The Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park, which was established in 1980, runs along the eastern side of the Badia Valley and extends to the Prato Piazza plain above Landro. Together with the neighbouring Ampezzo Dolomites Park, it forms a unique extension of first-class scenic beauty. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park covers an area of 25,680 hectares and is the largest in South Tyrol.
It is characterised by peaks that reach 3,000 m, such as Croda Rossa d'Ampezzo (3,146 m), Cima Cunturines (3,064 m), La Varella (3,055 m) and Cima Dieci (3,026 m), and by wide plateaus, such as Fanes, Sennes, Fosses and Prato Piazza, which are characterised by karst phenomena: here you can admire karst fields, wells and cracks typical of karst landscapes.
Not only is the park inextricably linked to the Ladin legends of the famous Fanes cycle, but it is also home to numerous herds of chamois. On the barren plateaus of Fanes and Sennes, along with the herds, there are marmots - the symbol of the park - ibexes, eagle owls, owls, foxes, eagles...
Within the park territory there are also several lakes, including the beautiful and now famous Braies lake, as well as those of Dobbiaco, Limo, Piciodel and Rufiedo.
The park is famous for the Conturines cave at Fanes: here, in 1987, fossils of a bear were found, the Ladin bear that lived in the Austrian Alps 50,000 years ago. Today the cave is the highest bear cave in the world. The Armentara meadows and the Alpe di Fanes and its rocky amphitheatre called the "marmot parliament" are also worth a visit.
What to see in the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park
In San Vigilio di Marebbe you will find the park's Visitor Centre, where you can find information about the area, showcases with panels explaining the formation of the Dolomites and fossils, and information about beekeeping and the Conturines bear. In the basement there is a reconstruction of the Conturines cave where the skeleton of the bear is exhibited. Upstairs there are terrariums with live amphibians and reptiles and a children's play area.
The main huts
There are many itineraries winding through the park that allow you to reach the numerous refuges at high altitude. Among the main ones:
- Pederu (1458 m)
- Senes (2126 m)
- Fanes (m. 2062)
- Lavarella (m. 2042)
- Fodara Vedla (m. 1980)
- Munt de Sennes (2126 m)
- Scotoni (m. 2040)
- Vallandro (m.2040)
The park is crossed by the Alpine Path of the Dolomites n.1 and the Alpine Path of the Dolomites n.3.
How to get to the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park
The main accesses are: the two branches of the Braies valley (from the lake of the same name or from "Ponticello"), San Cassiano in Badia, Mareo valley, Rudo valley and the Tamersc valley, behind the village of San Vigilio di Marebbe.
Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park visitor centre
Via Katharina Lanz 96
39030 San Vigilio di Marebbe
Tel. (+39) 0474 506120
