Mon, 15/02/2016 - 17:05 - yulianna8500 +685
Val Gardena(Val Gardena) is perhaps the most interesting region for winter sports enthusiasts and true aces, which is part of the extensive ski area (Dolomiti Superski), an alliance of resorts located in the shade in South Tyrol.
Val Gardena, in addition to stunning natural scenery, offers skiers and freestylers excellent ski slopes located on the Ortisei plateau, near Santa Cristina and Selva, as well as the opportunity to go on an interesting ski safari in the neighboring valleys. Here you will have almost limitless possibilities: about 500 km of interconnected alpine descents await you!
Magnificent Dolomites at sunset!
How to get to Val Gardena?
By plane
Nearest airports
Malpensa - 365 km.
Val Gardena
By car
From the North: on the A22 motorway via Innsbruck - Brennero - Chiusa.
From the South: on the A22 motorway via - Bolzano - Chiusa.
Exit at Chiusa - Val Gardena, from there you can drive to Ortisei in 20 minutes, and then to San Cristina and Selva.
By bus
Routes:
Bolzano - Chiusa - Val Gardena
Bressanone - Chiusa - Val Gardena
There are also shuttles from the above-mentioned airports to the resorts.
Ortisei
Where to stay in Val Gardena?
Hotel Antares - Via Meisules 193, 39048 Selva di Val Gardena, Italy
Hotel Antares is located in the picturesque mountain area of Selva Gardena, 100 meters from ski slopes resort Dolomiti Superski. The hotel has a spa and indoor pool.
Decorated in typical Tyrolean and Alpine style, Antares' rooms feature a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a minibar. The rooms have work desks and coffee and tea making facilities.
The Antares' restaurant serves a rich buffet breakfast, an à la carte dinner and buffet snacks.
The wellness center includes a sauna, Turkish bath and hot tub. The fitness center is equipped with new Technogym equipment. Antares Hotel also provides free parking and ski storage.
The staff works around the clock. During the day there are various activities and excursions, and in the evenings there is typical Tyrolean entertainment. Guests can explore the nearby city center.
Funicular from Campitello di Fassa
Panorama Residence Gran Tublá - Str. Scurcia 35, 39046 Ortisei, Italy
Panorama Residence Gran Tublà is surrounded by a large garden with views of the Sella and Sassolungo mountains, 300 meters from the center of Ortisei. A free garage and ski storage are available. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.
The apartments at Panorama Residence Gran Tublá have a fully equipped kitchenette with microwave and stove, LCD TV with satellite channels and refrigerator with freezer. Most apartments have views of the Dolomites. Some apartments are located in the hotel's annex building, just 70 meters from the main building.
In winter, the ski bus stops in front of the hotel and takes you to the Seceda ski lift. During summer, guests can swim in the heated pool.
This is our guests' favorite part of Ortisei, according to independent reviews.
Hotel Fanes - Via Daunei 17, 39048 Selva di Val Gardena, Italy
Hotel Fanes is a 2-minute walk from the center of Selva di Val Gardena and offers elegant rooms with free toiletries. Wi-Fi and on-site parking are free.
Carpeted rooms feature an LCD TV and a bathroom with hairdryer. Some rooms have a balcony overlooking the Dolomites.
A buffet breakfast of sweet and savory options is served each morning at Hotel Fanes. For dinner, the hotel's restaurant serves Italian and international cuisine.
The nearest bus stop is 300 meters away. The hotel is a 5-minute drive from the Pütz-Geisler Nature Park and 40 km from Bolzano.
This is our guests' favorite part of Selva di Val Gardena, according to independent reviews.
Looking for accommodation where the staff speaks Russian? Then this is a great choice for you.
Saslong
Residence Boè - Strada Paul 40 (check-in: Via Meisules 195, Selva di Val Gardena), 39047 Santa Cristina Val Gardena, Italy
This hotel is located in the center of Santa Cristina and offers panoramic views of Val Gardena and the Monte Pana waterfalls. Parking and ski storage are provided free of charge.
All studios and apartments at Residence Boè have a fully equipped kitchenette and wooden furniture in alpine style. The windows offer mountain views. Some rooms have a balcony.
IN winter time Free public ski buses stop 200 meters from the Boè Hotel. Saslong Ski Slope is 1 km away.
The A22 motorway is 25 km away. Bolzano is a 50-minute drive away.
Val Gardena. "Blue" route
General information
The valley - or Valle - Gardena extends northwest of and 120 km from Innsbruck, the main city of Tyrol. These places for a long time- until 1918 - were included in the Kingdom of Austria, so do not be surprised that everything Austrian prevails here: German, German mentality and Austrian cuisine.
Val Gardena has a length of just over 20 kilometers, “resting” on the Sella mountain range, in the south of which rises the Sassolungo peak (3,181 m), the symbol of the area.
Access to the valley is possible from a narrow gorge stretching from a height of 470 m to 1200 m, then Val Gardena constantly changes its outline, sometimes expanding, sometimes narrowing. The landscapes here are, to say the least, picturesque, the beauty of which is complemented by the purest river with numerous rapids - Grodnerbach. Val Gardena ends with another small magnificent valley, Wallunga, where the natural park Puez-Odle.
Ski resorts of Val Gardena
There are three resort towns in Val Gardena: Ortisei, the largest village, located at an altitude of 1236 m above sea level, Santa Cristina, lying at an altitude of 1428 m, and Selva Volkenstein (1563 m).
The resort of Ortisei was chosen by the unanimous decision of tourists who visited here, as perfect place for a family holiday with kids. There are many cozy hotels, spas, good shops and restaurants offering national Tyrolean cuisine. You can get to the funiculars from the town center in just a 5-minute walk; a ski bus runs from other areas of Ortisei to the ski lifts.
Santa Cristina is a very small village where experienced skiers flock. In the east of Santa Cristina there are gondola and Ronda Express stations.
Santa Cristina
There are many good four-star hotels, guesthouses and apartments with about 8,000 beds.
Note: there are no free ski buses in Val Gardena: a weekly pass for buses that run around the resorts costs 6 euros.
Selva Gardena
Pros and cons of holidays in Val Gardena
"Pro"
Huge area for skiing
Good system of functional funiculars
"First try" opportunity for beginners (Seizer Alm plateau)
Opportunity to go on a ski safari
Magnificent nature
"Contra"
A lot of skiers on the slopes in high season
Accordingly, long queues for the lifts
Quite high prices for accommodation and service
Saslong. Men's World Jumping Championships
Trails of Val Gardena
The ski area of Val Gardena, with a length of about 175 kilometers, is divided into 4 sectors: the Seiser Alm plateau (blue and easy red 2 runs), the Seceda - Col Raiser area, the Dantercepies sector and the area leading to the Sella Ronda route.
"Black" routes for experts
In Val Gardena, not far from Santa Cristina, the famous “black” slope “Saslong A” starts, 3.5 km long, with an average slope of 24.5%, full of steep turns, where competitions for the Alpine Ski World Cup are held. Thanks to this route, Val Gardena is included in the "Club of Five", an association of ski resorts with the most difficult sports routes.
Val Gardena. Saslong A
Another famous descent “Saslong B”, “red”, with interesting sections, passing through many beautiful places Val Gardena, such as Fischburg Castle.
Two other excellent slopes for professionals are located on the Mont de Seura slope, where you can ski without endlessly bumping into other skiers.
"Red" slopes for advanced skiers
For trained skiers, Val Gardena seems like a real paradise: Representatives of the most common category of skiers in Val Garthe, who are not on skis for the first time - both children and adults - feel great on the “red-blue” slopes in Piz Sella, Plan de Gralba, slopes to Selva with Dantercepies (the latter are very busy with skiers), wide and sunny slopes in the Seceda sector.
By the way, at the end of March - beginning of April, the Gardenissima slalom competition is held on the sector’s tracks, in which everyone can take part.
"Blue" trails for beginners
The Seiser Alm plateau is a paradise for beginners who feel at their best here. The bright, spacious, sunny slopes of the high mountain plateau are best suited for training sessions, which very young skiers are very happy with. And for those who are starting to ski for the first time in their lives, we recommend hanging out in the “manège”, which is located directly next to Ortisei.
The main training area of Santa Cristina is located above the village on Monte Pana, and in Selva, beginners ski on a gentle slope with Dantercepies.
Ski safari
Hours of skiing or ski safaris are the specialty of Val Gardena: 480 kilometers of interconnected pistes and a unified lift system allow you to make the most interesting trips, every day on new routes, in the fantastic scenery of the Dolomites.
Freeriders in the Dolomites
Free riding and snowboarding
Off-piste skiing is not particularly common in Val Gardena: there are not enough wide and steep slopes here, and on the slopes the movement of freeriders is limited by avalanche barriers.
Snowboarders are also not very interested here, although there is an easy boardercross track on the slope of Piz Sella.
A good snowboarding park is located in neighboring Val di Fassa.
Photo by ThinkstockVal Gardena from A to Z: map of hotels and ski areas, slopes and pistes, lifts and ski passes. Vivid photos and videos. Reviews of ski tourists about Val Gardena.
- Tours for the New Year to Italy
- Last minute tours to Italy
Val Gardena is a valley more than 15 km wide with a large selection of quality trails. The ski season here lasts from early December to mid-April. The resort includes three towns with well-developed infrastructure - Ortisei (1236 m), St. Cristina (1428 m) and Selva (1563 m).
Entertainment and attractions
The resort infrastructure in Val Gardena is well developed: there are many attractions, discos, bars, cozy restaurants, fashion shops, indoor skating rinks and swimming pools.
Guests are also provided with cultural leisure - Italy, after all. Getting acquainted with the historical heritage of the region is worth starting with the Museum of Local Lore (website with English version). Among its exhibits: ancient archaeological finds, fossilized reptiles, ancient wooden toys, centuries-old sculptures and paintings.
The works of woodcarvers are presented at the permanent exhibition Art 52 (website with English version). You can admire masterpieces of sculpture and painting in the Unika art gallery (website with English version).
There are many beautiful churches in the Dolomites, for example the parish church in Ortisei. This magnificent Baroque building impresses with its colorful exterior and interior decoration. Tourists also like to take a ride to ancient medieval castles, or rather, their ruins. The most visited castles are Wolkenstein and Fischburg.
In summer, breathtaking panoramas of the blooming Alps attract travelers no less than icy slopes and snow-covered spruce trees. Tourists are invited to go hiking, fishing, horse riding, mountain climbing, rafting, parachuting or cycling.
7 things to do in Val Gardena
- Take a 40-kilometer walk along the famous “Dolomite Carousel” - Selle Ronda.
- Go to a restaurant on the observation deck and forget about food, admiring the most beautiful mountains in the world.
- Learn at least one trick on the ski jump at the snow park.
- Capture your descents with an action camera to show off to your friends.
- Practice mountaineering and want to conquer Everest.
- Capture in photos dozens of shades of the famous pink sunsets.
- Organize the most epic après ski, because the parties of Val Gardena allow it.
Val Gardena for children
Val Gardena is great for a family holiday. The range of children's winter activities is naturally wide - they go here not only skiing, but also snowboarding, sledding, and skating. There are also mountaineering centers at the resort.
In sports schools in Val Gardena, even those who have barely learned to walk are put on skis.
For a dashing sled run in Ortisei, a special 6-kilometer track has been opened. The ascent takes place from the Rasciesa station. There are skating rinks everywhere - even in hotels and restaurants. The most popular sites are the skating rink at the Iman sports center in Santa Cristina and Pranives (website with English version) in Selva.
The theme of sports entertainment is continued by the Mar Dolomit aquatic center (website), however, the entertainment here is only a swimming pool, there are no attractions. In summer, kids will love the PanaRaida obstacle course, which features exciting mazes, a tunnel with elves and a giant forest swing.
Middle-aged children and adults should visit the Col de Flam Adventure Park (website
Cloudy, rain, thunderstorm
15 °C during the day+11 °C at night
Cloudy, rain
7 °C during the day+6 °C at night
The climatic conditions in the local valleys are almost always ideal - the air is clean and not too humid, the sun is generous and soft, the snow is fluffy, and there are no severe frosts. The ski season lasts from December to April, and the resort is very popular during the New Year holidays. Prices for entertainment during these weeks are high, but unforgettable experiences are guaranteed - Italians know how to have fun, and they have almost no equal in creating fireworks.
In the summer, residents of Italy escape in the mountains from the tiresome city heat, because in Val Gardena the air is fresh, and temperature indicators moderate.
Ski characteristics of the resort Val Gardena (VAL GARDENA) Italy, Dolomites
Height difference: 1060-2518 m
Val Gardena- This fabulous beauty the valley is more than 15 km wide. It is clearly visible when descending from the Brener Pass on the way from Bolzano. A landmark can be an unusually shaped peak called Sassolungo, which means “long stone” in Italian. At night, illuminated powerful spotlights, she is a fantastic sight.
World Championship alpine skiing 1970 sharply increased the popularity of the Gardena Valley resorts and contributed to the fact that the highest level competitions began to be held here every year.
According to experts, Val Gardena is the best part of Sella Ronda. Here are the longest trails, the greatest elevation changes, and excellent trail maintenance. Snow cannons are constantly working.
Val Gardena is an ideal place for skiing, as there are more than 175 km of slopes of a wide variety of slopes, for almost every taste.
Nearest airports: Verona (190 km) and Innsbruck (120 km), Milan (300 km), Venice (250 km), Munich (300 km). The nearest train station is Bolzano (40 km).
There are three resort towns in Val Gardena: Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva. Each of them is bustling with cheerful resort life: bars and restaurants are open, discos are noisy, fashionable shops await customers. Val Gardena is an old Austrian land that became part of the Italian state after the First World War. Therefore, Austrian flavor and Italian temperament are combined here. The names of streets and towns are still written in two languages, and the indigenous people speak a peculiar dialect that is difficult to understand even for those who know Italian and German.
Each town has its own ski areas and access to Sella Ronda. You can go down to Selva and Santa Cristina on skis, that is, many people’s favorite “ski-in, ski-out” skiing from the hotel door is implemented.
Ortisei (1236 m)- old and very beautiful city, located in a flat part of the valley. There are many cross-country ski trails and hiking trails in the picturesque surroundings. In Ortisei there is a small local ski area Alpe di Siusi, the lift to the Sella Ronda slopes is located in neighboring Santa Cristina, you can get to it by skibus or skis.
Santa Cristina (1466 m)- a small town with cute houses and good hotels. World Cup stages are held here every year. This resort is suitable for couples or groups of skiers with different skiing experience. From Santa Cristina there is direct access to Sella Ronda.
Selva (1564) or in German Wolkenstein is the largest town in the valley. Its advantage is the best location relative to the highways. Almost every hotel is accessible on skis. From Selva there is direct access to Sella Ronda. From Selva you can quickly and comfortably reach the most remote slopes of the Val Gardena valley.
The resorts of Santa Cristina and Selva are connected by a ski lift system, and a ski bus runs regularly to Ortisei.
Sells Ronda- “around the world” or as it is also called “dolomite carousel” - this is a huge ski region around the Sella mountain range. 600 km of slopes connected by a chain of lifts, skiing from beginners to pros. A unique opportunity, without taking off your skis, to ride along the slopes of the resorts of Val di Fassa, Val Gardena, Alta Badia and Arabba. Circular route - about 40 km (piste + ski lifts) one way clockwise or counterclockwise. An experienced skier can make a “around the world” trip in about three hours.
Characteristics of the ski slopes in the resort of Val Gardena
For confident skiers The world championship track, descending from the top of Ciampioni (2254 m) to the town of Selva, is suitable. The track is maintained in excellent condition. We also recommend an excellent descent from the same peak of Ciampioni, but to Santa Cristina.
For lovers of virgin skiing We recommend the run Seceda (2518 m) - Col Raiser (2103 m). After a snowfall, it looks like an endless snow field.
For intermediate skiers There are quite a lot of trails in Val Gardena. Based on the convenience of location and efficiency of skiing (skiing time to ascent time), we recommend four pistes ending in Selva and Santa Cristina and starting at Ciampioni (3 pistes) and Dantercepies (1 piste). The first two routes, going respectively to the right and left from the top of Ciampioni (when viewed from top to bottom), are similar. These are winding and high-speed descents with hard snow and steep changes, passing mainly through the forest area. The rightmost one (leading to Plan) is simpler. The track, located almost under the Val Gardena-Ciampioni funicular, in some places can claim to be a “black” track. The most interesting is the third route, going down to Santa Cristina. Alpine skiing World Cup stages are constantly held on this track, and that says it all. The piste is very interesting for advanced and experienced skiers, although, contrary to the markings, it is rather “dark red” rather than black.
A simpler, but no less interesting route is Dantercepies - Selva. Its slope is less than those described above, but it is longer and wider, which makes it possible for a good, high-speed descent. One drawback is that this is the only track on this section of Sella-Ronda, so large number skiers on the slopes and lifts in the high season are not uncommon.
The Seceda - Col Raiser trails offer very interesting opportunities for intermediate skiers. The only, but no less valuable, red run, located directly under the Seceda-Kol-Riser chairlift, will give an unforgettable experience to fans of downhill, giant slalom and pure carving. Large width, good snow and a smooth but sufficient slope, interspersed with small steep “steps”, allow you to “cut” arcs of almost any radius on this slope, easily controlling the speed.
For beginners trails are scattered along all slopes. A very interesting place for beginners in the Secheda circus is Kol-Rizer. For more experienced skiers, we also recommend spending a day or two skiing on these slopes. This ski area is a huge circus located between Seceda - Col Raiser. The tracks for beginners are concentrated in the right (when looking from top to bottom) part of the circus. Most of the trails are long and from the very top (Cuca Cucasattel) you can go down to the village itself. All the circus tracks have a southern exposure, so those who like to combine business with pleasure (sunbathing and riding) will get maximum pleasure here. In accordance with the terrain, the slope of all routes is quite flat, without significant steep sections. Few, but convenient and well-located lifts allow beginners and advanced skiers to easily “improve their skills”, gradually increasing the difficulty of the slopes (from blue to red) or “straightening” steep sections. The snow quality is very good on all slopes. Tired of the abundance of sun, skiers can go down the steep slope of Seceda. There, along the bottom of a narrow valley leading to Ortisei, there is a ski “road” along which it is very pleasant to rush with the breeze all the way to the village. The descent along this route will leave an unforgettable impression, since it is laid through the forest and there are very few skiers on it. Although, at the beginning, this route may seem difficult for beginners.
Cost of ski passes in Val Gardena
Tourists staying in hotels in Val Gardena can buy two types of passes:
1. Subscription to the ski lifts of the Dolomiti-Super-Ski pass, it includes all resorts in the Dolomiti-Superski region, 12 resorts, incl. Sella Ronda ski region: Val di Fassa / Carezza, Val Gardena / Alpe di Siuse, Alta Badia, Arabba / Marmolada, Val di Fiemme / Obereggen, Cortina d'Ampezzo, San Martino di Castrozza / Passo Rolle, Plan de Corones, Alta Pusteria, Valle Isarco, Tre Valli, Civetta .
2. Ski pass VAL GARDENA, including all the resorts of the Val Gardena valley Selva, Santa Cristina, Ortizei / Alpe di Siusi.
Estimated cost of a ski pass in Val Gardena (Ski pass VAL GARDENA), prices per person in euros
| Season | High season | Season | Beginning of the season | ||||||
|
24.12 - 07.01 05.02 - 17.03 |
08.01 - 04.02 18.03 - 15.04 |
26.11 - 23.12 | |||||||
| Adult | Juniors** | Seniors* | Adult | Juniors** | Seniors* | Adult | Juniors** | Seniors* | |
| 6 days | 223 | 156 | 200 | 196 | 137 | 176 | 178 | 125 | 160 |
| 7 days | 236 | 165 | 212 | 208 | 145 | 187 | 189 | 132 | 170 |
| 10 days | 317 | 222 | 285 | 279 | 195 | 251 | 254 | 177 | 228 |
| 11 days | 341 | 239 | 307 | 300 | 210 | 270 | 273 | 191 | 246 |
| 12 days | 353 | 232 | 318 | 311 | 218 | 280 | |||
Children from 3 to 8 years old (date of birth after November 26, 2003) receive a free ski-pass (free ski pass), subject to the purchase of a ski pass by adults.
*Seniors - adults with a date of birth before November 26, 1946
**Juniors - children with a date of birth after November 26, 1995
Discounts on ski passes are provided only if you have a document certifying your date of birth (foreign passport).
Approximate cost of ski equipment rental in the Val Gardena resort, prices in euros
| Equipment rental cost | ||||||
| Rental period | Adult | Child (height up to 119 cm) | Child (height from 120 to 140 cm) | |||
| Equipment type | Skis | Snowboard | Skis | Snowboard | Skis | Snowboard |
| 6 days | 55 | 62 | 28 | 62 | 33 | 62 |
| 13 days | 110 | 124 | 56 | 124 | 66 | 124 |
Approximate cost of lessons at a ski school and kindergarten in Val Gardena, prices in euros
| Cost of lessons at ski school | |||||
| Education | Group classes | Individual lessons | |||
| Adult | Child (3-12 years old) | ||||
| Seasons | High* | Short** | High* | Short** | |
| Skis | 150 | 120 | 160 | 150 | 48 U/hour |
| Snowboard | 155 | 150 | 155 | 150 | 48 U/hour |
High season* 24.12 - 09.01, 31.01 - 13.03
Low season** 10.01 - 30.01, 14.03 until the end of the season
Children are accepted to ski school from the age of 3; for children from 2 to 3 years old, there is a ski kindergarten.
Approximate cost of visiting for 5 days: half a day in kindergarten with a teacher, lunch and tuition at the ski school - 190 euros.
Hotels in Val Gardena
The Gardena Valley is considered the most expensive of all the valleys in the Dolomites overlooking the Sella Ronda. There are many luxurious, expensive 4* and 4* super hotels in Gardena, and even 5* hotels, which is very rare for Alpine resorts.
But there are also quite budget 3* hotels, apartments for families with children, for large groups. Please note that in Russia, of all the ski resorts in Italy, Gardena Valley hotels are the first to be sold. So you need to worry about booking a tour, especially during the New Year and Christmas holidays, in advance.
Sports, recreation, entertainment and excursions in Val Gardena
Selva Gardena is considered the most sporting resort in the region. In Selva there is a sports center, a tennis center “TENNIS CENTER - GMA”, a fitness center, a squash court, an ice palace “STADIUM PR ANIVES” (www.pranives.com). For extreme sports enthusiasts there is paragliding, ice climbing, a shooting range, and 50 km of hiking routes.
In Santa Cristina there is a fitness center, an ice skating rink, ice climbing, a paragliding school, tandem flights and snowshoe hikes.
In Ortisei - indoor aquatic complex Mar Dolomiti with a swimming pool ("MAR DOLOMIT" Ortisei - San Ulrich, www.mardolomit.com),
which is famous for its water treatments (swimming pool, sauna, steam bath, inhalation baths, detox baths, hay sauna).
The region offers cross-country skiing fans 98 km of trails, and snowboarders a fun park, half-pipes, and border cross.
The resorts of Val Gardena have many restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops. Good fashion shops are located in Ortisei. There are specialized ski shops and souvenir shops in Selva and Santa Cristina. Selva is famous for its large selection of inexpensive but high-quality restaurants. Here you can find good establishments for every budget.
In the local history museum you can get acquainted with the history of the valley, see the products of local craftsmen, and, above all, carved wooden sculptures.
We also recommend visiting the ancient castle of Fischburg in Santa Cristina, built in the 17th century. Santa Cristina and Ortisei will not be boring for those who love educational tourism: there is a folk theater and library, local history evenings and concerts are held. Art lovers will be interested in the gallery in Selva.
Those who like to have fun on vacation should stay in Ortisei, where there are quite a lot of opportunities for this - establishments are open until late.
At the Val Gardena resorts you will be offered guaranteed group excursions (with an accompanying and Russian-speaking guide) to Verona, Venice, Bolzano.
Interesting events, competitions and celebrations in the Gardena Valley:
World Cup Santa Cristina
For almost forty years now, the sports calendar of the Alpine Ski World Cup stages has included a stage taking place in Val Gardena on the already legendary Ciampioni track, which finishes in the town of Santa Cristina. Holding competitions of such a high level is the resort’s calling card and an additional advantage for those who choose it as a winter holiday destination.
Ski marathon SELLA RONDA
Another sporting event that has become the hallmark of the Dolomites and attracts many spectators is the night ski marathon around the Sella Ronda massif. Skiers face the difficult task of covering the circular route connecting the resorts of Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Arraba and Val di Fassa as quickly as possible in difficult conditions. Unique competitions take place once a year, with participants starting and finishing in Selva Gardena.
Val Gardena is a wide, picturesque valley in South Tyrol, located in the north-west of the Dolomites, a superb mountain range with UNESCO World Natural Heritage status. According to experienced tourists, Val Gardena is the most attractive valley of Sella Ronda, a circular ski route with a total length of 500 km. The valley itself offers 175 km of trails of breathtaking beauty.
Val Gardena offers its guests many opportunities for entertainment. Among them you can choose the most suitable one: winter excursions, freestyle, hockey, paragliding, figure skating, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, sledding and much more. The variety of active recreation attracts tourists from all over the world.
The resort includes three small towns with well-developed infrastructure - Ortisei (1236 m), Santa Cristina (1428 m) and Selva (1563 m).
Ortisei, the largest of them, is an excellent place for a family holiday with children. There are many restaurants, spas, various hotels and shops. The first ski lift is just a 10-minute walk away.
Santa Cristina is the smallest resort town in the valley. It is very cozy here and there is no noise.
Selva is a fairly popular resort due to its convenient location to the Sella Ronde mountain route, where many trails begin. It has a developed tourism infrastructure.
Previously, Val Gardena was part of Austria-Hungary, so people here speak German more readily than Italian. As for the local population of Val Gardena, they are very hospitable and sincere. Local people speak a rare Ladin language that is over 2000 years old! You should definitely talk to them.
Val Gardena annually hosts the World Alpine Ski Championships. Interestingly, all the action takes place on the steep Saslong track. With just a little bit of courage, you can also taste victory by going down this famous track.
The Val Gardena valley is part of the Sella Ronda circuit, which includes 500 km of ski slopes. It is here that international men's slalom competitions are held every year.
Val Gardena is part of the Dolomiti Superski association - incredible beautiful area skiing from 16 ski regions. A particular advantage is the ability to ski all 1,200 km of Dolomiti Superski pistes with a single ski pass. And 450 lifts will take you to the best peaks of the Dolomites with ease. By visiting the Alta Bedia resort, you are guaranteed to get the most out of your active holiday!
The Val Gardena valley lies in the heart of the Dolomites in Italy (province of South Tyrol) and is very popular among skiers. The main advantages of this ski region are stunning mountain views, cozy villages and endless opportunities for skiing and ski safaris: almost 200 km of slopes plus convenient access to the Sella Ronda circular route and neighboring areas. In total, vacationers have access to almost one and a half thousand kilometers of slopes, connected by lifts and ski buses.
Business card
Until the end of the First World War, Val Gardena was part of Austria-Hungary, as a result of which the German language is even more common here than Italian. The local population also speaks Ladin, so all geographical names and settlements in the valley have 2-3 names. For example, the village of Ortisei in Italian sounds like Ortisei, in German it is called St. Ulrich, and in Ladin - Urtijёi.
Trails, slopes, lifts
In the Val Gardena valley in Italy there are three winter resorts: the village of Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva Gardena.
From Ortisei you can easily reach the Alpe Di Siusi area, excellent for relaxing skiing and learning, and Seceda & Col Raises, which will interest more experienced skiers (in particular, the region's longest run, the 10 km La Longia, is located here).
From the village of Santa Cristina, located in the center of the valley, you can easily reach the already mentioned area of Seceda & Col Raises, as well as Monte Pana (the area for beginners) and Ciampinoi, where the most difficult and famous slopes of Val Gardena are concentrated, including the “black » Saslong track, where the World Cup stage in giant slalom and downhill is held.
The lift to Ciampioni also starts from Selva. In addition, from Selva there is direct access to the Plan de Gralba ski area, where blue and green slopes predominate, and Dantercepies with training slopes where local ski schools conduct classes.
In addition, the famous Italian “around the world” route, the Sella Ronda route, runs through the Val Gardena valley: you can go around it or go through it to the slopes of the neighboring valleys - Val di Fassa, Alta Badia and Arabba Marmolada.
Entertainment and active recreation
Val Gardena has illuminated trails for night skiing, fun parks, cross-country ski trails, ski kindergartens and ski schools. In addition, local villages are perfectly prepared for relaxation after skiing.
Thus, in Ortisei, the Mar Dolomiti aquatic center is equipped with a swimming pool, saunas and spa. Santa Cristina has a small museum and a 16th-century castle, an outdoor skating rink and a paragliding school. In Selva there is a sports center, a tennis center Tennis Center GMA, an ice palace Stadium PR Anives, extreme sports centers - paragliding, rock climbing, winter hiking, etc. In addition, this village has the largest number entertainment venues - in the evenings there are pubs, shooting ranges, sports bars, discos, bowling alleys, etc.
Local cuisine and wines
Restaurants in Val Gardena will introduce their guests to the best traditions of Tyrolean and Ladin cuisine, rich meat dishes, and will also offer pizza, spaghetti and risotto typical throughout Italy. The choice of establishments is also quite wide: there are restaurants in every village, many of them are located at hotels - and there are also mountain huts on the slopes where you can have lunch while skiing.
Where to stay
Many hotels in Ortisei, which is considered a family resort, are aimed at quality holidays with children. There are very few hotels in the fabulous Santa Cristina, but here you can truly relax in a quiet and cozy atmosphere. In Selva, the busiest village in the valley, the range of hotels is the most diverse - from modest 2* hotels to expensive, comfortable chalets with spacious rooms, restaurants, wellness centers and swimming pools. In particular, here is the Sporthotel Alpenroyalp Gourmet & Relax 5*, which has been repeatedly recognized as one of the best hotels in the Italian Alps.
