What you need to know

The Val di Fassa is located in the Trentino, Dolomites.

Where

The Val di Fassa is the north-easternmost area of the Autonomous Province of Trento, in northern Italy. It borders the Autonomous Province of Bolzano to the north and the Veneto region to the east.

The orography

The Val di Fassa is an Alpine valley surrounded by the highest peaks of the Dolomites, including Marmolada (3,343 m), Sassolungo (3,181 m), Piz Boè (3,152 m) and Catinaccio (3,002 m).

The altitudes of its villages range from Moena (1,148 m) to Penia di Canazei (1,555 m).

The Avisio stream runs along its entire length, from Marmolada to Moena, before flowing into Val di Fiemme and Val di Cembra and joining the Adige above Trento after 87 km.

Looking at the differences in altitude and the distances between the villages, we can divide the valley into three parts. Canazei, Campitello and Mazzin in the upper valley. San Giovanni with its hamlets Pozza, Pera and Vigo in the centre of the valley. Soraga and Moena in the lower valley.
The slope is relatively gentle apart from a few short steep sections. This means that the cycle path that runs along its entire length is easy and suitable for everyone, including families. In winter, the cross-country ski trails share the same route, creating the famous Marcialonga, the international race in Fiemme and Fassa.

The valley floor offers several easy walks, while higher up there are trails for all tastes and abilities, with breathtaking views everywhere.

Before embarking on any walking route, it is strongly recommended that you check the itinerary and weather conditions.
The offices of the Val di Fassa Tourist Board (Apt) are available for advice and detailed maps.

The mountains are wonderful and mysterious, but they must be approached with every possible precaution and never taken lightly.
Always equip yourself before setting off: suitable footwear (essential) and appropriate clothing.
In the high mountains, the weather can change very quickly and temperatures can drop by several degrees in just a few minutes.

The Ladin Culture

The Val di Fassa has always been inhabited by the Ladin people, who share their language (Ladin, but with different dialects) with the people of Val Gardena, Val Badia, Livinallongo and Ampezzo.

Ladin culture tells of humble peasant origins, but also of important and enjoyable moments of social gathering, brief respites in a life of hard work and sacrifice. The Ladin Museum in San Giovanni di Fassa showcases all this, with valuable artefacts and exhibits from everyday life that have been archived for some time. Guided tours are also available.
Some events organised for tourists in Val di Fassa, such as the many colourful costumes worn with pride, derive directly from ancient customs and clothing worn in the past during important moments for the community.
Among the most heartfelt celebrations of the past, we can mention the famous Carnevale Fassano (Carnival in Fassa), with its inimitable masks ‘Bufon’, 'Laché' and ‘Marascons’.

The mountains are best experienced on foot

If we really want to discover the mountains and experience the intense emotions they can offer, we must abandon our cars and venture on foot into the woods, meadows and at the foot of the sheer walls of the Dolomites, taking care not to stray too far from the marked trails.
Paths that we must choose carefully, based on our physical fitness.
If you plan to reach your destination by car, you will miss 98% of the mountain.

The ideal would be to set off on foot from the hotel or, if necessary, use public transport and a few ski lifts.
You save money, pollute less and enjoy the pleasure of being in the mountains right away.
An excellent summer pass for the ski lifts is the Panorama Pass, which can be purchased at tourist offices and ticket offices at the lifts. It includes access to all open lifts in the valley for 3, 6 or 7 days. If you stay at a hotel affiliated with the local tourist board (APT), you can request a free Guest Card, which includes summer public transport in the valley (as well as numerous other discounts). Otherwise, you can buy a ticket on the bus (for a small surcharge) or via app (discounted).

By bicycle or mountain bike

More and more people are using bicycles or mountain bikes to enjoy themselves in the Dolomites.
Caution is advised. Some trails and paths are reserved for them, while others are not accessible to two-wheeled vehicles. Observing the signs means greater safety for all mountain visitors.
Some ski lifts allow you to take your bike up to higher altitudes.

The cycle path at the bottom of the valley is open to everyone and runs along the entire length of the Fassa Valley, with the option of descending towards Trento. During the summer season, a shuttle service is available to take you back to the starting point, transporting your bikes. Booking is required. For information: +39 0462 609500

Respect for the environment

Before setting off on our daily outing, we put at least a small bottle of water, something to eat and a warm garment in our rucksack.
Let's only use our phones to take photos of what we see and for safety reasons.
If we stop to rest and catch our breath in the midst of nature, let's remember to leave everything clean and take our rubbish home with us.
There are many welcoming refuges where you can take a break and recharge your batteries before continuing your journey, offering hospitality and tasty dishes from Ladin cuisine.

The Val di Fassa in winter

The presence of many ski slopes of all kinds and modern, convenient ski lifts make Val di Fassa a fantastic place for winter sports. Dolomiti Superski is the largest ski consortium in Italy, and Val di Fassa has always been part of it. To find out more about the ski pass, we have prepared a dedicated page.

A few things to remember:

From the photo gallery

Photos from Val di Fassa: images you could see in real life. The Fassanews.com photo gallery.