Sella

I have written about the Dolomites so many times already. If I would have to choose my favorite place on Earth – only one – that would be the Dolomites, without a doubt.

This time I would like to show you through photos the central part of The Dolomites, the massif Sella, that lies north from glacier Marmolada and east from Sassolungo Langkoffel and is surrounded with four beautiful mountain passes – Sella Pass, Pordoi Pass, Gardena Pass and Campolongo Pass.

The drive around Sella itself is great pleasure with views that take away your breath. But for all of you that just driving around is not enough; there are many walking, trekking and climbing paths. The highest peak of Sella is Piz Boe (3151 m) which Peter and I climbed on in time, when we didn´t have kids yet. Trekking to Piz Boe isn´t hard, but you have to be in good shape anyway. If you don´t like trekking like that, you can go by gondola from Pordoi Pass to Sass Pordoi (2952 m), which is on south part of massif Sella and enjoy looking on a landscape that resembles Moon more than Earth.

When we decide to explore places around Sella, Marmolada and Sassolungo, we go to camp in Canazei or Campitello. Because we prefer summer Dolomites over winter Dolomites, we try to avoid going there in August, because Italians have summer break in that month and therefore it is crowded. But if you are going there in that time – whatever reason for – you should have enough time the first day, because it can happen that some camps will be full. But there is no reason to panic – there are lots of camps from Canazei to Moena and that area is great to explore another pearl of the Dolomites – Rosengarten group or Gruppo del Catinaccio. You can go from little town Pero (that is situated between Moena and Campitello) with bus (that regularly drives there, just find an information about schedule, because the road is closed for cars and motorbikes) to Rifugio Gardeccia and from there to Rifugio Vajolet and further to Torri del Vajolet (Vajolet towers). It is one of the most beautiful tours in the Dolomites. First part of it (to Rifugio Vajolet) is suitable for young children as well.

Even if you don´t reach massif Sella while visiting central part of the Dolomites, you have enough walking paths around Passo Sella and Passo Gardena. One that we like is on hill opposite of Sella, that is named Belvedere and there are views on Marmolada, Sella and Sasolungo. Going to Belvedere with gondola and walk on it – shorter or longer trekking – are good opportunity to explore and enjoy views around Sella.
On west side of Sella towards Cortina, there is Alta Badia with its idyllic villages Corvara and Colfosco.

We never run out of ideas to explore the Dolomites. I hope it stays that way for a long time.