Selva Val Gardena Ski Resort, Italy

Overview

Exuding the charms of the South Tirol, including the isolated Ladin dialect, a ski holiday to Selva di Val Gardena is plentiful in everything you’re looking for from a ski holiday. Sitting at 1565m, the resort elevation is similar to its nearby big-name Austrian neighbours but with a variety of skiing including tree-lined runs, open alpine and of course access to the majestic Sellaronda, it’s much more than meets the eye.

Selva is the largest, most established and well know of the three villages in the Val Gardena valley. It is also linked to by the beautiful and quaint satellite villages of St Cristiana and Ortisei. These villages still offer skiers great access to the Sella Ronda but a more tranquil and relaxed experience compared to the bustle of Selva.

Keep reading to learn more about this resort and why to go on a Selva Val Gardena ski holiday.

Skiing and Boarding in Selva Val Gardena

As a feature resort of the famous Sellaronda ski circuit, Selva offers stunning views of the Dolomites amidst a combination of tree-lined and high alpine pistes. Famous for its two World Cup ski races – the Downhill and Super G – the resort attracts thousands of enthusiasts every year.
The resort is part of the Dolomiti Super Ski Area, which is the largest in Europe. Selva itself is chock-full of groomed, cruisey pistes of varying difficulty, best suited to intermediate and confident red-run skiers. There’s a lot of pride behind the piste preparation and it certainly shows; you’ll be whooping uncontrollably as you carve buttery turns down the legendary Saslong run and any one of the other pistes in the resort.

Lift Pass Options in Selva Val Gardena

The Dolomiti Super Ski pass is the daddy of lift passes in this region, enabling skiing across 12 varied resorts (including around the Sellaronda), 450 ski lifts and a massive 1,200km of pisted runs. It’s one of the largest ski areas in the world and value for money (£’s per km) is quite incredible if you like to chalk up the miles on your ski holiday.

Activities in Selva Val Gardena

• Visit the natural hot springs
• Bowling
• Climbing wall
• Paragliding
• Ice hockey (watch the local team)
• Children's playgrounds
• Heli-skiing
• Cross-country skiing
• Ice skating (indoor and outdoor)

Après Ski in Selva Val Gardena

• Luis Keller – About as authentic as you’ll find, from the lederhosen-clad staff to the enormous glass boots of beer!
• Yello's Bar – A great option if you like a bit of music with your après. Think chilled house music, comfy sofas and delicious cocktails.

Places to eat in Selva Val Gardena

Tyrolean cuisine is unique in its subtlety – Germanic ingredients with a touch of Italian flair. A mountain setting is a great environment for the hearty dishes you’ll find throughout Selva’s dozens of restaurants.

• Speckkeller – A traditional Tyrolean menu featuring meats, dumplings, and the alpine favourite - potato rosti.
• Fienile Monte – A regional-inspired menu, varied and excellently presented at this mountain restaurant.
• La Bula – The Tyrollean equivalent of excellent pub-grub, paired with a really fun vibe
• Chalet Gerard – Book for the views, stay for the Italian food and wine
• Utia Pradat – The top-of-the-mountain staple, with a choice of table or self-service and hearty Tyrollean dishes on offer.

Family Ski Options in Selva Val Gardena

With several family-friendly hotels, a wide variety of skiing to suit a range of abilities and a host of non-skiing activities on offer, Selva Val Gardena is a really good option for a family ski trip to Italy. The transfer time is a little longer than some of the other Italian resorts, but it’s worth it once you get there. If you can get into Bolzano airport, the transfer is less than an hour!
If your kids get a bit fed up with skiing, they can get involved several other activities including bowling, indoor climbing, ice skating or just head to one of the kid’s playgrounds in the village…