The idea of an alpine refuge, to support the exploration of the Spalti di Toro, came to life in 1907 by Antonio Berti (Venetian, doctor and mountain writer, founder of the CAI of Padua) and the Fanton brothers. There was in fact a need for a real shelter for all those mountaineers who were starting to frequent the area and who were forced to pitch their tents there. Among these was a team of young Germans and Austrians led by Victor Wolf Von Glanvell, the man who had conquered the Campanile di Val Montanaia in 1902.
In January 1910, the Municipality of Domegge deliberated for the free concession of the land and wood to the Padua section of the CAI. The work was completed on August 14 of the same year. Occupied during the First World War by the military authorities, the refuge was returned to the CAI and adapted in 1920. In February 1931 an avalanche destroyed it. After the initial shock, the CAI of Padua rolled up its sleeves and began the reconstruction, in a lower and safer site. In August of the same year the new refuge was inaugurated. In 1940 it was named after Italo Balbo, a name abandoned after the war. In the 1980s negotiations began between the Municipality of Domegge and the CAI section of Padua for the transfer of ownership. In 1990 the refuge became the property of the Municipality of Domegge, which granted its management to the local section of the Italian Alpine Club until 2014.
The current structure stands at 1287 m in a clearing at the foot of the Monfalconi and Spalti di Toro mountain ranges, where a forest of maples, birches, beeches and firs acts as a splendid crown.
NOTE: to access the Rifugio Padova from Domegge di Cadore, follow the signs for the lake and the refuges. Once you get off the western shores of the body of water, cross it on the convenient bridge and go up the Val di Toro road for 7 km. Parking is about 100 m from the refuge near the barrier. The road, narrow and bumpy, is subject to regulated traffic from 01/06 to 05/09: uphill only from 10.00 to 14.00, downhill only from 14.30 to 16.30, both directions of travel from 16.30 to 9.30.
Very idyllic mountain hut with excellent food. Ideal for spending the night on the Friulian hiking tour. Magnificent views of the surrounding mountains.