as snowshoeing and ski mountaineering in winter. The official website provides booking requests, a live webcam, and news updates, reflecting its active role in the local hiking community.

• 2007

  The refuge reopens after renovation.

• 2005

  Mario, the current manager, arrives at the refuge.

• 2005

  Renovation of the refuge begins (2005–2006).

• 1964

  The CAI Fiume Section inaugurates the Rifugio Città di Fiume in the former Malga Durona.

• 1924

  The current Malga Durona building is constructed.

• 1600

  Malga Durona established as a dairy hut on the Durona pastures (early 17th century).

A historic, family-run CAI mountain hut in the Dolomites, offering authentic alpine hospitality and cuisine at moderate altitude, accessible year-round.

• Overnight stays

  4 rooms with 20 beds; single or bunk beds with mattress, pillow, and duvet; personal sleeping bag liner required.

• Half-board

  Includes dinner, overnight stay, and buffet breakfast. No double rooms available.

• Dining

  Traditional mountain and Dolomite dishes, with local and seasonal ingredients; dinner by reservation.

• Winter room

  Winter room with 3 beds for off-season use.

1. 1Rifugio Città di Fiume - Alle pendici del Pelmorifugiocittadifiume.it
2. 2CHI SIAMO - Rifugio Città di Fiumerifugiocittadifiume.it
3. 3Rifugio Città di Fiume - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Rifugio Città di Fiume - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org