Malga Ciapela at the foot of the Marmolada

Malga Ciapela lies at an altitude of 1,450 metres at the foot of the Marmolada. In winter, ski slopes and cross-country skiing shape the village’s sporting life; in summer, the focus is on walks, the Serrai di Sottoguda and trails into the valleys. If you are looking for a hotel in Malga Ciapela, plan your trip first around the season and the activities that interest you.

Cable car to the Marmolada

The Marmolada – Move to the Top cable car starts in Malga Ciapela and travels in three stages to Punta Rocca at 3,265 metres. It takes just a few minutes to reach the Punta Rocca panoramic terrace from Malga Ciapela by cable car. The service is seasonal; check the timetable before travelling. The cable car is also accessible to visitors with disabilities. Check the operating arrangements before your trip so that you can plan your ride accordingly.

Winter: ski slopes and cross-country skiing

The La Bellunese ski run starts at Punta Rocca, passes over Passo Fedaia and ends in Malga Ciapela. It is 12 kilometres long. From Malga Ciapela, you can also access the Arabba-Marmolada ski area, which has 62 kilometres of slopes and 27 lifts. Cross-country skiing is also available as a winter activity in Malga Ciapela.

Walks and valleys

The Serrai di Sottoguda nature reserve stretches for about two kilometres between Sottoguda and Malga Ciapela, at the foot of the Marmolada. The Serrai are closed to traffic and offer a walk suitable for adults and children; in summer, they are ideal for leisurely family walks. An approximately one-and-a-half-hour walk through forests and high-altitude pastures leads to Valle Ombretta, where the Geographical Centre of the UNESCO Dolomites is located. Valle Franzedàz is about an hour’s walk from Malga Ciapela. For planning purposes, you can compare the times: the walk to Valle Ombretta takes about an hour and a half, while the walk to Valle Franzedàz takes about an hour.

Museum and mountain history

The Museo Marmolada Grande Guerra 3000 m is located at an altitude of 3,000 metres on the second floor of the Serauta cable car station. Its 300-square-metre exhibition covers the soldiers’ lives and the harsh conditions of warfare in the high mountains. At the lower end of the Serrai are two galleries carved into the rock, built during the First World War to store ammunition and explosives. The exhibition sheds light on the soldiers’ lives, while the galleries are presented in terms of their military function as storage facilities. The small Chiesa di Sant'Antonio dei Serrai is dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua; a mass is celebrated there every year on 13 June.

Discover more destinations: Ponte Nelle Alpi, Fonzaso, Nevegal, Castion, Fener, Vodo Cadore, Villapiana-ronchena, Auronzo Di Cadore

For the overview of the wider area: Belluno.