Selva in Val Gardena: Sellaronda, trails and Dolomites

Selva lies directly below the Sella Massif; the Dolomites surrounding the village are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When planning a stay in Selva in Val Gardena, you can focus on specific interests: scenery and hiking trails, mountain bike routes, winter sports or cultural history. Which of these topics matters for your hotel search depends on how you want to plan your trip.

Scenery, Vallunga and hiking trails

The landscape around Selva is shaped by parts of the Puez Group, the Cir peaks, the Sella Group and the Sassolungo Group. Vallunga lies at the heart of Puez-Odle Nature Park and is part of the European Natura 2000 ecological network. There is a dense network of hiking trails around Selva and in Val Gardena; quieter walks offer peace and an authentic sense of rural life.

The directions to the ruins of Wolkenstein Castle are also useful for planning: from Vallunga in Selva, they can be reached via a short, very steep path.

Mountain bike routes in Val Gardena

The Val Gardena Trail Arena comprises five intermediate flow trails in the Dantercepies and Plan de Gralba/Piz Seteur areas. The 303a Trail Arena Tour forms a loop around Selva, characterized by turns, jumps and high speeds.

Selva also has various mountain bike routes with sporty descents and challenging climbs. The Ciampinoi freeride trail starts below the top station of the Ciampinoi cable car, whose starting point is in the center of Selva. This means that both the named Trail Arena areas and the starting point of this freeride trail are route details you can take into account when planning your trip.

Winter: Sellaronda and the Vallunga ski tour

Selva di Val Gardena is a popular starting point for the Sellaronda; access to the Sellaronda is possible with the Dolomiti Superski pass. Skiers cover a total of 44 kilometers on the circuit, about 21 kilometers of which are by lift. In winter, activities in Selva also include snowboarding, sledding and snowshoeing, in addition to skiing.

Another route described in detail is the Vallunga ski tour. From the entrance to Vallunga, it follows trail no. 14 to the San Silvestro Chapel and continues from there to the Pra da Ri plateau. A city bus on route 357 is also listed for travel to Selva di Val Gardena. Check the timetable before planning a bus journey.

Castle and culture in Selva

Wolkenstein Castle was partially destroyed by falling rocks around 1525 and was not rebuilt afterwards. The Tyrolean noble family to which Oswald von Wolkenstein belonged had acquired the castle and adopted its name. Oswald was born into this family between 1376 and 1378. The ruins and their history thus link a specific place with the origin of the family name.

Selva is also home to the parish church of “S. Maria ad Nives.” Ladin is taught in schools in Val Gardena; alongside German and Italian, it is the valley’s third official language. The local church and the valley’s linguistic context offer two further cultural topics, distinct from the routes and scenic spots.

Discover more destinations: Santa Cristina in Val Gardena, Cornedo all’Isarco, Mölten, Karersee, Klobenstein, Völs am Schlern, Ortisei in Val Gardena, Kastelruth

For the broader travel overview: Salten-Schlern.