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Stemma di Canazei

Trentino-South Tyrol · Trento

Canazei

A Ladin village at 1,465 metres at the head of Val di Fassa, ringed by Marmolada, Sella and Sassolungo and the Sellaronda circuit.

1465m

Elevation

59 km / 37 mi

Nearest hub (Bolzano)

1,831

Population

Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar

Best time to visit

Why come

Canazei sits at 1,465 metres at the head of the Val di Fassa, one of the thirty highest towns in Italy, ringed by the Marmolada, the Sella Group and the Sassolungo. The commune includes the hamlets of Alba, Gries and Penia, which run together with the central village along the upper Avisio river. Eight in ten residents speak Ladin as their first language, part of the small Dolomitic minority recognised by the autonomous statute, and the local Folk Group preserves the costumes, music and language traditions of the valley. Four ski areas connect from the village base: Belvedere, Ciampac, Col Rodella and the Marmolada cable car from Malga Ciapèla, all part of the Sellaronda and the wider Dolomiti Superski circuit. The Pordoi cable car climbs to the Terrazza delle Dolomiti at 2,950 metres for a full view of the surrounding peaks, including the Marmolada at 3,343 metres, the highest summit in the Dolomites and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2009.

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Gallery

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Known for

  • Marmolada

    Highest summit in the Dolomites at 3,343 metres, reached by cable car from Malga Ciapèla above Canazei, with the only Dolomitic glacier on its northern face.

  • Passo Pordoi

    Dolomite road pass at 2,239 metres with a cable car to Sass Pordoi at 2,950 metres, called the Terrazza delle Dolomiti for its 360-degree view.

  • Belvedere Ski Area

    Main winter base of Canazei, gondola-linked to the Sellaronda circuit and the lift system across the four Ladin valleys of the Sella group.

  • Sassolungo

    Distinctive long-toothed massif north of the village, reached from the Sella Pass and visible from most of the lifts above Canazei.

  • Penia

    Easternmost hamlet of the commune along the Avisio, the last village before the road climbs to the Fedaia Pass and the Marmolada cable car.

  • Sentiero dei Forti

    Walking route through the First World War positions on the Marmolada front, with restored trenches and tunnels reached from above Penia.

When to visit

Best months · Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar

  • J
  • F
  • M
  • A
  • M
  • J
  • J
  • A
  • S
  • O
  • N
  • D
  • Best
  • Hot or crowded
  • Quiet
  • Mostly closed

December through March is the ski season, the village's busiest months, with the Sellaronda circuit running from the Belvedere base and snow held above 1,500 metres into early April. June through September is the summer alpine season, with the Pordoi cable car running to the Terrazza delle Dolomiti and a full network of hiking and via ferrata routes on the Marmolada, Sassolungo and Sella. July and August are the peak months, with refuges full and bookings tight on the Fedaia and Pordoi passes. April, May, October and November are the quiet shoulder periods, when most lifts close, the high passes reopen later in the spring and the village empties between seasons.

How to get there

From Bolzano, Canazei is roughly 59 km by road. Allow about 51–71 minutes depending on traffic and route choice (autostrada vs scenic).

Drive time to the nearest gateway airports

  • Venice2h 37m
  • Verona3h 8m
  • Milan3h 52m

Elevation 1465 m

Google MapsApple MapsDirections from Bolzano

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