Guide · Val Gardena

Hiking Seiser Alm and Val Gardena, walk by walk

Hiking Seiser Alm and Val Gardena go together: one valley of three villages, one huge high pasture above it, and a web of lifts between them. Where to start, which walks to choose, and when the lifts run.

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Editorial team, hikingdolomitesitaly.comUpdated October 25, 20267 min read57 sources

The tour for this guide Ortisei: Private hike to the scenic St. Jacob’s Church 4 hours from$289 Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hrs before

In short

01The pasture: 56 square kilometers of meadow, hiking at 1,800 to 2,500 m.¹ ²
02From Ortisei: Gondola up, then the crossing: 5.5 hours, medium.³
03Easy option: Resciesa ridge: about 2 hours with the funicular down.⁴
04Lift season: Ortisei to Alpe di Siusi, 1 May to 2 November 2026.⁵
05By car: Private cars may drive up only under conditions.⁶

A valley of three villages, and the meadow above it

Val Gardena runs east from the Isarco valley into the heart of the Dolomites, and its villages climb with it: Ortisei at 1,236 m, Santa Cristina at 1,428 m and Selva at the head of the valley.³ ⁷ Three official languages are spoken here, Italian, German and Ladin, a Rhaeto-Romance language with over 2,000 years of history.⁸ That is why the signposts carry names like Urtijëi and Sëlva next to the Italian ones.

South of Ortisei the land rises to the Alpe di Siusi, called Seiser Alm in German. The tourism office there describes it as the largest high alpine pasture in Europe, 56 square kilometers in all, and part of the Sciliar-Catinaccio nature park.¹ That park was founded in 1974, the first nature park in the Province of Bolzano.⁹

For walkers the two areas feel very different. Val Gardena's walks climb to crests and passes under steep rock. On the Alpe di Siusi you walk across open, rolling grassland at 1,800 to 2,500 m, with the rock walls of the Sassolungo and the Sciliar standing at the edges like scenery.² The tourism office counts a 450 km network of trails and around 300 days of sunshine a year.¹⁰

Lift calendar

When each lift opens in Val Gardena

1 May

Ortisei to Alpe di Siusi

The gondola runs until 2 November.⁵
16 May

Resciesa funicular

Open from 16 May until 11 October.⁵
22 May

Seceda and Col Raiser

Cable cars and gondola start the season.¹¹
30 May

Forcella Sassolungo

Gondola up to the Sassolungo gap.¹²
6 June

Ciampinoi, Gardena Card

The Gardena Card is valid from this day.¹² ¹³
12 June

Dantercëpies

The gateway to the Puez plateau.¹⁴

Getting onto the Alpe di Siusi

From Ortisei the quickest way up is the gondola to the Alpe di Siusi, which runs from 1 May to 2 November in 2026.⁵ The official crossing route starts at its top station at 2,005 m.³ From the other side, the Seiser Alm cableway leaves Seis am Schlern and reaches the plateau in 15 minutes, carrying rucksacks, pushchairs, bikes and dogs.¹⁵

If you think of driving up, read the rules first. Access by private car is only allowed under certain conditions, to protect the meadows, and the tourism office recommends the cableway instead.⁶ At the Seis bottom station the outdoor car park is free and the underground garages charge a fee.¹⁶ In practice, leaving the car in the valley is the calm way to do it.

From Bolzano, Klausen and Brixen the villages below the plateau are 30 to 50 minutes away by road.¹⁷ If you are staying in Val Gardena, the gondola from Ortisei saves you that detour completely. Stay in one valley for a few days rather than hopping between them; the lifts do more of the work than any car.

Walks compared

Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi walks side by side

Walk	Start	Time	Grade
Resciesa ridge	Ortisei funicular	2 to 3.5 hrs	Easy⁴
Sëurasas & Pic	Col Raiser gondola	2.5 hrs	Not graded⁷
Stevia loop	Selva village	4 hrs	Medium¹⁸
Alpe di Siusi crossing	Ortisei gondola	5.5 hrs	Medium¹⁹
Sassolungo circuit	S. Cristina or Selva	5.5 hrs	Medium²⁰
Puez hut	Dantercëpies gondola	6 hrs	Long day²¹

Walking times without long breaks, from Val Gardena tourism's suggested routes.⁴ ⁷ ²⁰ ¹⁹ ²¹

Guided in Val Gardena

Guided days around Ortisei

Private hike

Alpe di Siusi hike

Private, from Ortisei

Duration: 5 hours
Group: Private
Reviews: 2, rated 5.0

See the tour

Shortest

St. Jacob's walk

Private, from Ortisei

Duration: 4 hours
Level: Easy to moderate
Reviews: None yet

See the tour

Explore Alpe di Siusi: Guided E-Bike Group Adventure

On two wheels

Alpe di Siusi e-bike

Group, from Ortisei

Duration: 5.5 hours
Needs: Biking experience
Reviews: 5, rated 5.0

See the tour

Decision helper

Valley, plateau or a mix?

Find the day that matches how you like to walk

I want gentle walking with huge views I want an easy morning I want a classic big day I do not want to use lifts I come in mid-May

The Alpe di Siusi

Rolling meadow at 1,800 to 2,500 m, huts all along.²

Resciesa ridge

About 2 hours if you ride the funicular back down.⁴

Round the Sassolungo

5.5 hours through the Stone City to the Sella pass.²⁰ ²²

Stevia from Selva

A 4-hour loop straight from the village, rated medium.¹⁸

Resciesa or the Alpe

Those lifts open on 16 May and 1 May, before most others.⁵

Around 300 days of sunshine a year combined with a 450 km network of hiking trails create the perfect conditions

Dolomites Region Seiser Alm tourism (Seiser Alm Marketing)Source 10

Hiking Seiser Alm: the crossing from Ortisei

Val Gardena tourism's own route across the plateau starts in Ortisei at 1,236 m, takes the gondola to 2,005 m and loops by Tirler at 1,741 m before returning; it is rated medium and takes 5.5 hours of walking.³ ¹⁹ That is long enough to feel the size of the place without ever being exposed: the paths are farm tracks and meadow trails, with huts at regular intervals.

The most rewarding part is the middle, where the meadows dip and rise and the Sassolungo fills the horizon. In early summer the grass is full of flowers; by autumn it turns gold and brown. Choose a clear day, because the point of the Alpe di Siusi is the long view, and set off early so the return climb to the gondola is not a race against the last ride.

A guided alternative exists. A private Alpe di Siusi hike listed on GetYourGuide starts at the Ortisei gondola, rides up for 10 minutes and loops past Saltria and Mont Seuc back to the top station over 5 hours, from $507 for the private group. It has 2 reviews, both 5.0, and says it suits families or walkers of moderate fitness.

Map

Seceda, Val Gardena, the Brenta above Molveno and the way in

The Seceda crest up close, the villages and lifts of Val Gardena, the refuge path from Molveno into the Brenta, then the airports and stations you arrive at.

Map of Seceda with the summit, Furnes, Pieralongia, the Fermeda hut, Col Raiser and the Forcella de Mesdì — Seceda

Map of Val Gardena with Ortisei, Santa Cristina, Selva, Seceda, Resciesa, the Sassolungo, Compatsch on the Alpe di Siusi, the Puez hut and Passo Sella — Val Gardena

Map of the Brenta Dolomites above Molveno with Pradel, La Montanara, Croz dell'Altissimo, Selvata, the Tosa and Pedrotti huts, the Bocca di Brenta and Lake Molveno — The Brenta above Molveno

Map of the Dolomites region with the Venice, Verona and Innsbruck airports, Trento, Bolzano, Ponte Gardena, Ortisei and Molveno — The way in

1
Seceda summit
The summit cross at 2,519 m, reached on the Ridge Line trail from the top station.²³ ²⁴
In Google Maps ↗
2
Furnes
Middle station between Ortisei and Seceda: a 2,500 m gondola below, a 2,050 m cable car above.²⁵
In Google Maps ↗
3
Pieralongia
Hut at the foot of the stone teeth, about 45 minutes on foot from the Seceda top station.²⁶
In Google Maps ↗
4
Fermeda hut
On the Trojer loop, near the Fermeda chairlift, which runs 20 June to 20 September in 2026.²⁷ ¹¹
In Google Maps ↗
5
Col Raiser
Gondola top station at 2,106 m above Santa Cristina; 1 to 2 hours on foot to the top of Seceda.²⁸ ²⁹
In Google Maps ↗
6
Forcella de Mesdì
Steep pass at 2,597 m on the long traverse from Resciesa.³⁰
In Google Maps ↗
7
Ortisei
Village at 1,236 m and start of the Seceda cable cars and the Alpe di Siusi gondola.³ ⁵
In Google Maps ↗
8
Santa Cristina
Village at 1,428 m with the Col Raiser gondola.⁷
In Google Maps ↗
9
Selva
Highest village of the valley, with the Dantercëpies gondola towards the Puez plateau.²¹
In Google Maps ↗
10
Resciesa
Funicular top station above Ortisei at 2,103 m; easy walks along the ridge.³⁰ ⁴
In Google Maps ↗
11
Sassolungo
The circuit round the group takes 5.5 hours, about 3 with the lifts.²⁰ ³¹
In Google Maps ↗
12
Compatsch
Top of the Seiser Alm cableway from Seis, a 15-minute ride.¹⁵
In Google Maps ↗
13
Puez hut
Refuge at 2,475 m on the Puez plateau.³²
In Google Maps ↗
14
Passo Sella
End point of the Stone City section of the Sassolungo circuit.²²
In Google Maps ↗
15
Molveno
Lake village and start of the cable car to Pradel.³³
In Google Maps ↗
16
Pradel
Lift terrace at 1,350 m above the lake and start of the refuge paths.³³ ³⁴
In Google Maps ↗
17
La Montanara
Family-run refuge on the Pradel plateau, open daily from late May.³⁵
In Google Maps ↗
18
Croz dell'Altissimo
Refuge at 1,435 m below a 900 m rock wall, 1 hour from Pradel on path 340.³⁶ ³⁷ ³⁸
In Google Maps ↗
19
Selvata
Refuge at 1,630 m, open 1 June to 20 September.³⁹ ⁴⁰
In Google Maps ↗
20
Tosa and Pedrotti
Huts at 2,449 m close to the Bocca di Brenta, open mid-June to late September.⁴¹
In Google Maps ↗
21
Lake Molveno
Placed first among lake destinations in the 2026 Legambiente and Touring Club guide.⁴²
In Google Maps ↗
22
Venice airport
About 270 km from Val Gardena.⁴³
In Google Maps ↗
23
Verona airport
About 190 km from Val Gardena, with an AltoAdigeBus link.⁴⁴ ⁴⁵
In Google Maps ↗
24
Trento
Main station for Molveno; the Paganella bus runs every 30 minutes.⁴⁶ ⁴⁷
In Google Maps ↗
25
Bolzano
Station 40 km from Val Gardena; bus 350 runs up the valley.⁴⁸
In Google Maps ↗
26
Ponte Gardena
The closest station to Val Gardena, 18 km away.⁴⁸
In Google Maps ↗
27
Innsbruck airport
About 120 km from Val Gardena.⁴⁴
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

For a day on the plateau

Get there

Gondola from Ortisei or cableway from Seis
Lift pass or Gardena Card
Last ride down noted

On the meadow

Stay on tracks, off the hay
Sun hat and sunscreen
Water between the huts

Video

Easy hikes to alpine huts on the Seiser Alm and Seceda

The video starts loading once you tap play.

Easy hikes in Val Gardena from the lifts

Some of the best hikes in Val Gardena are the gentle ones. The Resciesa funicular above Ortisei leads to a broad ridge walk that Val Gardena tourism rates easy: about 2 hours if you ride back down, 3.5 hours if you walk.⁴ The funicular runs from 16 May to 11 October in 2026, so it is one of the first lifts to open.⁵

From Santa Cristina, the Col Raiser gondola climbs to 2,106 m.²⁸ From there the Sëurasas walk crosses the Mastlé pastures and climbs to the Pic at 2,363 m, about 2.5 hours of walking with a view down onto the whole valley.⁷ From the same top station, Seceda is 1 to 2 hours away on foot, if you want to reach the famous crest without the Ortisei cable car.²⁹

From Selva you need no lift at all for the Stevia loop: a walk straight out of the village to its local mountain and back over the Forcella Piza, 4 hours and rated medium.¹⁸ It is a good choice for the first day of a holiday, before you buy any lift ticket, and the trail stays on the sunny side of the valley.

The big circuits at the head of the valley

The walk that defines Val Gardena is the circuit round the Sassolungo. It starts in Santa Cristina or Selva, is rated medium and takes 5.5 hours in total; with the lifts it is about 3 hours.²⁰ ³¹ The section through the Stone City on trail 526, a field of giant boulders, leads to the Sella pass.²² On the far side you look down on the Alpe di Siusi.

North of Selva the Puez plateau offers the opposite mood: bare, stony and high. From the Dantercëpies gondola at 2,298 m the route crosses the Cir pass to the Puez hut at 2,475 m, a 6-hour day that the tourism office calls exhausting for its length.²¹ The Dantercëpies gondolas run from 12 June to 4 October in 2026.¹⁴

Both days need settled weather and an early start. The Puez plateau and the Puez-Odle system belong to the UNESCO site, where the rock layers show about 200 million years of history from the Permian to the Cretaceous.⁴⁹ You do not need to be a geologist to notice the layers, banded like a cake, on the walls around you.

Lift seasons and passes in 2026

Lift dates set the shape of a summer here. In 2026 the Ortisei gondola to the Alpe di Siusi runs 1 May to 2 November, Resciesa 16 May to 11 October, and the Seceda cable cars 22 May to 2 November.⁵ ¹¹ The lifts at the head of the valley open later: Forcella Sassolungo from 30 May, Ciampinoi from 6 June, both until 11 October.¹²

If you plan several lift days, look at the Gardena Card, which covers the participating lifts in the valley from 6 June to 11 October 2026; for an adult it costs $139 for 3 consecutive days and $180 for 6.¹³ ⁵⁰ Note that the Dolomiti SuperSummer card is not accepted on the Seceda lifts.⁵¹

Some accommodation also gives you the Val Gardena Guest Pass, which makes public transport across South Tyrol free during your stay, including the days you arrive and leave.⁵² Combine it with the lifts and you can leave the car parked all week, which is a gift in a valley where parking near the lifts is scarce.⁵³

Guided options, and rules on the trail

Guided walking in this corner is offered mostly as private tours. Besides the Alpe di Siusi hike above, a private 4-hour walk from Ortisei is listed under the name of St. Jacob's church, though its itinerary names only a viewpoint; it costs from $289 for the group and is rated easy to moderate. It has no reviews yet, so book it on what the listing states, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Riders have a group option too: a guided e-bike tour of the Alpe di Siusi from Ortisei, 5.5 hours, from $208, rated 5.0 from 5 reviews; it asks for previous mountain biking experience. On foot or on wheels, remember that some trail sections in the nature parks are for hikers only.⁵⁴

The local rules are short. Stay on the marked trails and off the meadows, which are farmland, and take your rubbish home.⁵⁵ Mountain rescue in Val Gardena is run by volunteers, so call 112 only in a real emergency, and know that a helicopter rescue is not free.⁵⁶ ⁵⁷ An annual Aiut Alpin membership costs $45 per person.⁵⁷

Your Brenta day

Walk to the refuges under the Brenta walls.

Pick a date, meet at the ticket office, and cancel free if the forecast turns.

Check datesfrom $35 · cancel without a fee 4.7 · 19 verified ratings

You ask,we answer.

How big is the Alpe di Siusi?

56 square kilometers. Its tourism office calls it the largest high alpine pasture in Europe, part of the Sciliar-Catinaccio nature park.¹

How do I get up from Ortisei?

By the Alpe di Siusi gondola. It runs from 1 May to 2 November in 2026; the crossing route starts at its top station at 2,005 m.⁵ ³

Can I drive onto the Seiser Alm?

Only under certain conditions. The tourism office recommends the cableway from Seis, a 15-minute ride.⁶ ¹⁵

What is the easiest walk in Val Gardena?

The Resciesa ridge above Ortisei. Rated easy: about 2 hours with the funicular down, 3.5 hours walking down.⁴

How long is the walk round the Sassolungo?

About 5.5 hours, or 3 with lifts. It starts in Santa Cristina or Selva, is rated medium and passes the Stone City.²⁰ ³¹

Is there a pass for the Val Gardena lifts?

Yes, the Gardena Card. It is valid 6 June to 11 October 2026; 3 days cost $139 for an adult.¹³ ⁵⁰

What languages are spoken in Val Gardena?

Italian, German and Ladin. Ladin is spoken by around 45,000 people in the valleys around the Sella massif.⁸

Sources

Sources and evidence

1
Dolomites Region Seiser Alm tourism (Seiser Alm Marketing)Access to the Seiser Alm
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2
Dolomites Region Seiser Alm tourism (Seiser Alm Marketing)Hiking on the Seiser Alm and in the villages
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3
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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4
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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5
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Lifts in Val Gardena: summer opening times
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6
Dolomites Region Seiser Alm tourism (Seiser Alm Marketing)Access to the Seiser Alm
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7
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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8
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Seceda: good to know
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9
UNESCO Dolomites Foundation (Fondazione Dolomiti UNESCO)Sciliar-Catinaccio, Latemar: the 7th System
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10
Dolomites Region Seiser Alm tourism (Seiser Alm Marketing)Hiking on the Seiser Alm and in the villages
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11
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Lifts in Val Gardena: summer opening times
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12
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Lifts in Val Gardena: summer opening times
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13
Seceda AG cableways (Funivie Seceda), OrtiseiSummer: lifts, opening hours and prices
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14
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Lifts in Val Gardena: summer opening times
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15
Dolomites Region Seiser Alm tourism (Seiser Alm Marketing)The Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway in summer
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16
Dolomites Region Seiser Alm tourism (Seiser Alm Marketing)The Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway in summer
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17
Dolomites Region Seiser Alm tourism (Seiser Alm Marketing)Location and directions
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18
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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19
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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20
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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21
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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22
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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23
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Seceda
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24
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Seceda Ridge Line
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25
Seceda AG cableways (Funivie Seceda), OrtiseiSummer: lifts, opening hours and prices
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26
Seceda AG cableways (Funivie Seceda), OrtiseiHiking in the Puez-Odle nature park
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27
Seceda AG cableways (Funivie Seceda), OrtiseiHiking in the Puez-Odle nature park
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28
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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29
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The way to the Seceda
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30
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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31
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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32
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The 7 most beautiful hikes
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33
Molveno Holiday, the Molveno tourism consortiumTake the cable car to see the lake from above
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34
Molveno Holiday, the Molveno tourism consortiumHiking in the Brenta Dolomites
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35
Molveno Holiday, the Molveno tourism consortiumRifugio La Montanara
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36
Visit Trentino (Trentino Marketing)Croz dell'Altissimo mountain hut, Molveno
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37
Visit Trentino (Trentino Marketing)Croz dell'Altissimo mountain hut, Molveno
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38
Visit Trentino (Trentino Marketing)Croz dell'Altissimo mountain hut, Molveno
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39
Visit Trentino (Trentino Marketing)Selvata mountain hut, Molveno
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40
Visit Trentino (Trentino Marketing)Selvata mountain hut, Molveno
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41
Visit Trentino (Trentino Marketing)Tosa Tommaso Pedrotti mountain hut
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42
Molveno Holiday, the Molveno tourism consortiumThe most beautiful lake in Italy
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43
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Arrival by plane or helicopter
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44
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Arrival by plane or helicopter
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45
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Arrival by plane or helicopter
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46
Visit Trentino (Trentino Marketing)How to get to Trentino
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47
Molveno Holiday, the Molveno tourism consortiumHow to get to Molveno
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48
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Arrival by train
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49
UNESCO Dolomites Foundation (Fondazione Dolomiti UNESCO)Puez-Odle: the 6th System
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50
Seceda AG cableways (Funivie Seceda), OrtiseiSummer: lifts, opening hours and prices
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51
Seceda AG cableways (Funivie Seceda), OrtiseiSummer: lifts, opening hours and prices
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52
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Arrival by train
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53
Seceda AG cableways (Funivie Seceda), OrtiseiSummer: lifts, opening hours and prices
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54
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)The way to the Seceda
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55
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Seceda: tips and rules of conduct
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56
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Basic rules for safe hiking
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57
Dolomites Val Gardena tourism (Val Gardena Marketing)Basic rules for safe hiking
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