Dolomites Base Town: Ortisei in Val Gardena
Ortisei - also known as Urtijëi and Sankt Ulrich - in the Gardena Valley of South Tyrol Province was our chosen base town while exploring Puez-Odel National Park in the western region of the Dolomites. Using public transportation (buses and cable cars) from Ortisei, we did day hikes that covered all the major attractions, including Sassalungo, Seceda, and Alpe di Siusi. This valley is chock full of via ferratas and we did our fair share, including: VF Oskar Schuster, VF Col Rodella, VF Saas Rigas, and VF Pitla Gran Cir.
Ortisei was an ideal base town for us in this region: walkable, free public bus transportation, and quiet. Val Gardena is wildly popular, with three major tourist towns — Ortisei, St. Christina, and Selva — providing accommodations and services. We chose Ortisei because it is at the lower end of the valley; it’s the smallest of the three towns and relatively cheaper. Val Gardena offers several tourist perks, including free bus transportation when staying at a local inn or hotel in the valley and discounted multi-day cable car passes. We made extensive use of these public transportation passes and never needed a car in Val Gardena (or anywhere else in the Dolomites - read more about car-free in our logistics post).
Highly Recommended Inn: We stayed at Pichler Inn, a local family-owned “garni” (inn) run by Christina and her lovely parents. We stayed in a single hotel-style room and then moved to one of their spacious apartments with a kitchen later in the week - both were comfortable and well-appointed. The daily breakfast spread was extensive, with a broad selection of breads, spreads, cheeses, meats, pickles, boiled eggs, desserts, juices, and more. Grocery stores, restaurants, and the bus stop are also within easy walking distance. Christina speaks fluent German, Italian, and English and provided us with loads of information regarding what to see, where to eat, how to get around, and other tips to help us maximize our time in Val Gardena.
Off the Beaten Path: One day, we asked for a short day hike to a place off-the-beaten tourist path and Christina recommended a private rose garden (Roseto Uhrerhof) that is open to the public during the summer. It was amazing! I had no idea there were so many rose variations! Rows upon rows of stunning colors and varietals in a meticulously-kept garden on the side of a steep hill. We visited on my Mom’s birthday and I kept wishing she could witness this outstanding botanical garden with us!
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Wood Carving Tradition: Christina also told us about Ortisei’s 200 year tradition of wood carving and recommended that we check out the local wood carving shops. Definitely worth it! It is hard to believe that some of these carvings are wood! Expert craftsmanship, fine-tuned over centuries. Another great reason to stay in Ortisei!
Night of the Blooming Cereus: We were also privy to a special blooming event at the Pichler Inn. Christina’s father has an exceptionally green thumb; his vegetable and flower gardens are gorgeous! Among his many beautiful plants are dozens of cacti, which he diligently carted out into the sunshine each morning. Arriving back from a hike one evening, he told us the cacti were due for their annual bloom - a special event that happens at night, just once a year! Every day, we would inspect the plants, noting any changes in the flower pods sprouting from the cacti. Sure enough, after a brief rain one night towards the end of July, we witnessed the flowers opening in the moonlight! Dozens of cacti, all opening in unison! The next morning, hundreds of busy bees darted in and out of the flowers, gathering what they could before the flowers withered and died; it’s like the bees knew they had just a brief amount of time!
Val Gardena is an endless playground for the outdoor adventurer, from day hikes to rock climbing, via ferrata to mountain biking - or even just sunny picnics on the vast ski-slopes-turned-summer-lawn. The views of Sassolunga, the Puez-Odel group, and the high mountain meadows of Seceda and Alpe di Siusi never cease to spark wonder and joy. And the Val Gardena tourism board provides a ton of resources to ensure its visitors love the region, can move around cheaply and easily, and eat well. Finally, there are loads of via ferrata courses, with favorites including: VF Oskar Schuster, VF Col Rodella, VF Saas Rigas, and VF Pitla Gran Cir.
Next Base Town: After about 10 days in Ortisei, we headed to Val di Fassa for a multi-night trek in Rosengarten. Like our unusual 5 night trek in Tre Cime Nature Park, our multi-night excursion in Rosengarten was also planned at the last minute, included several via ferrata, and followed a non-typical route…
