Val Gardena is a Ladin valley consisting of three villages and hundreds of skiing slopes snaking below imposing mountains: the rocky massifs of the Odle, Sella, Sassolungo, Cir. The Dolomites, also known as the ‘Pale Mountains’, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Val Gardena and the villages of Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva are well-known names on the international skiing stage, making them the perfect destination for people wanting to spend a winter holiday with plenty of outdoor leisure activities.

The Sellaronda, the legendary skiing carousel around the Sella, and the connection to Alpe di Siusi and Dolomiti Superski (12 skiing areas and 1,200 km of slopes) can satisfy the needs of every skier, from beginners to pros. One ski pass for over 500 km of interlinked slopes, 95% of which are covered by artificial snow at all times, with some of the safest uphill lift facilities in the world which are regularly maintained every year in line with EU legislation. Every slope is prepared the evening before thanks to the use of over 300 snowcats.

Most of the history of skiing was written on the valley’s slopes and sloping hills thanks to the contributions of veritable champions in various disciplines (Isolde Kostner, Werner Perathoner and Peter Runggaldier) and the World Cup which takes place every year before Christmas on the legendary Saslong slope, measuring 3.4 km with an elevation difference of 839 metres.

Five Alpine skiing schools and two mountaineering schools welcome enthusiasts of all ages every year and offer fun activities both on and off the slopes. Val Gardena also stands for high-quality food as well as art and culture, being a valley steeped in history and traditions which have embodied the Ladin culture since time immemorial. Every year, initiatives and events burst on the scene to give visitors a glimpse of the peculiarities of said heritage.

Local cuisine, from starred restaurants to the local fare prepared in mountain huts and farms, is based on ancient recipes interpreted by creative chefs who always exclusively use local ingredients. Wood-making craftsmanship goes back as far as the 18th century.

Today, the valley boasts numerous artists and the Galleria UNIKA and the Permanent Craftsmanship Exhibition Art 52 host pieces of work and creations by some of the great masters. Winter is packed with events such as ‘Val Gardena, the Christmas Valley’, snow and ice sculpting competitions, Carnival, processions with traditional costumes, concerts, sport events the likes of the FIS Ski World Cup, the Sellaronda Skimarathon, and the Südtirol Gardenissima Kids as well as the Südtirol Gardenissima.

The latter is the longest and most unique giant slalom race in the world, open to expert skiers ready to compete alongside current and past champions on a 6km slope.

Val Gardena boasts a centuries-old history in tourism and can connect its strong and fascinating culture with cutting-edge technology and infrastructures, creating an ideal holiday destination for all winter sport lovers.

The big novelty for the next winter season will be the new 10 seat cable car, Sassolungo, which will make a fine modern connection to the Sellaronda. The cable car will feature new standards of comfort and performance.

The ski area itself will present itself with an updated look: the intermediate station and the cabins themselves have been designed by the Italian Pininfarina and the cabins interiors will be spacious and super comfortable. There is another technological advancement which will distinguish the system; thanks to the reduced speed in the stations, for a time of 65 seconds and with 6 cars open at the same time, there will be more time to board and disembark and consequently greater safety and less stress.

There is a total of 77 cabins x 10 seats for a total capacity of 3450 persons per hour. Other news is that the Ortisei/Oltretorrente skilift Furdenan will be replaced with a longer version and in this way one will be able to reach the valley station of the Alpe de Siusi cablecar with skis on! Tap into the Performance check, a free service which gives you the possibility of assessing your skiing performance using your check-in history at ski lifts accessed using your ski pass.