Selva Val Gardena resort guide - a general overview
Selva is set in the valley of Val Gardena among the Sassolungo, Puez and the Sella Massif mountains and is one of the most popular ski destinations in Europe. The resort has a famous downhill run where the FIS Men's Alpine Skiing World Cup takes place each year. The ski area surrounds the villages of Ortisei, S. Cristina and Selva and gives access to impressive mountains with attractive tree-lined pistes.
In the past years the slopes around the villages have been linked so that the whole Gardena Valley and the Alpe di Siusi can be reached on skis. The main attractions for skiers are the World Championship runs Saslong, Cir, Tre, Seceda and Mont Seura, which offer some decent verticals with challenging skiing.
With easy access on both sides of the town, Selva is an excellent centre with some superb local skiing (local area has 176km of pistes) as well as good access to Alta Badia via the Dantercepies gondola.
Your lift pass covers the entire Dolomiti Superski area which features 12 skiing areas, 450 lifts and up to 1,220km of pistes!
If you are staying in a hotel or chalet in Selva you have access to an extensive lift system that includes a unique circular ski route called the 'Sella Ronda', which leads round the mighty Sella Massif and links the four valleys of Gardena, Fassa, Livinallongo and Badia.
The Sella Ronda is made up of a series of ski-lifts and downhill runs, all linked to one another and set against a background of woods, rocky peaks and expanses of snow. You can travel in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction - both are well sign-posted at every junction. The best skiing can be found by going off the Sella Ronda and exploring one or two of the individual resorts before continuing on your journey.
With only 2% of visitors coming from the UK, South Tyrol is a secret ski spot, waiting to be discovered. Selva is definitely the place to come to escape crowded slopes and lift queues.
Resort stats
433km
1,565m - 2,520m
Level of skiing
- Beginners
- Intermediates
- Experts
- Snow sure
- Off-piste
- Ski area
Qualities
- Charm factor
- Non-skiers
- Nightlife
- Resort layout
- Fine dining
- Short transfer
- Resort value
Airports
- Bolzano
- 45mins
- Verona
- 2hrs 15mins
- Innsbruck
- 1hr 45mins
9 ski chalets in Selva View All
7 hotels in Selva, Italy View All
Selva, Italy
Hotel Mignon
Selva, Italy
Hotel Somont
Selva, Italy
Mountain Design Hotel Eden
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Huge circular network of connected slopes great for intermediates
- Stunning limestone Dolomite scenery
- There are great value hotels and chalets in Selva
- Fantastic Italian food in atmospheric mountain huts
- Mixture of tree lined and open slopes for all weather conditions
Cons
- Off-Piste skiing
Restaurants
Selva Resort Restaurants
If you want to venture out of your chalets or hotels. Selva has an adequate choice of restaurants, mainly located in hotels or B&B guest houses. The local cuisine tends to be a mix of Austrian and Italian. Rinos and Bellavista are great for families, with tasty pizzas, whilst Scoiatollo is a lovely Tyrolean style restaurant with local dishes. Sal Fleur and Miravelle are also recommended.
Selva Mountain Restaurants
A mecca of lively mountain huts with good food, lots of character and modest prices. Where you eat will depend on which area you happen to be skiing in or the location of your chalet. Selva has a particularly good sector of huts in the Seceda area.The Danielhutte underneith the Fermeda chairlift, is a locals' favourite. The Curona, is a smaller hut near the top of "La Longia". Baita Panorama on the Dantacepies piste above the chalets and hotels Selva, is small and cosy and has good homely fare and yummy cakes. For sun worshipers who like a little lunch head for the Ciampac. Other recommendations are; Il Fienile Monte (in the ski area Passo Sella), L Muliné (near the downhill slope Saslong), Emilio Comici (Plan de Gralba).
Selva Apres Ski
Before descending to your chalets or hotels, Selva has some great distractions. Piz Seteur is a place where you can expect a lively buzz. At the base of the slopes La Sua is a popular stop with live music. Cafe Mozart on the main street serves the most incredible hot chocolate and cakes for those with a sweet tooth. For a more lively apres ski vibe head to Saltas Bar and La Bula where they have a live DJ.
Selva Nightlife
In Selva Gardena head to Goalie's Irish Pub, it is very popular, with an apres ski happy hour every night, good music and frequent theme nights. If you want to party all night go to the Dali-Disco dance club for the latest house and pop music mixed with some old classic hits. The Val Gardena Night Bus tends to operate between 8pm and 2.30am every night between Ortisei and Selva Gardena enabling guests to stay in one Village and dine out in another. The bus trip costs approximately 3 Euros. However, many people who choose to stay in Selva or Val Gardena chalets and hotels value the quieter late nights.
Funicular
Cable Car
Gondola
Chair lift
Drag lift
Property
