Val Gardena
Val Gardena, in South Tyrol, is one of Italy's most celebrated Dolomite valleys: three villages (Ortisei, Santa Cristina Valgarden...
Updated 20 July 2026
Val Gardena
Towns in the area
Discover the territoriesThis season · July · Summer
What to do in Val Gardena now
The story
The story of Val Gardena
Geography and territory
Val Gardena lies in the province of Bolzano, in South Tyrol, and is crossed by the Gardena stream between the Sella group and the Odle peaks. The valley comprises three main municipalities, Ortisei, Santa Cristina Valgardena and Selva di Val Gardena, arranged in sequence from east to west along the valley floor. It is bordered by some of the most recognisable Dolomite summits, including Sassolungo and the Sella massif, and connects the Isarco Valley, via Ponte Gardena, to Alta Badia through the Gardena Pass. Its central position within the Dolomites makes it a gateway to several surrounding valleys.
History and Ladin identity
Val Gardena, called Gherdëina in Ladin, is one of the historic valleys of Dolomite Ladinia together with Val Badia, Val di Fassa, Livinallongo and Ampezzo, and it preserves its own linguistic and cultural identity, safeguarded by associations such as the Union Generela di Ladins dla Dolomites. From the seventeenth century the valley developed a renowned tradition of wood sculpture and carving, born from the production of sacred statues and toys later exported across Europe: an activity that shaped the economy and townscape of its villages, today documented at the Museum Gherdëina in Ortisei, devoted to local history, sacred art and Ladin culture.
Landscape and nature
Val Gardena is entirely enclosed within the Dolomites system, recognised as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site since 2009, and borders the Puez-Odle Nature Park, which protects its rock formations and high-altitude pastures. The valley is dominated by the profile of Sassolungo, flanked by the Sella group, while to the north lie the meadows of the Alpe di Siusi, the largest alpine plateau in Europe, reachable by cable car from Ortisei and Santa Cristina. Hiking trails, mountain huts and the nearby Vallunga valley offer landscapes that change dramatically between summer blooms and winter snow cover.
Villages and places to see
Ortisei, the valley's main town, is its liveliest hub, with arcaded streets lined with wood-carving workshops, the Museum Gherdëina, and the cable car rising toward the Alpe di Siusi and Seceda, the latter renowned for its view of the Odle peaks. Santa Cristina Valgardena, at the centre of the valley, is a starting point for the Sella group and for the lifts leading toward Sella Pass and the Vallunga valley. Selva di Val Gardena, at the western end, is the base closest to Gardena Pass and Sella Pass, and is one of the access points to the Sella Ronda ski circuit, which links Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Arabba and Val di Fassa.
Food, wine and traditions
The cuisine of Val Gardena reflects mountain South Tyrolean tradition: canederli (bread dumplings) in broth or with melted butter, Alto Adige speck, alpine-pasture cheeses and polenta-based dishes fill the menus of mountain huts and local restaurants, often paired with wines from the nearby Isarco Valley and Bassa Atesina. Alongside the table, craftsmanship remains alive: wood sculpture, practised for generations by Gardena families, still produces sacred statues, nativity figures and toys sold in the workshops of Ortisei and Santa Cristina, while seasonal events and markets keep visible the bond between Ladin culture, craft and alpine farming life.
Not to be missed
- Ortisei-Alpe di Siusi cable car and the view from Seceda
- Museum Gherdëina in Ortisei: history, sacred art and Ladin culture
- Wood-carving workshops in Ortisei and Santa Cristina Valgardena
- The Sella Ronda ski circuit linking Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Arabba and Val di Fassa
- Vallunga, the side valley of Selva di Val Gardena, with trails into the Puez-Odle Nature Park
To see
What to see in Val Gardena
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Val Gardena
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