Discover Salten-Schlern: Nature and Culture around Ortisei

Ortisei between Nature and Culture

For a trip to Salten-Schlern, it is worth considering Ortisei as a specific cultural and scenic focal point. The Gherdëina Museum in Ortisei provides insight into the history, culture, and nature of Val Gardena. At the same time, Ortisei is known for its artistically decorated and carved wooden sculptures, created by woodcarving families for generations. This combines an appreciation of the landscape with an insight into a regional craft tradition.

Hiking at Seceda

Seceda is located in Puez-Odle Nature Park. If you would like to explore the landscape on foot, the ascent from Ortisei to Seceda begins right in the village, leads through shady forests, and opens up views of the valley and the surrounding Dolomites. The challenging hike includes 1,200 metres of elevation gain and takes around 3.5 to 4.5 hours depending on the route chosen; good physical fitness is therefore required. This makes it easy to plan the ascent as an independent, demanding hike in which the elevation gain, duration, and physical demands are all interconnected.

A different kind of connection is provided by the gently ascending Path of Dialogue. It leads from Ortisei to the Church of San Giacomo in about one hour. Compared with the ascent to Seceda, the stated walking time is shorter, while the path rises gently. For orientation at another starting point, the Seceda cable-car valley station in St. Ulrich is also relevant: it can be reached by public transport or on foot.

Churches, Woodcarving, and Local History

The Church of St. James (San Giacomo) is traditionally considered the oldest church in Val Gardena; its origins date back to the 12th century. Its overall appearance is Gothic, while the interior is partly Gothic and partly Baroque. The presbytery contains remarkable frescoes from the late 15th century.

At the permanent ART52 exhibition in Ortisei's congress centre, you can admire woodcarvings by artists and craftspeople. Ortisei's pedestrian zone provides another setting for exploring the village: it connects the Chapel of Saint Ulrich with the Church of Saint Anthony. The churches, exhibition, and local woodcarving thus cover different aspects of culture in Ortisei, without requiring you to focus on a single theme.

Destinations around Ortisei

Distinctive destinations can also be found around Ortisei beyond the routes described directly here. These include Castel Gardena Castle, Castel Salego Castle, Castel Velturno Museum, and the ruins of Castelveccio. The peaks of Kleine Fermeda, Piccola Fermeda, and Gran Odla are also located around Ortisei; the peak of Rasciesa di Fuori is in the immediate vicinity. This geographical selection therefore ranges from historic buildings and museum content to mountain peaks, while the specific routes and access points should each be considered separately.

Further Places for Orientation

If you would like to expand your travel planning to include further places, here are the direct destinations: Lake Carezza, Nova Ponente, Fiè allo Sciliar, Eggen, Tires, Jenesien, Cornedo all'Isarco, Selva di Val Gardena, Collalbo, Meltina, Renon, Santa Cristina Val Gardena, Nova Levante, Ortisei in Val Gardena, Sarentino, Lengstein and Castelrotto.

For the overarching travel overview: Bolzano.