I came to Selva Val Gardena/Wolkenstein in August 2017 and stayed at Hotel Portillo Dolomites 1966…read more My friends and I took the train from Rome to Bolzano and rented a car to Val Gardena. We took the lift up to the top and did a 12 mile hike. I should've prepared better than wear a pair of Nike Flyknits during the hike. I felt almost every piece of gravel on my sole. Around mile 7 we stopped at the Riese Haunold Hütte for lunch. Had poltena, sausage and short rib combo along with a beer. Had enough energy to do the next 5 miles. It does get busier in the afternoon and that's when the hike speed throttles with hike guides and other hikers. It's not everyday I get to hike in the Italian Alps and see the typical tourists like Florence or Venice. I think my friends and I were the only Asian hikers along the path. Haha. It was an amazing hike with a lifetime of memories and good eats and beer at the Hütte.

This is one of my favorite spots to ski in Europe (at least of the ones I have been to thus far)…read more There is a ton of terrain easily accessible from the three villages in the valley. While it may feel a bit out of the way to get there, it is totally worth it if you are planning on spending multiple days skiing there. There's a good mix of terrain and if you are looking for some challenging pitches, you will find it from time to time. On my most recent visit to Val Gardena, we stayed in Hotel Antares in Selva (winter 2012). This area is part of the Dolomiti Superski pass, so you are able to venture into other nearby areas if you are willing to do so (places like Alta Badia, Cortina, and Kronplatz are all included). Additionally, if you are looking for a day off to rest the legs, Bolzano is a relatively short bus ride away and is an interesting day trip. While in Val Gardena, if you haven't tried the Sella Ronda, it is definitely worth doing. While it is more of a circuit than a trail, which is 26km long and takes you around the massive Sella mountain. It takes nearly all day, and you have to mindful of the clock to a certain extent as lifts close at certain times and you don't want to get stuck (read: expensive cab ride). Green and orange markers take you clockwise or counter clockwise. Another option is heading over to Ortisei, which is probably the largest town in the valley and skiing some of the cruising trails over there. On a nice sunny day, you will get a great view in what feels like more wide open terrain. I spent a week skiing here in 2012 and never got bored with the terrain. We lucked out with good (not excellent) skiing conditions, but for early March it was better than expected.