Val Gardena
Val Gardena
This is an area unlike any other. The Sella Ronda is an amazing circular network of lifts and trails taking you around the spectacular Gruppo Sella- a mighty limestone massif with villages scattered around it, the biggest of them being Selva (or Selva Val Gardena / Wolkenstein, to give the resort its Sunday name and alternative German form). As well as this impressive main circuit, there are major lift systems leading off it at four main points. In overall scale, the network rivals the famed Trois Vallées in France. And the Superski lift ticket covers dozens of other resorts reachable by road. So there’s plenty to keep you busy.
The scenery is fabulous – almost a match for nearby Cortina. But the Dolomiti landscape that provides the visual drama also dictates the nature off the slopes. Sheer limestone cliffs rise out of gentle pastureland; you send your time on the latter, gazing at the former. There is scarcely a black run to be seen, and runs of more than 500m/1600ft vertical are rare, Runs of under 300m/1000ft vertical are not.