MTB
No other mountain range in the Alps is as spectacular for riding as the Dolomites.
With striking geography, thousands of miles of trails and incredible views, the Dolomites range in northeast Italy is a mountain bike paradise that should be on every rider's bucket list.
Majestic mountains
The Dolomites are a majestic mountain range in the Alps, formed of light-colored dolomitic limestone that erosion has carved into grotesque and impressive shapes. The region is located in the northeast part of Italy and geographically, as well as culturally, is at a crossroads between Italy and Austria's Tyrol region to the north. In the first century AD, the Romans invaded the Alps and remnants of their culture still remains.
World-class trails
The Dolomites have always been popular with hikers and climbers, and as a result there are amazing trails in the mountains, from the pastoral and lovely Val Gardena valley in South Tyrol to the Ampezzo valley, where Cortina is situated. Nowadays the trails are shared with mountain bikers, and the trail riding in this part of the world is up there with the very best alpine experiences.
Val Gardena valley
Val Gardena is a well-known ski resort, and now the valley is making a big push to become a big bike destination. Located in the South Tyrol, it's 40km from Bolzano and 120km from Innsbruck, Austria. On the Brenner motorway you take exit Chiusa on A22 and reach Ortisei in just 20 minutes, then St Cristina, and finally Selva Gardena at the end of the valley. It's just 8km between the three major villages in Val Gardena, so you can choose any of these villages as your base during a visit.
Val Gardena is one of the valleys that's working hard to become an international mountain bike destination, and they're doing well.
Over 1,000km of trails to explore
There's a big network of trails in the Val Gardena area, with more than 1,000km of trails and 30 mountain bike routes connecting the different villages and mountains. You've everything from steep and exposed descents in the high alpine meadows to flowy and fast single tracks in the trees.
Make use of the lifts
In Val Gardena you're welcome to take your bike on any of the lifts that run in the summer and autumn. The lifts give you quick access to the alpine riding and, since this is big mountain country, with long pedals from the valley floor, take the chance to give yourself an easy start and burn the energy in the real mountains rather than on boring climbs down low.
What are the best trails?
Sella Ronda MTB Tour is a spectacular bike tour that takes you around the beautiful Sella massif via four classic Dolomite passes — Gardena, Campolongo, Pordoi and Sella.
You can do this in a day, with the help of lifts. It's more of a scenic route than a challenging mountain bike trail, but a classic in the Val Gardena area. Depending on which variant you take, it's about 50–60km and features around 4,000m of vertical drop.
More true singletrack riding is to be found on Seceda, above Ortisei. From the top tram, climb and push up to the top of the ridge and drop in on trail NR6 from 2,518m. Ride under the impressive Geisler group on trail 2B via Pieralongia Hut, stop for organic juice and great sausage, and continue to Regensburger Hütte (2,037m), where you can have lunch before the last descent to Selva Gardena.
How to get there
The closest major airports are Franz Josef Strauss in Münich (300km) and Marco Polo in Venice (270km). By car you reach Val Gardena easily via the Brenner motorway, from south and north. From Innsbruck, it's 120km to Val Gardena, and from Milan it's 350km.
You can also travel to Val Gardena by train both from Austria and Germany, and other parts of Italy. If you prefer the train, Chiusa and Ponte Gardena are the closest train stations. From there a bus service will take you to Val Gardena, but some hotels offer a pick-up service too.
Where to stay
Hotel Astor in Selva Gardena is a 3-star and bike-friendly hotel where you can stay for a reasonable price. There are many more bike hotels in the valley, but check before you book your accommodation that they can store your bike safely. Most of the bike-friendly hotels also have a bike wash and sometimes space to do mechanical work.
Local guide: Andreas Tonelli knows his home mountains very well and loves to show visitors his backyard trails. Contact him via email: andreas_tonelli@hotmail.com or phone +358 329 32 63 155
