Santa Cristina Valgardena

Updated October 2026 · Sources: Val Gardena Marketing, Dolomiti Superski, Seiser Alm Marketing, Seilbahnen Seceda, Col Raiser

Find a place to stay in Santa Cristina Valgardena

Santa Cristina Valgardena (St. Christina in Gröden in German, S. Crestina in Ladin) is the middle village of Val Gardena, in South Tyrol, northern Italy. It sits at 1,428 metres between Ortisei and Selva and has about 2,000 residents. It is 28 km from the Chiusa / Val Gardena exit of the Brenner motorway and about 40 km from Bolzano. The municipality runs from the Odle (Geisler) peaks in the north to the Sassolungo (Langkofel) in the south.

It is the smallest of the valley’s three villages, but it has two sides of the valley on its doorstep. On one side, the Col Raiser gondola climbs below the Odle towards Seceda. On the other, the Monte Pana chairlift takes you to the meadows below the Sassolungo and on towards the Alpe di Siusi. In between runs the Saslong, the slope that hosts the men’s World Cup downhill every December.

In winter you are inside the Dolomiti Superski area and on the Sellaronda, with the season planned from 4 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. In summer the village lifts open between late May and early June; Col Raiser stays open until 1 November. It is quieter than Ortisei, with the same lifts a few minutes away.

You can walk round the village in an hour. Everything else is reached with two lifts that start in Santa Cristina (Col Raiser and Monte Pana) and a near-level path linking the village with Ortisei and Selva. These are the places worth your time.

Santa Cristina parish church

The church of Santa Cristina and Saint Anthony the Abbot is recorded from 1343 and has Romanesque origins. It has been enlarged several times and today has a Gothic choir and a Baroque altar, with works by local woodcarvers. It is the natural start for a walk round the village.

The village loop (Raida dl luech in Ladin) starts here: about 4 km in just over an hour, past farmhouses and meadows with views of the Sassolungo. Another easy walk is the Legends Trail up to the small church of San Giacomo above Ortisei: about 2 hours as a loop, with a steep final climb.

Castel Gardena (Fischburg)

Between Santa Cristina and Selva, along the old railway path, stands Castel Gardena, Fischburg in German. Count Engelhard Dietrich von Wolkenstein-Trostburg built it between 1622 and 1641 as a summer and hunting residence. The German name (“fish castle”) comes from the trout ponds that once surrounded it.

From outside it looks like a fortress, with towers and courtyards, but it was built as a Renaissance country house. It has been privately owned since 1926 and is not open to visitors: you see it from the path. In summer the garden sometimes hosts small concerts.

The old railway path

From 1916 to 1960 a narrow-gauge railway ran up Val Gardena, from Chiusa to Plan above Selva, with two stops in Santa Cristina. The old line is now a near-level walking path between Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva, with information panels on the railway’s history.

It is the easiest walk in the valley: fine with a pushchair, good for half a day with children or for walking from one village to the next. From Santa Cristina to Ortisei the path drops gently; you can come back by bus.

The nativity scene at the Iman centre

In the Iman sports centre in the village you can see a large hand-carved wooden nativity scene by local sculptors, with life-size figures. It is on display all year and shows how alive the Val Gardena woodcarving tradition is here as well as in Ortisei. Check opening times at the tourist office before you go.

Col Raiser

The Col Raiser gondola starts in Santa Cristina and rises to 2,107 metres, onto the pastures below the Odle, facing Sass Rigais (3,025 m) and the Fermeda peaks. You are in the Puez-Odle Nature Park, part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site. In summer 2026 the gondola runs from 22 May to 1 November.

From the top there are easy walks across the pastures and a short walk to the Firenze hut (Regensburger Hütte, 2,037 m). If you want to hike up Seceda, start here: the ridge is about an hour and a half away (details in the summer section).

Seceda

Seceda (2,519 m) is the grassy ridge that drops sheer towards the Odle, one of the most photographed views in the Dolomites. It rises above Santa Cristina and Ortisei. The lifts that go straight to the top leave from Ortisei: in summer 2026 you had to book a 30-minute time slot online, and an adult return ticket cost €74.

From Santa Cristina there is an alternative: ride up Col Raiser and walk to the ridge. Times, prices, booking and the €5 fee charged in summer 2025 and 2026 at the most famous photo spot are all on our Seceda page.

Lake Iman (Lech da Iman)

Lech da Iman is a small mountain lake on the pastures between Seceda and Col Raiser, below the Odle. It lies on an easy route: from Seceda down to the Troier hut, past the lake to the Fermeda hut, 4.2 km in about an hour. Back to the valley on the Fermeda chairlift (open 20 June to 20 September in 2026) or on foot towards Col Raiser.

Monte Pana and Mont de Seura

On the south side of the village a chairlift goes up to Monte Pana, a meadow plateau at about 1,700 metres below the Sassolungo. This is the family area: flat walks in summer, a spherical sundial and a small 1930s chapel designed by the architect Franz Baumann. In winter it has the cross-country ski centre and easy slopes.

From Monte Pana a second chairlift goes up to Mont de Seura, with a close-up view of the Sassolungo. Summer 2026 dates: Santa Cristina – Monte Pana chairlift 6 June to 27 September, Mont de Seura 1 June to 11 October. A trail also leads from Monte Pana through the Jender valley to the Alpe di Siusi.

Sassolungo

The Sassolungo (3,181 m) closes off the valley south of Santa Cristina; you see it from everywhere in the village. The hike round the whole group is one of Val Gardena’s classic routes and starts at Monte Pana (see the summer section).

The Saslong and the World Cup

The Saslong is Santa Cristina’s black run, home to the men’s Alpine Ski World Cup races. It is famous for its “camel humps”, where racers jump at more than 100 km/h. In 2026 the races are on Friday 18 December (super-G) and Saturday 19 December (downhill).

If you want to watch live, book your accommodation early: the valley is full on those days.

Santa Cristina is part of the Val Gardena – Alpe di Siusi ski area (181 km of slopes and 79 lifts according to the Alpe di Siusi tourism board), which belongs to Dolomiti Superski: 12 ski areas and about 1,200 km of slopes on one pass. The 2026/27 season in Val Gardena is planned from 4 December 2026 to 4 April 2027.

Ski areas from the village

• Ciampinoi and Saslong: from the village the Saslong gondola takes you to the Saslong and Ciampinoi slopes, between Santa Cristina and Selva. These are the most demanding runs, the Saslong included.
• Col Raiser and Seceda: the Col Raiser gondola leads into the Seceda – Col Raiser area, with wide red and blue runs. From Seceda, La Longia runs down to Ortisei: over 10 km and 1,273 metres of descent, the longest run in South Tyrol. You get back to Santa Cristina on the Fermeda – S. Cristina run (6 km).
• Monte Pana: easy slopes and drag lifts below Ciampinoi, ideal for beginners and children.

Gardena Ronda Express and Sellaronda

The two halves of the ski area, Ciampinoi on one side and Col Raiser on the other, are linked by the Gardena Ronda Express: a 1.24 km underground funicular, opened in 2004, that runs beneath the village. You switch sides without taking your skis off or catching the ski bus.

From Ciampinoi you can also join the Sellaronda, the 44 km ski circuit round the Sella group, which crosses the Gardena Pass.

Ski pass

A one-day adult Dolomiti Superski pass in the 2026/27 high season costs €89. Passes valid only for Val Gardena and the Alpe di Siusi are cheaper: check current prices on the Dolomiti Superski website before you buy.

Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter walks

The Monte Pana cross-country centre has about 25 km of trails in five loops, from easy to difficult, between 1,600 and 1,750 metres. Experienced skiers can continue through the Jender valley to Saltria on the Alpe di Siusi.

On foot or on snowshoes there is a loop from Monte Pana to Saltria and back along the Jender stream: about 12 km, 3 hours 40 minutes, 340 metres of ascent. The Monte Pana chairlift runs daily from December to early April.

In summer Santa Cristina is a handy base for two hiking areas: north below the Odle with Col Raiser, and south around the Sassolungo with Monte Pana. As of 13 October 2026, only Col Raiser (until 1 November) and the Seceda lifts from Ortisei (until 2 November) are still running.

From Col Raiser to Seceda

The most varied way up Seceda from Santa Cristina. From the Col Raiser top station the panoramic path reaches the Seceda ridge in 3.5 km, about an hour and a half, with 430 metres of ascent. You can go down to Ortisei on the Seceda lifts and return by bus.

On foot from Santa Cristina to the Firenze hut and Seceda

No lifts: from the Col Raiser valley station, climb to the Firenze hut (2,037 m) and on to Seceda. It is 7.9 km, three and a half to four hours, with about 990 metres of ascent. A full day out, in proper hiking boots. In 2026 the hut was open from 1 June to 12 October.

Around the Sassolungo

Starting from Monte Pana, this route circles the entire Sassolungo group: 17.3 km, about five and a half hours, 842 metres up and down. It is graded difficult because of length and height gain, not technical sections. Start early and check the Monte Pana chairlift times so you don’t have to walk down at the end of the day.

Easy and family walks

• Old railway path: almost level between Santa Cristina, Ortisei and Selva, pushchair-friendly.
• Monte Pana: flat meadows, sundial and chapel, a few minutes from the chairlift.
• Col Raiser: short loops across the pastures below the Odle, with the Firenze hut close by.
• Village loop: about 4 km between farms and meadows, starting at the church.

• Ortisei: just down the valley, the largest village, with a pedestrian centre, the valley museum and the cable car to the Alpe di Siusi.
• Selva di Val Gardena: a little further up, the village closest to the Dolomite passes.
• Seceda: the ridge below the Odle, by lift from Ortisei or on foot from Col Raiser.
• Gardena Pass: the pass towards Alta Badia, below the Sella group.
• Val di Funes: the other side of the Odle, quieter and rural, reached by car via Chiusa.
• Alpe di Siusi: on foot from Monte Pana through the Jender valley, or by cable car from Ortisei.

Santa Cristina is smaller and quieter than Ortisei and Selva, but it is in the middle, which makes it the right compromise for many visitors. You will find hotels in every category, apartments, B&Bs and farms with rooms. Here are the areas and who they suit.

• Centre, near the church and the Saslong gondola: for skiers, a short walk from Ciampinoi and the Gardena Ronda Express. Also easy without a car, with bus stops on the main road.
• Col Raiser area: for summer hikers and for skiing Seceda in winter. A little out of the centre and quieter.
• Towards Monte Pana: for families with young children and cross-country skiers. More nature, fewer services within walking distance.
• Farms and houses on the slopes: for peace and sometimes lower prices, but you need a car.

For Christmas, New Year and the World Cup weekend (18–19 December 2026), book well ahead. In summer, peak season runs from July to mid-September.

By car

Take the Brenner motorway (A22) and leave at Chiusa / Val Gardena. From there follow the Val Gardena road: Santa Cristina is 28 km from the exit, after Ortisei. Coming from the south you can also leave at Bolzano Nord, follow signs for Ponte Gardena and then drive up the valley. If you drive in via Austria, allow for roadworks on the Lueg bridge on the Austrian side of the Brenner: on many days of the year it is down to one lane.

By train

The nearest stations are Ponte Gardena (18 km from Val Gardena), Chiusa (23 km), Bressanone (34 km) and Bolzano (40 km). EuroCity trains from Munich and Innsbruck stop at Bolzano and Bressanone. With Trenitalia’s FRECCIALink you buy one train + bus ticket from Milan, Verona, Bologna, Florence, Rome or Naples all the way to Santa Cristina.

By bus

Route 350 links Bolzano, Bressanone and Chiusa with Ponte Gardena and Val Gardena, stopping at Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva. If you arrive on a DB/ÖBB EuroCity, a €5 connecting ticket takes you on to the valley. Many places to stay give you the Val Gardena Guest Pass, which lets you use local buses free: ask when you book. Timetables on Südtirolmobil.

By plane

The closest airport is Bolzano, about 40 km from the valley. Other options are Innsbruck, across the Brenner, and, according to the Val Gardena tourism board, Verona (about 190 km), Venice and Bergamo (about 270 km), Munich (about 300 km), Milan Malpensa (about 350 km) and Zurich (about 420 km). From the airport, continue by train and bus or book a transfer.

Parking

There is parking at the lift valley stations (Col Raiser, Monte Pana) and in the village, but it fills up quickly in high season. If you are staying in the valley, use the bus with the Guest Pass. For Seceda from Ortisei, spaces are limited: go by bus. Prices and locations in the parking section of valgardena.it.

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