Oh no, not another vineyard. That was my first thought when the Prosecco Hills were inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2019. Not really an enthusiastic reaction. But is it justified? Well, vineyards are an over-represented category. But we are in Italy, so good food can be expected and I can taste a wine I didn't know well before. Reasons enough to spend a long weekend in the Veneto and tick off a new WHS. So in September 2021, I set off on a 5-hour drive to the Prosecco Hills.

The inscription was highly controversial, a secret ballot was needed to overrule the "not inscribe" recommendation by ICOMOS in 2018. One year later, an amended proposal with a significantly reduced core zone was inscribed. 
The focus is on the scenic landscape with its steep vineyards and small hilltop villages. The production sites and wine cellars are not explicitly mentioned in the description and obviously do not contribute to the OUV of the site. In this respect, the Prosecco Hills differs, for example, from the French "Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars". The larger villages at the foot of the steep hills are not included, nor are the eponymous towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. And rightly so, the cultural heritage here - historic town centres, churches and monasteries - is not outstanding and is below the level of other World Heritage sites in Italy.

I got a first impression of what is special about the Prosecco hills when I left the main road (SP4) in Follina and drove up into the core zone. A first stop was in Rolle, a picturesque hilltop village. From the terrace in front of the church you have a wonderful view of the steep vineyards and the hilly landscape. A few kilometres further and you reach the Molinetto della Croda, very popular with tourists, but a little too kitschy for my taste.
The main destination of my weekend trip was the region near Valdobbiadene, specifically the Cartizze area. Cardizze is an area of only about 100 hectares where the grapes for the supposedly best Prosecco grow. At least in Italy and especially in the Veneto, it is the most sought-after Prosecco and the most expensive, also because it is so rare. And Cartizze is also said to have the steepest vineyards and the most beautiful hills.
I picked up a map with a suggested hiking route at the tourist information in Valdobbiadene and started my hike in the village of Saccol. The map was not very detailed and the route was not well signposted. At the beginning it followed the main road to Santo Stefano, but most of the route went alongside the vineyards or right through them. A few times I had to deviate from the suggested route because there was a fence where I didn't expect one or a bridge over a ditch was missing where there should have been one. And once I had to avoid two angry guard dogs that obviously didn't know that the trail ran through their territory. All in all, I very much enjoyed my hike through the Cartizze vineyards. But it was a lot of uphill-downhill hiking, the slopes are really steep.

After my visit, I still doubt that the inscription added much value to the WH list. Picturesque vineyards on steep slopes are not enough to prove OUV, there are just too many of them on the list already. However, I spent a very pleasant weekend in the Prosecco Hills, I enjoyed the landscape, the food and of course the Prosecco.
I stayed at the B&B Alla Pergola in Saccol/Valdobbiadene, which I can highly recommend, especially because of the adjacent restaurant. The breakfast was sumptuous, with local specialities and homemade cakes. But be aware that local specialities in the Veneto basically mean prosciutto, speck and meat.