Valle di Casies
Valle di Casies (Gsies in German) is a municipality in South Tyrol that occupies the eponymous Valle di Casies, known in German as...
Updated 20 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
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The story
The story of Valle di Casies
The quiet side valley of the Val Pusteria
Valle di Casies opens as a side valley of the Val Pusteria just beyond Monguelfo, winding northeast until it touches the Austrian border. Unlike other, busier valleys in South Tyrol, the Gsiesertal has kept an intimate, secluded character, without large ski lifts or intensive tourist development. The mountains enclosing it shield it from the wind and create a favourable microclimate, while the stream running along the valley floor marks the rhythm of local farming life. It is a destination made for those seeking the South Tyrol of old, with landscapes that shift gradually with the seasons: green pastures in summer, golden woods in autumn, a compact blanket of snow in winter. The road climbing the valley links its small hamlets and allows visitors to reach, unhurried, the starting points for hikes and cross-country trails, in a setting where quiet itself is the main attraction.
Traditional masi and the landscape
The landscape of Valle di Casies is shaped by the masi, the Höfe dotting the sun-facing slopes above the valley floor. Wood-and-stone buildings, often centuries old, still house families who live from mountain farming, livestock breeding and timber work, keeping alive building techniques and traditions passed down through generations. The masi are surrounded by regularly mown meadows, vegetable gardens and small orchards, which together with the spruce and larch woods form a remarkably balanced agricultural mosaic. Many of these farms offer hospitality in the Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof style, letting visitors stay in close contact with rural life, taste local products such as cheese, speck and rye bread, and watch daily work in the fields and stables up close. Walking from one maso to the next along the paths linking the valley's different hamlets reveals an authentic farming landscape, carefully tended and still remarkably intact compared with many more developed alpine areas.
Cross-country skiing and the Gran Fondo Val Casies
With the arrival of winter, Valle di Casies becomes one of South Tyrol's benchmark destinations for cross-country skiing. The gentle shape of the valley floor lends itself perfectly to tracing technical, scenic trails, groomed with care to welcome both experienced skiers and families looking for easier routes. The most eagerly awaited event is the Gran Fondo Val Casies, a Nordic ski marathon that draws enthusiasts from across Europe every year, turning the valley for one weekend into a small stage for international cross-country skiing without ever losing its intimate character. Alongside the cross-country trails, the valley also offers routes for ski touring and snowshoeing, quiet alternatives for those who want to move through the snow away from the crowds typical of large ski resorts. The absence of large-scale ski lifts is not a limitation but a choice of identity, favouring genuine cross-country skiing immersed in the quiet of snow-covered woods and farmsteads.
Gentle hiking and nature
In summer, Valle di Casies becomes an ideal starting point for gentle hiking, without the steep climbs imposed by ski lifts, but paced instead by the natural rhythm of mountain trails. From the highest masi, paths climb gradually toward the foothills of the Dolomites and, on the opposite side, toward the Vedrette di Ries, a glacial area closing the valley to the north and offering glimpses of high mountains still little frequented. The trails cross conifer woods, high-altitude pastures and small alpine lakes, offering scenic stops suitable even for families and less trained walkers. The hiking network is well signposted yet keeps a non-invasive character, without the heavy infrastructure typical of other, more touristic valleys. Those seeking a more authentic contact with nature can choose multi-day itineraries, staying overnight in the masi or in the area's mountain huts, in an experience that favours slowness and observation over sporting performance.
The valley's villages and authentic life
Life in Valle di Casies is centred around three main settlements: San Martino, the municipal seat, with essential services and the parish church at the heart of the village; Santa Maddalena, perhaps the most photographed hamlet, perched on a knoll with views over the surrounding masi; and Colle, a smaller, more discreet settlement that preserves the valley's most intimate atmosphere. In these centres, time flows according to ancient rhythms, marked by the farming seasons and traditional festivals, with family-run shops, small hotels and agriturismi keeping South Tyrolean hospitality alive. German predominates in everyday life, evidence of a deeply rooted cultural identity, while traditional architecture, with its carved wooden balconies and steep roofs, remains almost unchanged from the past. Visiting these hamlets means immersing oneself in an authentic South Tyrol, where mountain life is not a show staged for tourists but a daily reality still fully lived by its inhabitants.
Not to be missed
- Santa Maddalena, the scenic hamlet with views over the masi and surrounding mountains
- The cross-country ski trails and the Gran Fondo Val Casies, an internationally renowned Nordic marathon
- The traditional masi (Höfe) offering Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof style hospitality
- The hiking trails toward the Vedrette di Ries and the foothills of the Dolomites
- The village of San Martino with its parish church and the valley's everyday life
To see
What to see in Valle di Casies
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Valle di Casies
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