Ortisei, Italy - dolomite town and ski resort

Visit Ortisei

Ortisei (Italian: Urtijëi) is a popular resort to the north-east of Bolzano, at an altitude of 1230 metres in the northern dolomites.

An attractive town to visit or in which to base your explorations, Ortisei (along with Saint Christina and Selva Gardena) is found in the Val Gardena and is primarily a winter ski resort destination.

Explore Ortisei

The towns historical centre is pleasant, usually lively, has all facilities, and has an abundance of small chapels and churches to admire.

The church of St Giacomo (Saint James) is the oldest, dating in part to the 12th century, and is in a pretty wooded setting on the slopes above the town (about 20 minutes walk from the center of Ortisei). Note the fresco on the outside wall of the church.

You can also see the baroque style Church of Saint Ulrich and nearby the small 16th century Chapel of Saint Anne in the town center itself.

Ortisei also has a reputation for its woodcarvings that dates back several centuries, and there is a small museum dedicated to the craft. There are still thousands of woodcarvers operating in the valley, producing furniture, toys and religious artefacts.

You can see examples of these, and many historical artefacts from the Val Gardena, in the town museum.

One particular highlight, and easily reached even if you are not a keen hiker, is the stunning view from Seceda - take the cable car from the town.

Year round sporting activities

The focus of the town is on winter, skiing based, activities, although the chairlifts also allow access to the mountains for summer hiking. There are more than 100 ski lifts in the Val Gardena providing plenty of variety - if that is not enough for you it is possible to buy a pass that grants access to the other ski regions in the dolomites.

Enthusiastic and experienced skiers will enjoy the Sella Ronda, a well known circular route through the dolomites close to Ortisei.

During the summer months one of the most appealing aspects of Ortisei is the large number of trails, suitable for all levels of ability, that start from the town to explore the Val Gardena and the dolomites.

As you would expect from an important resort area there are also numerous other activities available such as cycling, horse-riding and rock climbing.

You can find more local travel ideas in the Trentino-Alto Adige guide.