Ortisei is situated at 1.236 m above sea level and is the biggest village of Val Gardena. It counts 5750 inhabitants and has an inviting pedestrian area where to shop all year around.
Names: St. Ulrich in German, Urtijëi in Ladin
Ortisei ski resort - Val Gardena ski area
The skiing above Ortisei is made up of two completely different ski areas and, unlike the other two resorts in the valley, they are not really connected to one another. The first, to the south, is the plateau of the Alpe di Siusi, better known in German as the Seiser Alm and an intermediate's paradise of short blue and red runs set in stunning scenery. The second, on the northern side, are the connecting pistes and lifts to the main bowl above Santa Cristina.
Val Gardena - Ortisei skiing
Ortisei is perfect for beginners and intermediate skiers. It has up to 175 kilometres of slopes in its local ski area including the Val Gardena area including the Sella Ronda. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking with the hills said to glow a red hue in the sunset due to its limestone composition.
Beginners can start at the village level and gain some familiarity and a sense of what the pistes above hold. More advanced can take the gondola up to the Alpe di Siusi mountain for wide open and often sunny slopes. There are a few more gentle and cruisy blues to explore here.
Intermediate skiers have over 100 kilometres of slopes to explore at Ortisei and the rest of the Val Gardena. The Sella Ronda circuit is perhaps the most inviting challenge for intermediates to take on, with access to the circuit very easy from Ortisei. There is also a good amount of runs on the Mont de Seura at 2,117 metres altitude which also includes some exciting tree-lined runs. There are also long, wide-open reds coming down the Punta d’Oro Goldknopf at 2,210 metres with splendid views of the Langkofel mountains.
Advanced skiers will find a few blacks at Ortisei ski resort with a couple on Mont de Seura, with the main black being the 10 kilometres run from Seceda mountain at 2,518 metres. Additional challenges can be found in Selva Val Gardena and S.Cristina, which hosts the Men's World Cup run from the top of the Ciamponi.
Ortisei village
The village Ortisei is situated 1.236 m above sea level and is with 5.791 inhabitants, the main village of Val Gardena.
The village is full of character made up of pastel-coloured buildings. The pedestrianised centre is the place to be, for evening strolls, browsing shops and drinking coffee; there’s a strong traditional feel around the old church and a sense that you might be in deepest Austria rather than Italy.
After a day on the slopes, enjoy the resort’s large number of shops or indulge in food and drink at the rustic Tyrolean style pizzerias and lively après-bars.
Most of Ortisei’s hotels have a fantastic spa and swimming pool facilities some of which are not exclusive to guests at the hotels so you can make bookings if you reside in self-catering accommodation that does not have any wellness facilities.
In Ortisei in Italy, you can visit the traditional woodcarving workshops. There you can watch the craftsmen at work and treat yourself to a piece of Gardena woodcarving art. The collection of artisanal art of the valley from the 17th century until today is especially worth seeing.