Summer in the Val di Fassa – Glorious Nature in a Blaze of Colour

Cool summers, magnificent hikes, spectacular scenery, sport or relaxation: you will be spoilt for choice

In the summer, the Val di Fassa seems to transform, emerging – as if by magic – from a fairytale: vast expanses of green, the “Giardino delle Rose” (Rose Garden) – also known as the “Rosengarten” – with its rhododendrons in Catinaccio, reinvigorated woodlands, and wildlife awakening from the long winter. Everywhere is a brightly-coloured explosion of nature: from the thousands of shades of green to the cobalt blue sky, the predominantly yellow tones of the first blooms and the orange-red of the meadow lilies. This is all waiting to be enjoyed from the “Monti Pallidi” (Pale Mountains), so called because, especially in summer and according to the light, they take on a particular pale pink to violet colour that defies description. This is the perfect season for trekking, either with a group of friends or in perfect solitude.

You can follow more than 300 km of marked routes for unforgettable hikes. There are both easy routes for the whole family and difficult routes for expert climbers. Routes run through enchanted valleys or up to high altitudes as far as the highest peak in the Dolomites, the “Queen of the Dolomites”: Marmolada (3,342 m). Some of the routes at higher altitudes are easy to reach, thanks to the same lifts that take skiers up to the slopes in winter and which, in the summer, are useful for travelling the long routes among the Dolomites in the Val di Fassa.

Summer does not just offer classical sporting activities, such as tennis, swimming, gym, ice skating, and mini golf, but there are also alternative sports such as free climbing, hang gliding, mountain biking, horse riding, golf etc. What is more, a host of cultural, traditional and sporting events is also organised in this season. Of these, we should mention the “Te anter i Tobiè” festival, which brings back old traditional trades, and the “Rampilonga”, a mountain bike race with thousands of competitors. Thanks to its many participants and long, hard route (almost 40 km), the “Rampilonga” is reminiscent of the famous “Marcialonga”, the cross-country skiing race across the Fassa and Fiemme valleys that is held every year in January and which can count thousands of competitors.

If you prefer to relax, there is nothing better than some sunbathing in the meadows of Ciampedie or on the panoramic terrace of Sass Pordoi. You can also pamper yourself in one of the valley’s many relaxation and wellness centres or just take a look around the local craft workshops and wander through the many weekly markets. You can pay a visit to studios belonging to sculptors and artists or get to know more about the history and culture of the valley’s Ladin ethnic minority by spending an afternoon visiting the Fassa Ladin Museum in San Giovanni.