Spot Check: Val Gardena – A Stunning Valley in the Dolomites
The words ‘South Tyrol’ conjure up images of stunning, rough and ready mountains and their sparse, rocky summits. Accompanied by a mass of cool trails and delicious food, these are the views that we enjoyed on our Spot Check in Val Gardena in the Dolomites.
Travel
There’s no denying that South Tyrol is a beautiful location, but certain regions do boast a little extra something that renders them even more attractive. Val Gardena is one of these gems. The quickest route from Germany by car follows the Brenner motorway until the Klausen exit. It’s then a good 35 minutes’ drive up the valley until you reach St. Ulrich, St. Christina or Wolkenstein.
The region’s best trails
A staple on any marathon rider’s bucket list is surely to ride the Sellaronda Hero Bike Marathon at least once in their lifetime, which takes in an entire circle of the Sella group. This isn’t an everyday sort of challenge though; instead it’s a sheer test of endurance and strength. But there’s always the option to ride the route with a guide at your own pace and to make use of the cable cars in the area.
A serious trail highlight has to be the route down from the Gardena Pass towards Corvara. Dropping 550 metres in altitude and framed by high peaks on either side, it offers so many flow sections to enjoy. Given its mild terrain and flattish trails, it’s also a great trail for beginners to get to grips with the Dolomites. Then there’s the Ciampinoi Freeride Trail that has been created specifically for cyclists. Serving up yet more flow, it delivers everything that any rider could want, with burms, jumps and drops in abundance.
The region has so many more incredible trails to discover too, which can largely be reached with the help of the lifts – our thanks go out here to the great infrastructure that surrounds winter sports. Alongside the neighbouring region of Alpe di Siusi, Val Gardena has developed a substantial network of trails, which is constantly being widened. The best rides can be found on: mtb-dolomites.com. You can expect all the routes to be signposted properly this summer.
Accommodation
Thanks to its summer and winter tourism popularity, Val Gardena has a huge variety of hotels, holiday lets and campsites to cover any budget. On the website Bikehotels.it there’s a list of all the certified bike hotels.
When to go
For the higher altitudes of Val Gardena, the ideal time to visit is from mid-June until mid-October. During our visit in early June, many of the tracks were still being prepared, ready to be opened the following week. Any earlier or later visits in the year could be plagued by snow as you go higher up the valley sides.
Val Gardena’s 3 Must-Dos:
- Ride around the Sella group
- Tuck into the delicious grub at one of the mountain huts
- Ride the trail from the Sella pass through the Citta dei Sassi down to Wolkenstein
More information
For more information on the region and its hotels:
Don’t miss our other spotchecks from South Tyrol:
Spotcheck: Alpe di Siusi – All Levels, All Ages in the Dolomites
Spotcheck: Eisacktal/Valle Isarco – The Valley of Trails
Words & Photos: Christoph Bayer