VAL DI SOLE

"The valley of sun" - the most concise yet meaningful description of a ski resort.

All types of ski runs, caroussels, interchangeable lift tickets... for some tourists this is not enough, because they prefer the silence of peaks and snow-dressed valleys. There are people and people - some opt for the marked trails; others prefer the contact with untamed nature. The mountains surrounding Val di Sole are a challenge; conquering them provokes all ski-mountaineering enthusiasts.

Among the numerous itineraries that are offered, the ascent to peak Cima Venezia (3 290 m.) across the Vedretta Pass is one of the most interesting. It is followed by the "Pisgana descent" - a wonderful, 14-km long downslope run, with a 2000 m vertical declination, (claimed by many as one of Europe's most beautiful descents). The whole itinerary can be done in one day: take advantage of the Passo Tonale lift facilities (drag-lift, chairlift and cable car) from the pass up to Capanna Presena and to the Bocchetta degli Sciatori (2 980 m); then you can continue down to the Mandrone Alpine Hut. This is the starting point of the uphill plateau heading up to the Passo della Valletta (3,191 m. high); hence with a last effort you will get up on top of Monte Venezia, where the view is magestic.

If you go down the Pisgana western hanging glacier, you will experience unforgettable emotions in the snow fairytale of beautiful sceneries.
Other classical routes are those to Mount Cevedale (3769 m), to Cima Presanella (3558 m), Punta San Matteo (3,678 m.), Cima Rossa of Saent (3347 m). It is highly recommended that you contact the Val di Sole Alpine Guides before starting out on an excursion.

Apart from guiding safe ski-mountaineering hikes, Alpine Guides will provide information on technical details, snow & weather conditions, as well as suggested itineraries.

Val di Sole has a history that has seen the course of millenniums. Four thousands years before Christ the Celts settled here, followed by the Rhaetians and Romans. After that, the Franks passed through the area, then the prince-bishops of Trento and eventually the Austro-Hungarian dynasty ruled for quite some time. In the 19th century, Irredentistic movements were created; in the First World War, Val di Sole was frontier land, and after The Second World War the emmigration phenomenon accelerated. Val di Sole treasures rural buildings of cultural value, fortresses, castles, palaces and churches, where sometimes you can discover for yourself very interesting past relics. For those who prefer a visit under the guidance of an expert guide who can thoroughly explain every detail; you just need to register for participation in one of the numerous cultural visits, with the Information Office. You can choose between several historical-cultural itineraries in the towns where you can find the most significant monuments.

A well-rated agricultural produce is grown in the Valley, whose name is actually more closely linked with the adjacent Val di Non: the apple sort, and namely the so-called Melinda, well known on all national markets. In the lower valley, you will notice orderly rows of orchards, while at the S.Apoolonia Warehouse in Caldes you will have an opportunity to buy the "Val di Non apples" grown in Val di Sole. In Val di Sole there is an ethnographic museum worth visiting.