Val di Fassa: 10 unmissable things to do

Whatever your idea of a holiday in the mountains, Val di Fassa has many experiences to offer: immersed in fairy-tale landscapes, it offers a first class hospitality, lush nature, opportunities for relaxation and many possibilities to regenerate body and mind.

The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are home to winter sports and an idyllic setting for hiking or mountain biking in every season.

The Ladin community preserves its language and culture deeply linked to nature and mountain life, handing down traditions whose origins are lost in the mists of time.

Canazei is one of the most famous tourist resorts in the Dolomites. Known for its renowned ski slopes, it is a lively village that retains the charm of the Ladin culture and its traditions.

Walk among its ancient wooden and stone houses built close to the Rio di Antermont, visit the church of San Floriano dating back to the sixteenth century, admire the characteristic Cèsa La Floriana, a house decorated in Ladin style, Visit the Museum of the Great War to learn about the historical events that have marked the life of these valleys.

If you want to take a break you can choose between excellent restaurants offering traditional dishes such as dumplings, polenta and strudel.

If you want to admire the Dolomites in all their magnificence, you can climb to Sass Pordoi to admire the beautiful view from the Terrace of the Dolomites, a viewing platform at 2,950 meters above sea level.

From here you can see some of the most beautiful peaks of the Dolomites, including the Marmolada, the Pale di San Martino, the Sassolungo, the Piz Boè, and Mount Civetta, with a 360 degree view.

To get there you can use the cable car, which in less than 5 minutes will take you from 2240 meters of Pass Pordoi to the summit, or if you love walking and are reasonably trained, you can take the path 627 that begins next to the cable car station.

Lake Fedaia is an artificial alpine lake located at 2054 meters above sea level, west of Passo Fedaia, under the Marmolada mountain range, in the territory of the municipality of Canazei.

It is composed of two lakes: the best known is the western one, created by the construction of a dam in 1956 and has an extension of about two kilometers.

Here, depending on the season, you can go walking, hiking or snowshoeing, surrounded by an enchanting landscape, locations of famous films such as the 1955 film "Prisoner of the Mountain" and the 2003 film "The Italian Job".

You can reach it by cable car from Malga Ciapèla or by car from Canazei.

Val San Nicolò is an enchanting place where the beauty of nature is the real protagonist: an ideal place to unwind from the hustle and bustle of every day, but also a destination for those are looking for huts where can taste typical local dishes.

To visit the Val San Nicolò you can reach Pozza di Fassa by car and continue with a train that stops at Baita Ciampiè, or continue on foot from the parking lot in Sauch, or park your car in Vidor and take a shuttle bus to the Baita Ta Cajaa.

One of the most beautiful hikes is the one that leads to La Baita alle Cascate, an easy path suitable for children: here the Rio San Nicolò is born, forming many small waterfalls surrounded by a green basin.

The thermal springs of Pozza di Fassa exploit the properties of the thermal water of Alloch, the only sulphurous spring in Trentino.

The spas, in addition to being suitable for treatments of respiratory, dermatological, rheumatic, vascular diseases, offer numerous paths for relaxation and wellness treatments, completely immersed in stunning landscapes.

If you are looking for a hotel with an exclusive spa, the ideal place a few kilometers from Pozza di Fassa is definitely the Latemar - Hotel, Suites, Spa.

This property boasts the first and only outdoor Ofuro pool at 41° in Trentino Alto Adige, located on a panoramic terrace with a wonderful view of the Dolomites.

Moena, a town on the border with Val di Fiemme, is nicknamed the "Fairy of the Dolomites" for its beauty: it is surrounded by imposing peaks such as Latemar, Catinaccio and Marmolada and with its 2500 inhabitants is the most lively and populous town in Val di Fassa.

Moena is one of the 18 municipalities that make up the region called Ladinia, an area where Ladin is spoken: Ladin is an ancient language preserved in several valleys of the Dolomites.

The strong cultural identity is reflected in the elegant streets of the old town, in the characteristic architecture, in traditional crafts and in the typical gastronomy.

The Val di Fassa cultural heritage is reflected in traditional events whose origins are lost in the mists of time.

The Ladin Carnival takes place in different locations of the Valley, such as Canazei, Moena, Campitello. The festivities celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of spring with parades of wooden masks, dances and popular music. The masks represent historical and mythological characters, such as the Bufon, the Lachè and the Marascons.

February 16th marks the Celebration of Santa Giuliana, the patron saint of Val di Fassa. All the people of the valley, together with the band and folk groups, go to the church dedicated to the saint to thank and pray to her. The celebration is also a chance for meeting and sharing between the inhabitants of the different localities of the valley.

The Feast of Saint Nicholas, is held on December 6: the saint, accompanied by two angels, wanders the streets of the valley driving away the Krampus, diabolical and terrifying creatures, and enters the houses to distribute toys and gifts to children after hearing their prayers. This tradition is very felt by the people of Val di Fassa who prepare typical sweets and dress with traditional costumes.

Lake Carezza is an alpine lake at an altitude of 1534 m in the territory of the Sciliar Natural Park, below the slopes of Latemar, the massif that is reflected in its crystalline waters.

The lake is also known as "rainbow lake" for its colors, varying depending on the season and time of day: an ancient Ladin legend tells of a magician in love with a nymph, and the rainbow that threw into the lake giving rise to its colors.

The landscape is striking in every season, even during the winter months, when it is completely icy and transformed by lights and colors for the Christmas Markets.

Val di Fassa is an ideal destination for sports and outdoor lovers, both in summer and in winter: you can choose among the many sports activities to practice surrounded by breathtaking landscapes.

Alpine and cross-country skiing : Val di Fassa is part of the Dolomiti Superski ski area, which offers over 200 km of ski slopes and snowpark of all levels, served by modern lifts. Here you will also find more than 50 km of cross-country ski trails and you can experience the thrill of skiing at night thanks to the illuminated slopes.

Snowshoes: walking in the snow with snowshoes is a simple and fun way to discover the winter nature of Val di Fassa, choosing among the many marked itineraries or guided hikes.

Toboggan runs: If you want to experience the thrill of sledding, Val di Fassa offers several slopes where you can also rent sleds and bobsleighs.

Mountain biking: Val di Fassa is a paradise for bikers, with over 300 km of bike paths and trails for all tastes and difficulties, with many shuttle bike services, rental and assistance.

Hiking: Val di Fassa offers endless possibilities for hiking, from the easiest and most family-friendly to the most challenging and adventurous.

Sports facilities: Val di Fassa has several sports facilities: swimming pools, gyms, ice skating rinks, tennis courts, football, basketball, volleyball, bowls, golf, padel, bowling, curling and much more.

The typical dishes of Val di Fassa enhance the products of the Ladin tradition and the Alpine territory: so have a lot of speck, high altitude alpine cheeses such as Puzzone di Moena and Nostrano di Fassa, honey, jams, mushrooms, wines produced in the vineyards of the lower Valley, such as Teroldego, Müller Thurgau and Marzemino.

Among the traditional dishes we find the Canederli, large dumplings of stale bread, bacon, cheese or spinach, and cooked in broth or melted butter; the Cajoncie, ravioli stuffed with potatoes, spinach, ricotta or plum, seasoned with butter, cheese and cinnamon; the Polenta served with cheese, mushrooms, meat or game; the Strudel, a puff pastry cake filled with apples, raisins, pine nuts and cinnamon; the Fortaes, fried snail-shaped cakes, covered with sugar and jam.