Canazei

Updated October 2026 · Sources: Dolomiti Superski, Val di Fassa tourist board, Visit Trentino, Trentino Trasporti, Istitut Cultural Ladin

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Canazei is the last village at the top of the Val di Fassa, in Trentino, in the Italian Dolomites. The centre sits at 1,460 metres, at the foot of three famous mountain groups: the Sella, the Sassolungo (Langkofel) and the Marmolada. About 1,900 people live in the municipality, which includes the hamlets of Alba, Penia and Gries. Bolzano is about 50 km away and Trento about 100 km. The nearest airport is Bolzano; most international visitors fly into Verona, Venice or Innsbruck.

Canazei is a Ladin village: in Ladin, a Romance language spoken in a few Dolomite valleys, it is called Cianacei. It is not in South Tyrol, although many people assume it is: the border with the province of Bolzano runs over the Sella Pass, 12 km away, and the border with the Veneto over the Pordoi Pass and the Marmolada.

In winter you are at one of the main gateways to the Sellaronda, the ski circuit around the Sella group, inside Dolomiti Superski, one of the largest ski passes in the world. In summer you are close to the Sass Pordoi, Lake Fedaia, the Viel del Pan trail and the cycle path that runs down the Avisio river to the Val di Fiemme.

You can walk around the village in an hour. The best sights are higher up, reached by lift or along the pass roads.

Canazei centre and San Floriano church

The centre is built around the parish church of San Floriano and a pedestrian area with shops, bars and restaurants. Look at the wood-and-stone houses, many with painted façades and the wooden balconies typical of the valley. From the centre you can already see the Sassolungo to the north and the Sella group.

The centre stays lively in the evening. In mid-September the Gran Festa da d’Istà, the Ladin end-of-summer festival, ends with a Sunday parade in traditional costume.

Gries and the Soracrepa waterfall

Gries is the hamlet just above the centre: tightly packed houses, narrow lanes and the small church of the Madonna della Neve. From here a waymarked walk climbs through the forest to the Soracrepa waterfall and returns to the village via Pian Pozata. Allow about an hour and a half; it is uphill, so wear hiking shoes.

Belvedere and Col dei Rossi

The Belvedere is Canazei’s home mountain. From the village a gondola goes up to Pecol, then a cable car to the Col dei Rossi, at 2,382 metres. From Alba a second cable car goes straight to the top. Up there you face the Marmolada and its glacier, with the Sassolungo, the Sella and the Sass Pordoi around you.

Pordoi Pass and Sass Pordoi

The Pordoi Pass (2,239 m) is about 12 km from Canazei on the road to Arabba. From the pass, a cable car opened in 1963 climbs in a few minutes to the Sass Pordoi, at 2,950 metres, known as the Terrace of the Dolomites. At the top you walk on a rocky plateau with views of the Marmolada, the Sassolungo and, on clear days, much of the Dolomites.

From the top station a path leads to the Forcella Pordoi and on to Piz Boè (3,152 m), the highest summit of the Sella group. It is a route for experienced hikers, with rocky sections protected by cables; you need stable weather. Even if you only stay on the terrace, bring a jacket. Canazei is also the start of the Dolomites Skyrace, a 22 km mountain race that climbs to the Pordoi and Piz Boè.

Sella Pass

The Sella Pass (2,245 m) is 12 km from Canazei, on the border with South Tyrol, towards Selva in Val Gardena. You are right under the Sella Towers, with the Sassolungo next to you. The loops around the Sassolungo and the Sassopiatto start here. In summer the road is very busy: there have already been trial closures to private traffic (the Dolomites Vives project in 2017). Check the current rules or take the summer bus.

Marmolada

The Marmolada is the highest mountain in the Dolomites: Punta Penia reaches 3,343 metres, and its glacier is the largest in the Dolomites. It sits on the border between Trentino and the Veneto. From the Canazei side you see it from the Belvedere, the Viel del Pan and Lake Fedaia. The cable car towards Punta Rocca, above 3,200 metres, leaves from the Veneto side, at Malga Ciapela.

On 3 July 2022 a large serac broke off the glacier below Punta Rocca and hit several roped parties on the normal route: 11 people died. Since then the municipality of Canazei has issued several orders closing or restricting access to the north side of the glacier, and the rules change with conditions. For the summit you need mountaineering experience or a certified mountain guide. Before you go, check the order in force on the Canazei municipality website.

Lake Fedaia

Lake Fedaia is a reservoir at 2,053 metres below the Marmolada glacier, held by a dam built in 1956. From Canazei you drive up through Penia, about 13 km of mountain road; in summer there is also a bus from Penia. You can walk across the dam and along the shore with the Marmolada in front of you. In July and August the car parks fill early, so arrive in the morning.

Penia and the La Sia sawmill

Penia is the last hamlet before the Fedaia Pass. Here you find La Sia, a wooden Venetian-style sawmill from the 1920s, still driven by the water of the Avisio. It is part of the Ladin Museum of Fassa and runs in summer to show how timber was cut. It was closed for restoration in 2025, so check it is open before you go.

Ladin culture

The Val di Fassa is one of the Ladin valleys of the Dolomites, with its own language and traditions. The best place to understand them is the Museo Ladin de Fascia in San Giovanni di Fassa, about 15 minutes by car: the history, work and festivals of the valley. It is the home of the Istitut Cultural Ladin, founded in 1975. More on the Istitut Cultural Ladin website.

Dòlaondes swimming centre

For a rainy day or after skiing there is Dòlaondes: a 25-metre pool, an outdoor saltwater pool, a children’s area, a 111-metre slide and a spa area. Opening hours and prices change with the season.

From Canazei you ski on three levels: the local slopes, the Sellaronda circuit and the whole Dolomiti Superski area, 1,200 km of runs and about 450 lifts on one pass. In 2026/27 the Belvedere and Ciampac lifts open on 4 December 2026 and close on 4 April 2027, snow permitting.

Belvedere – Col Rodella

This is the ski area of Canazei and Campitello: 31 km of runs and 23 lifts. From Canazei the gondola takes you to Pecol and on towards the Col dei Rossi and the Pordoi Pass; from Alba the cable car goes straight to the Col dei Rossi; from Campitello you go up to the Col Rodella, on the Sella Pass side. There are runs for every level; the best-known black is the Diego on the Belvedere. At the Pordoi Pass, the Sass Pordoi cable car is a viewpoint in winter; the descents from the top are serious off-piste terrain, only with a guide.

Sellaronda

The Sellaronda circles the Sella group over four passes (Sella, Gardena, Campolongo and Pordoi) and through four Ladin valleys: Fassa, Val Gardena, Alta Badia and Livinallongo-Arabba. It is about 40 km, roughly half on the slopes and half on lifts. Clockwise, follow the orange signs; anticlockwise, the green ones. You need to be comfortable on red runs and to set aside a full day: start before 10 am and keep an eye on lift closing times, so you do not end up on the wrong side of the Sella.

Ciampac and Buffaure

From Alba a 10-seat gondola goes up to the Ciampac. Together with the Buffaure above Pozza di Fassa, it forms an area with 23 km of runs and 12 lifts, reaching 2,428 metres at the Sela Brunech. It is quieter than the Sellaronda and good for families. For 2026/27 a new gondola to the Col de Valvacin opens on the Buffaure.

Ski passes 2026/27

Official prices for the adult Dolomiti Superski day pass: €80 in low season and €89 in high season (Christmas to Epiphany and late January to March). Juniors (born 2009–2018) €56/€62, seniors (born 1961 or earlier) €72/€80. The adult 6-day pass costs €453 in high season. If you stay in the valley, the Val di Fassa/Carezza pass is cheaper: 110 km of runs in four areas, from Carezza to Canazei, without the rest of the Sellaronda. Buy online at least two days ahead and you save 5%. Full price list on the Dolomiti Superski website.

Cross-country, Marcialonga and snowshoeing

Canazei has a cross-country area of about 8 km on the valley floor, with a practice area: the easiest in the valley for beginners. Canazei is also the turning point of the Marcialonga, the 70 km classic-style cross-country race: it starts in Moena, climbs to Canazei, turns in the square and heads down to the Val di Fiemme, finishing in Cavalese. The 2027 race is scheduled for Sunday 31 January. On snowshoes, head to the Ciampac, where loops are waymarked, or to the woods around Penia.

In summer the Belvedere lifts run from mid-June to the end of September. With the lifts and the summer buses to the passes, you can do many hikes without a car.

Viel del Pan

This is the best-known trail in the area: almost flat, along a grassy ridge facing the Marmolada and Lake Fedaia. The easiest way is to take the lifts to the Col dei Rossi, or to start at the Pordoi Pass and follow trail 601 to the Viel del Pan hut, above 2,400 metres, in about 2 hours. From there you can walk back or descend to Lake Fedaia. Pick a clear day: it is easy but exposed to sun and wind.

Sassolungo circuit from the Sella Pass

The Sella Pass is the start of the loop around the Sassolungo, one of the best-known circular hikes in the Dolomites: it is long and takes a full day, with mountain huts along the way. You can reach the pass on the summer bus from Canazei.

Easy walks

From the centre you can walk on the flat along the Avisio to Alba and Penia. At the Ciampac, reached by gondola from Alba, there are easy high-level paths suitable for children.

Cycling the Fassa–Fiemme cycle path

The Dolomites of Fassa and Fiemme cycle path starts in Canazei and follows the Avisio downhill for 48 km to Molina di Fiemme, through Moena and Predazzo. Downhill it is fine for families; to get back up in summer there is the Bike Express bus, which also carries bikes. Fit riders take road bikes up the Sella and Pordoi passes.

• Pordoi Pass and Arabba (about 12 km and 20 km): the Sass Pordoi cable car and the road down into the Veneto.
• Sella Pass and Val Gardena (about 12 km and 20 km to Selva): the Sassolungo and the Gardena villages.
• Lake Fedaia (about 13 km): the dam below the Marmolada glacier.
• Alta Badia: Corvara, over the Gardena Pass, by summer bus from Canazei.
• Pozza di Fassa and San Giovanni di Fassa (about 13 km): the Buffaure, the Catinaccio ski area and the Ladin Museum.
• Moena (about 18 km): at the entrance to the valley, start of the Marcialonga.
• Val di Fiemme: Predazzo (about 30 km) and Cavalese (about 40 km), with the 2026 Olympic ski jump.
• Cortina d’Ampezzo (about 60 km via the Pordoi and Falzarego passes): the other big name of the Dolomites.

Choose the area by what you plan to do during the day; more detail in our guide to where to stay in Canazei.

• Canazei centre: for skiing the Sellaronda (the Belvedere gondola leaves from the village), for arriving by bus and for evenings out. Hotels, apartments and residences.
• Alba: for families and for skiing the Ciampac or taking the cable car to the Col dei Rossi.
• Penia: the last and quietest hamlet, handy for Lake Fedaia. You need a car.
• Gries: above the centre, for an apartment a few minutes’ walk from the shops.
• Campitello di Fassa: the next village, with the cable car to the Col Rodella and the Sella Pass side: an alternative if Canazei is full.

For Christmas, February (including UK half-term) and Marcialonga week, book early.

By car

From the Brenner motorway (A22) there are two exits. From the north, leave at Bolzano Nord and drive up the Val d’Ega and over the Costalunga Pass to Vigo di Fassa, then on to Canazei: the shortest route, about 50 km from Bolzano. From the south, leave at Egna-Ora and follow the SS48 Dolomites road through the Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa, about 70 km from the toll booth. In winter you must carry snow chains or have winter tyres; high passes can close after snowfall. Italian motorways are tolled.

By train

Canazei has no railway. The nearest stations are Bolzano, Ora/Auer and Trento, on the Brenner line, with direct trains from Verona and from Munich and Innsbruck. From there you continue by bus. On peak-season weekends there is also a bus connection timed with the high-speed trains at Ora station. Timetables on Trenitalia.

By bus

From Trento, Trentino Trasporti line B104 runs to Cavalese; from there line B101 continues up the valley via Moena and Canazei to Alba and Penia. It is a long ride: check the timetable for a change at Cavalese. From Bolzano there are direct buses to the Val di Fassa on the South Tyrol network. In summer, valley buses run from Canazei to the Sella and Pordoi passes and from Penia to the Fedaia Pass. Timetables on Trentino Trasporti; tickets are cheaper in the app than on board.

By air

The nearest airport is Bolzano, about 40 km from the valley, with few flights. Most visitors fly into Verona (about 180 km), Venice (about 175 km) or Treviso (about 160 km), or Innsbruck, Bergamo (about 280 km) and Milan (about 350 km). In winter there are usually shared Saturday transfers from the main airports to the Val di Fassa, timed for weekly ski holidays: check the tourist board website. Private transfers and hire cars are the other options.

Parking

In peak season traffic slows down on the valley road: if you stay in the village, leave the car at your accommodation and use buses and lifts. To ski, arrive early at the car parks by the Belvedere gondola or the Alba cable car. In summer the car parks at the passes and at Lake Fedaia fill up in the morning, and some charge a fee.

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