Civetta and the Val di Zoldo valley: ski and trekking holidays in the mountains

At the foot of the Pelmo and Civetta mountains lies Val di Zoldo, a land of ancient traditions, immersed in a still authentic nature. 

Val di Zoldo: what to do in winter

The Val di Zoldo is one of the three valleys included in the Civetta Ski, together with the Cordevole valley and the Val Fiorentina valley. One of the biggest and most exciting ski areas of the Dolomites, the Civetta Ski is the dream of every skier: no less than 80 km of ski runs for Alpine skiing, with always perfect snow cover, of every difficulty level and suitable for both experts and beginners, surrounded by a scenery that never ceases to amaze for its unique beauty.

Do you prefer Nordic skiing? You can choose among 40 km of wonderful trails entering the silence of snowy forests. Some of the most important trails are found right in this valley: in Palafavera, near the lift facilities, and in Forno di Zoldo, not far from the center of the village. In addition, Palafavera is an important junction connecting the resorts of Zoldo, Alleghe and Selva di Cadore, and offers to its visitors the wonderful 2000 ski run, one of the most thrilling of this area.

And if at the end of an exciting day on the skis you still don't feel tired, in the Val di Zoldo valley you can feel the thrill of skiing under the moonlight on wonderful floodlit trails for Alpine skiing in Pecol of Zoldo Alto, and for cross-country-skiing in Campo of Forno di Zoldo. Are you looking for a holiday between sport and culture? Try the by now famous First World War ski tour, a trail winding at the feet of the major Dolomites through the places where the First World War was fought, to discover with the skis on your feet the trenches and the ruins of the ancient forts.

The Val di Zoldo valley offers you much more than skiing: here in fact you can practice countless other winter sports. Snowboarding lovers can perform acrobatic tricks in the well equipped snowboard park in Zoldo Alto, floodlit to allow freestylers to practice until late at night. There are also wonderful snowshoeing trails, to discover the subtle and unknown beauty of the mountains in winter. Other activities you can practice are ice-climbing, ice-skating, hockey, sledding in Palafavera and romantic horse-drawn sleigh rides in Mareson. Two are the ski schools of the valley, and children can play and approach winter sports in the winter playground of Palma, in Zoldo Alto.

Val di Zoldo: what to do in summer

In summer the Val di Zoldo offers a scenery that will remain in your heart. An uncontaminated and often wild nature welcomes small villages holding an ancient history, overlooked by some of the most beautiful and imposing peaks of the Dolomites. It is not by chance the valley has always been a favourite destination for trekkers and mountaineers, who here can choose among many paths, vie ferrate and climbing routes. One of the most famous and spectacular routes, even if quite long and difficult, is the Via Ferrata degli Alleghesi, going up from Coldai refuge, above Palafavera, to the peak of the Civetta massif. From Palafavera you can also reach the Vazzoler hut, starting point of another route known for being one of the most ancient and hazardous, the Via Ferrata Attilio Tissi. The Haute Routes n. 1 and n. 3 cross the valley, while the Anello Zoldano circles around it and allows you to admire in six stages all the surrounding peaks. 

Moreover, the valley offers many trails, of different length and difficulty, for mountain biking lovers, and is perfect for who want to explore it with a cycle or bike. Many are the sports competitions, like the Civetta Superbike, the Transcivetta and the Transpelmo.

A holiday in Val di Zoldo is also synonymous with culture. There are many testimonies to be discovered as you walk along the valley floor. In Brusadaz, for example, there is the old Costa mill, while just outside the village the remains of the old mines are visible. Also noteworthy are some old houses, such as Casa Rizzardini, the mills, the Church of San Nicolò in Fusine and the Valentino Church in Mareson, which houses an altar of the Holy Cross by Andrea Brustolon inside.

Val di Zoldo: mountaineers' village

Val di Zoldo, together with Zoppé di Cadore and Cibiana, is part of the mountaineers' village "Bergsteigerdorf", an international reality spread in Austria, Slovenia and Germany. The mountaineers' village is an authentic place, untouched by mountain culture and traditions and immersed in the unspoilt nature of the Alps. The villages that are part of it have to respect the municipalities of the Alpine Convention and the criteria that make it so unique compared to other tourist destinations.

The ice-cream makers' valley and typical specialties

The Val di Zoldo valley tells an ancient story of sacrifice and love for the country. Once, form the mines of the valley the people extracted the iron necessary to forge the nails destined to Venice, but subsequently they had to emigrate to every part of the world, becoming masters in the production of homemade ice cream. This tradition is still alive nowadays.

A holiday in the valley would be incomplete without a visit to the museums telling its history and traditions, or without a taste of the local cuisine, made by simple yet tasty recipes, like the "casonziei", pumpkin-filled ravioli served with melted butter and ricotta cheese; the "gnoch da zuca", gnocchi made out of pumpkin and potatoes served with melted butter and ricotta cheese; pastin, a pork meat dough salted and spiced following a "secret recipe", to be eaten raw or grilled and served with polenta and mushrooms. Of course there are also flavoured grappas, and the dessert par excellence of this valley, the ice cream.

How to get to Val di Zoldo

By car:
From the south (Pianura Padana, Venezia, A27 motorway): Val di Zoldo can be reached by taking the A27 motorway. Going out to Pian de Vedoia, proceeding towards Cortina, up to the height of Longarone, where you must turn left (towards the west). Then you go up the state road 251 of Val di Zoldo and Val Cellina, reaching after about 30 minutes Val di Zoldo. The first town you will meet is Forno, after further 10 km you can reach Pecol.
From the east (Cortina and Cadore): Val di Zoldo can be reached from Passo Cibiana, which connects Cadore with the Val di Zoldo territory. Going along Passo Cibiana, from Val di Zoldo Cortina is reachable in about one hour by road.
From the west (Agordo): Val di Zoldo is connected to the territories of Agordo and Valle Agordina through Passo Duran.
From the north (Arabba, Alleghe, Selva di Cadore): access to the Val di Zoldo takes place through Passo Staulanza, which connects the Zoldano territories with those of Alleghe, Selva di Cadore, Colle Santa Lucia and others of the Alto Agordino.

By train: the nearest railway station is Longarone - Zoldo, which is about 20 km from Forno and about 30 km from Pecol. The Ponte nelle Alpi - Polpet and Belluno stations are also recommended to avoid the many changes. From these stations, if you want to use public transport, you need to take the Dolomitibus company bus.

By bus: the buses operating in the Province of Belluno belong to the Dolomitibus transport company. The main line that interests the Val di Zoldo is line 25 (Belluno - Pecol), operative in Summer, and in Winter with some reduction. Interesting in Val di Zoldo, the lines 40 Zoppè di Cadore - Forno, and 10_E (attention: only in Summer) Venezia piazzale Roma - Caprile.

By plane:
The nearest international airports are Treviso Antonio Canova Airport (103 km) and Venice Marco Polo Airport (114 km).