Alta Badia in summer

Alta Badia refers specifically to that region of South Tyrol that occupies the southern part of the lush Val Badia, a lateral valley to the equally well-known Val Pusteria.

The more than 130 km of slopes make Alta Badia a very popular area in winter, but it is in summer that it shows its liveliest side, with landscapes that are a real explosion of colors and scents: in the shade of Dolomite peaks such as Monte Civetta, the Tofane, the Marmolada, the Sella Group and the Sassongher, lie valleys dotted with mountain huts, flowering plateaus, woods, lakes and waterfalls which give life to the most classic and fascinating of the alpine landscapes typical of the Dolomites.

The villages of Alta Badia, which then constitute the base for excursions into spectacular natural areas, jealously guard the Ladin culture, traces of which remain in the ancient dialect, in the cuisine of Alta Badia and in the legends that still cloak the places today most beautiful in the region.

Alta Badia in summer

Walks and excursions in the open air in the heart of Alta Badia: this is the best way to get to know this spectacular territory crossed by a highly developed trail network, part of which insinuates itself within the Puez-Odle Natural Park and the Natural Park Fanes-Senes-Braies, which develops at the foot of peaks such as Cima Nove, Cima Dieci, Croda del Becco, Croda Rossa d'Ampezzo and Monte Cavallo.

Chalet in the Dolomites

Discover the best offers to spend a summer holiday in the best alpine chalets and cabins in the Dolomites, the best structures immersed in the heart of the Dolomites with a typical alpine style

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There is no better place than Alta Badia to admire the Enrosadira , with the clear walls of the Dolomites bathed in a pink light at sunset and dawn, in memory of the legend of King Laurin's rose garden.

Alta Badia is the so-called "land of bears" and the very first specimen lived here between 60.000 and 40.000 years ago: its remains were found at 2800 m. of height inside the Conturines Cave, reachable on an excursion that starts from Capanna Alpina in San Cassiano. Follow path no. 11 which climbs towards Col de Lucia until you reach the Gran Plan: passing screes and mountain pine slopes, you reach the slopes of Monte Conturines with the entrance to the cave.

An excursion on the Lagazuoi allows tourists to learn about some of the most tragic pages of history experienced by Italy during the First World War: at the Valparola pass there is the Forte Tre Sassi Museum, built inside an Austro-Hungarian bastion which was then heavily bombed in 1915.

An excursion starts from the museum towards the Sass de Stria, where you walk among the remains of trenches, walkways and a tunnel that leads up to 2477 m. high, with a view of the Marmolada, the Civetta and the Sella Group.
In the Lagazuoi area there are also the 5 Torri Museum reachable by cable car and the Museum at Sas de Stria, reachable from the Valparola Pass, crossing tunnels and trenches.

Also not to be missed is the Lagazuoi Gallery Museum , located inside a tunnel dug during the Great War: it can be reached by the Lagazuoi cable car and allows visitors to learn about the difficult conditions in which the soldiers lived, through information panels and audio commentaries.

The Kaiserjäger Trail is a path that leads to an altitude of 2778 m, through short climbs, trenches such as the one at Vonbank , and a tunnel, inside which original objects are preserved and a dormitory has been reconstructed.

Excursions

One of the most beautiful hikes to do in Alta Badia in summer is the one to Sas dla Crusc : starting from Badia, you take a chairlift to the Sanctuary of Santa Croce at 2045 m above sea level, then continue on path no. 7 between exposed sections and rocky slopes.

You then move on to path n.7B up to 2907 m. of height of Le Ciaval and on that n.12B up to the Forcella de Modesc, to then return to La Villa walking among pastures and woods.

Speaking of the Sas dla Crusc, at its foot stands the Sanctuary of the Holy Cross , at an altitude of 2045 meters. It was founded around 1010 as a small chapel and became a church, complete with a bell tower, only in the 15th century. The sanctuary can be reached from San Cassiano via trail no. 15, passing through the forest and a panoramic bench with a spectacular view of the Dolomites.

From La Villa, you can take a stroll along the Artists' Path , a sort of open-air museum among works by Ladin artists, flanked by panels inscribed with verses in the Ladin language. The path winds for 3,5 km and runs alongside the Gadera River, reaching San Cassiano, specifically the Museo Ladin Ursus Ladinicus.

It is worth visiting this interesting museum space where, in addition to the fossil remains of the bear found in the Conturines Cave complete with faithful reconstructions of the site, it is possible to learn more about the evolutionary history of the Pale Mountains.

The tour around is very beautiful Sasso Putia, which takes place passing through the Passo delle Erbe and the meadows of Campaccio, until reaching the Forcella del Putia at 2357 m. in height. The excursion continues descending towards the Göma Pass and then crossing woods and green meadows to return to the Parties of Campaccio.

Also not to be missed is the Sentiero dei Mulini di Longiaru , in the locality of the same name consisting essentially of farms, and the excursion that leads from La Val to the Ju de Rit Pass , following path no. 6 towards the Chapel of Santa Barbara: after passing the old bell tower, you find yourself on path no. 15, walking towards the biotope lake located at 1860 m above sea level and arriving at the panoramic point with a view of the Plan de Corones and the Piz de Peres.

What to do and what to see in Alta Badia

Experiencing Alta Badia in summer means not only hiking, perhaps reaching higher altitudes, but also taking simple walks to discover the lakes, waterfalls, and mountain villages of the Dolomites. Sports enthusiasts also have plenty of options, from hang-gliding to paragliding to golf at the Tranrüs course in Corvara, located at approximately 1700 meters above sea level.

The "Tru di Pra Marathon" also starts from the village of La Val, with runners, including amateur ones, wandering through the flowering meadows until the moment of the Enrosidira.

Mountain bike routes

Those who love two wheels have plenty of opportunities to have fun in Alta Badia, starting with the Freeride Park on Gardenaccia , suitable for both experts and beginners. Then there's the Frara single trail that winds through the meadows and mountain pines of the Gardena Pass until it reaches Colfosco and the valley station of the Plans-Frara cable car.

Those who prefer gravel biking can explore the typically Alpine landscape of the Sellaronda, a route that traverses four mountain passes (Gardena, Pordoi, Sella, and Campolongo). The "Sellaronda Bike Day" allows cyclists to pedal around the Sella Group on roads closed to traffic, in complete relaxation and safety. For more experienced bikers, there's the "Sellaronda MTB Tour," with the option of taking their bikes up to the mountains using the ski lifts.

The passes involved in the Sellaronda are also affected by the “Maratona Dles Dolomites Enel” , with routes that then reach Giau, Falzarego, La Villa and finally Corvara.

Lifts

The "Alta Badia Summer Card" is a summer pass that allows unlimited use of chairlifts and gondolas for the period of purchase. This is an opportunity not to be missed, as many facilities are also open in summer, allowing everyone to reach higher altitudes from which to embark on exciting excursions.

The Borest cable car departs from Corvara to Colfosco, providing easy access to the Plans-Frara ski lifts leading to the Gardena Pass. The Col Alto cable car departs from Corvara , leading to the Col Alto mountain, Boè (towards Piz Boè), Pralongià (towards the Pralongià plateau and also towards San Cassiano), and the Fraida chairlift , which connects the villages of Corvara, San Cassiano, and La Villa.

Among the other facilities open in summer are the spectacular Vallon chairlift which takes you to the Sella Group, the Bamby and La Fraina chairlifts which allow you to reach Piz La Lla and Piz Sorega, the Campolongo chairlift , the Falzarego-Lagazuoi cableway and the La Crusc 1 and La Crusc 2 facilities.

Family parks in Alta Badia

Families will certainly not be bored in Alta Badia, thanks to the Movimënt areas : these are outdoor areas, located on the plateaus between Piz La Lla and Piz Sorega, where it is possible to take part in sports and recreational activities, with the Marmolada in the backdrop.

There are Kneipp wellness paths, fitness areas, children's games and “Natural Smart Working Movimënt” stations , where it is possible to work at large wooden desks powered by electricity and solar panels.

In the La Crusc area, you'll find the "Summer Park La Crusc ," where little ones can enjoy outdoor adventures, including mills, streams, and cabins filled with books and giant chairs. The "In the Footsteps of Wild Animals" trail begins here, passing sculptures made of Swiss pine and larch wood, and leading directly to the Lech dlà Lé lake.

In Colfosco, there's an Adventure Park where everyone can become a little Tarzan, moving among the larches on wooden platforms suspended in the air.

Lakes and waterfalls to see in Alta Badia

Starting from Colfosco, a village in Alta Badia famous for its 400th-century Gothic church with its onion-shaped bell tower, you can reach the Pisciadù waterfall , located in the heart of the Sella Group, small but very scenic.

From La Villa instead the Sentiero dei Laghi begins , which leads first to Lake Lech da Sampunt and then to Lake Dla Lunch , from which you can return following the signs for Badia.

Also not to be missed is Lake Boè , reachable from the Campolongo Pass via path no. 640: this enchanting lake rises at an altitude of 2275 m and is literally nestled between the high Dolomite walls.

From San Vigilio in Marebbe, you can instead walk into the heart of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park and, along trail no. 7, reach the little-known Lago di Limo at the foot of Col Bechei. It is said that here, at the site of this emerald lake, lived the King of Funes with his valiant daughter Dolasilla.

Holidays in Alta Badia

In summer, in Alta Badia, it's easy to find yourself taking part in folkloristic events such as the “Füc dl Sacher Cör de Gesù” in June, when the region's mountain peaks are lit up by wooden bonfires shaped like religious symbols.

A vacation is all about outdoor activities that inevitably make you hungry: what better opportunity, then, to savor the local cuisine , with dishes of humble origins yet exquisitely flavorful. So, indulge in turtles stuffed with sauerkraut or spinach, barley soup, canederli, and Grestl . Alta Badia's traditional desserts are a must, from the famous krapfen to furtaies (fried spiral pastries), and even Pössl da Pom , those apple fritters mostly eaten in mountain huts.

In terms of accommodation, Alta Badia offers a wide variety of options . You can even sleep in a mountain hut, enjoying the Enrosidira at sunset and the starry sky at night, in the shadow of the legendary Dolomites.