6 Reasons to Visit the Beautiful Val di Fassa Italy

Val di Fassa is a valley in the Trentino province of Italy.

And it’s a gorgeous valley!

The Avisio River runs through it and it is surrounded by some iconic Dolomite peaks — Catinaccio, Sasso Piatto and Sasso Lungo, Gruppo del Sella, Marmolada. 

There are charming towns and villages.

I think, after you read this post, it’s a destination you’ll be adding to your list.

Let’s find out more about this stunning valley.

Where is Val di Fassa?

Val di Fassa is in the northeast part of the Trentino province.

Towns like Moena in the south and Canazei in the north are part of this valley.

It stretches for about 20km — so it’s not that long.

But it packs some serious scenery!

Along with a lot to do.

Here are some of the reasons to visit this piece of Italy.

To partake in winter activities

In winter, the Val di Fassa is one of the top places to ski or snowboard.

There are actually 7 resorts within the Val di  Fassa which are all part of the greater Dolomiti Superski pass.

And those 7 resorts have 78 ski lifts and about 200km of trails over 150 slopes.

There are trails for all levels of skiers and snowboarders.

The south facing location ensures good snowfall.

There are also 8 snow parks with jumps, rails, boarders and kickers for snowboarders and freestyle skiers.

As well as the downhill skiing and snowboarding you’ll find approximately 50km of cross country skiing trails.

So if winter sports are your thing, Val di Fassa is the place to go!

To wander about the towns in area

There are several towns dotting the Val di Fassa.

From Canazei in the upper part of the valley to Moena in the lower valley.

Since I stayed in Canazei, this is the town I have the experience with.

It’s definitely one of the larger towns with loads of tourist amenities — accommodation, restaurants, cafes, shops, food markets as well as one of the gondolas.

Canazei is a busy town in winter and summer so it has a fun buzz, holiday atmosphere to it.

Campitello di Fassa is the next town down the valley and is smaller but still has a nice array of amenities.

I wandered around it a little bit and I thought it had a good vibe to it as well.

It’s just a little bit smaller but still seemed to have plenty for the traveler.

The other towns I simply drove through — Fontanazzo, Campestrin, Mazzin, San Giovanni di Fassa (merging the municipalities of Pozza di Fassa and Vigo di Fassa, Soraga di Fassa and Moena.

From what I could see most of the towns were smaller than Canazei outside of Moena.

I could be wrong.

But all of the towns and villages of the Val di Fassa are charming and have enough in the way of accommodation and places to eat.

And you’ll have access to lifts/gondolas, trails as well as the bus system that runs through this valley.

Of course, this is Italy so there are parish churches and small chapels to visit.

Plus in summer there are markets to peruse where you can buy clothing, trinkets or local food.

I also find the architecture in this part of Italy so beautiful with half timbered houses and the occasional onion-domed church.

So while the outdoors might be the main attraction to the Val di Fassa, the towns and villages are also very appealing!

To make incredible, nearby drives

As well as driving through the valley, you can make some drives over some nearby mountain passes.

The Passo Pordoi is just above Canazei and is a fantastic drive that lies between the Sella group in the north and the Marmolada group in the south.

So the views are amazing!

I drove this one and can attest to that.

The Passo Sella is also north of Canazei.

If you’re coming from the Val Gardena area, this would be the route you would take.

I have not driven this route, but it looks awesome!

You’ll get fabulous views of the Sella Group.

So for those of you who like to make scenic drives, the Val di Fassa makes a fabulous base.

To go up the Marmolada

One of the experiences for my “next time” list is to take the lifts up to the Terrazza Marmolada.

The Marmolada is the highest Dolomite peak at 3343m and is actually still glaciated.

The Terrazza is an observation deck that is at 3265m and gives you a 360 degree view of the Dolomites.

It’s accessible to all people, but does take 3 lifts/gondola rides to get there. 

So you go from Malga Ciapela (1450 m) to Coston d’Antermoja (2350 m) 

Then from Coston d’Antermoja (2350 m) to Serauta (2950 m).

From Serauta you go to the top — Punta Rocca station (3265 m) — where you find the observation deck — the Terrazza Marmolada.

But at Serauta you’ll find something else very interesting — Museum of the Great War or Museo Marmolada Grande Guerra.

The exhibition shows the experiences of the soldiers — what their life was like in the huts and trenches, the hard work and the struggles they had against cold, snow and ice — through photos, video, diary excerpts, and themed displays. 

You’ll also find the City of Ice.

This is a unique labyrinth of galleries dug by the Austro-Hungarian army in the heart of the glacier to connect the supply bases at the foot of the Marmolada with the bases up higher.

And all this is just at the upper part of the Val di Fassa, just a wee bit up from Canazei.

So many reasons to visit Val di Fassa

Val di Fassa is really a gorgeous part of Italy.

The enchanting towns, all the outdoor activities plus those majestic Dolomite peaks.

I really found it to be one of the most picturesque parts of the Trentino-Alto Adige region.

My advice is to add it to your northern Italy itinerary as I found it was mostly Italians who were vacationing there.

I know I’m going to go back!

Yup.

I loved it that much.

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