Val di Fassa
Val di Fassa is the main Ladin valley of Trentino, encircled by the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites: Catinaccio, Sella, Sassolungo...
Updated 20 July 2026
Val di Fassa
Towns in the area
Discover the territoriesThis season · July · Summer
What to do in Val di Fassa now
The story
The story of Val di Fassa
Geography and location in the heart of the Dolomites
Val di Fassa lies in eastern Trentino, carved by the Avisio stream and enclosed by some of the most celebrated Dolomite massifs: the Catinaccio and Latemar to the west, the Sella group and Sassolungo to the northeast, and the Marmolada to the southeast. Mountain passes such as Sella, Pordoi, Fedaia, Costalunga and San Pellegrino connect the valley to South Tyrol and the Veneto, making it a natural crossroads between alpine cultures. The seven municipalities of the valley, from Moena to Canazei, line the valley floor at altitudes of roughly 1,000 to 1,450 metres.
History and identity of the Ladin community
Val di Fassa is one of the Ladin valleys of the Dolomites, where Fassan Ladin, a Rhaeto-Romance language, has been spoken and officially protected for centuries. The Comun General de Fascia today represents the valley's seven municipalities and promotes its language, bilingual schooling and traditions. Local history weaves together an ancient economy of alpine pastures and forestry, historic mining, and the shifting border between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy in the early twentieth century, still traceable in the forts and trenches of the Great War on the surrounding Dolomites. The Museo Ladin de Fascia in Vigo di Fassa preserves this heritage.
Landscape and nature between Catinaccio, Sella and Marmolada
The Val di Fassa landscape is dominated by the rose-coloured spires of the Catinaccio, linked to the legend of King Laurin and his rose garden, and by the Vajolet Towers, among the most iconic Dolomite images. To the north stretches the rocky Sella plateau, close to the Sassolungo, while to the southeast the Marmolada, at 3,343 metres, is the highest peak of the Dolomites and holds the range's only glacier. The whole area belongs to the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage system and, on the Moena side, borders the Paneveggio - Pale di San Martino Nature Park, with forests of spruce and larch and high-altitude pastures.
Villages and main places to see
Canazei, at the foot of the Sella and Marmolada, is the valley's highest and busiest centre, the starting point for the Sellaronda lift network. Campitello di Fassa keeps a compact historic core beneath the Sassolungo. Moena, nicknamed the 'Fairy of the Dolomites', is the lowest-lying municipality and has an attractive centre around the church of San Vigilio. Pozza di Fassa, close to the hamlet of Vigo di Fassa, is one of the liveliest centres and home to the Museo Ladin de Fascia. Soraga di Fassa and Mazzin round out the valley with a quieter, more traditional atmosphere.
Food, wine and mountain traditions
Val di Fassa's cuisine is rooted in Ladin and Trentino mountain tradition. Puzzone di Moena, a DOP cheese with a distinctively strong aroma, is the valley's signature product alongside Tosela, a typical fresh cheese. Common dishes include canederli dumplings, spinach strangolapreti, orzotto barley risotto and cjalzogn, Ladin-style stuffed ravioli. Speck, mountain cold cuts and sweets such as papassini biscuits are also widely found. In summer the valley's mountain huts offer tastings of local cheeses and dairy products, while winter brings hearty refuge cooking suited to skiers and hikers.
Not to be missed
- The Vajolet Towers and the Catinaccio group, reached from the Vajolet and Re Alberto mountain huts
- The Sellaronda circuit across the Sella, Pordoi, Campolongo and Gardena passes
- The Marmolada, with the Fedaia Pass and views of the Dolomites' only glacier
- The Museo Ladin de Fascia in Vigo di Fassa, to learn about Ladin language and culture
- The historic centres of Moena and Canazei, with churches, alpine huts and local products like Puzzone di Moena cheese
To see
What to see in Val di Fassa
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Val di Fassa
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