So much to see

Val Gardena is internationally renowned for its wood carving tradition. Many of our skilled carvers learn the craft from their parents and pass it on to the next generation. By purchasing a nativity scene, a religious figure or a wooden toy as a souvenir, what you take home with you is an authentic piece of Val Gardena culture. Locals are very attached to their traditions, and this bond is also revealed in the typical costumes proudly worn during parades and folk festivals. With their feather-embroidered leather belts and elaborate headdresses, these are among the most beautiful examples of traditional attire in the Alpine region. 

Val Gardena’s entire landscape is like an open-air gallery, but to delve deeper into specific aspects of the local culture and tradition, we recommend visiting the valley’s museums. Head to Museum Gherdëina for a display of fossils and minerals, wooden toys, secular and sacred wood carvings, film props, posters and books by local mountaineering legend Luis Trenker. For insights into the history of the former Val Gardena railway there’s the Val Gardena Railway Tunnel museum, and for a touch of variety, the Tublà da Nives culture centre hosts a variety of events, from art and history exhibitions to lectures, literary performances and concerts.

The Dolomites are not the only silent witnesses to Val Gardena’s past; several castles and ruins dot the landscape offering a glimpse into bygone times. Visit the impressive ruins of Wolkenstein Castle, sitting against Mt. Stevia like an eagle’s nest, or the ruins of Stetteneck Castle, on the Pincanhügel hill in Ortisei, which owe their discovery to one of the many legends of the Dolomites. For well-preserved castles, head to Castle Fischburg between Selva and Santa Cristina and Castle Trostburg in Ponte Gardena – the latter was the home of the minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein and remains to this day one of the most magnificent castle complexes in South Tyrol.