It is no coincidence that Trentino is one of the most popular destinations not only for lovers of skiing and winter sports, but also for those who love the mountains and hiking. In fact, there are many places that offer particularly suggestive routes and, between the provinces of Trento, Bolzano and Belluno, in Veneto, there is one of the most fascinating: Sella Ronda, also known as the Tour of the Four Passes.
This is the name of the road route that goes around Mount Sella, both with ski slopes and a hiking trail that combines four different Alpine passes, allowing you to immerse yourself completely in the Dolomites.
THE VALLEYS CROSSED:
Through the Sellaronda, in fact, you cross the most beautiful valleys of the Dolomites: Val di Fassa, Val Gardena, Val Badia, Val di Livinallongo del Col di Lana, all joined together by a path that plunges into the woods and mountain valleys.
BY BIKE:
Due to its beauty and its conformation, the Sellaronda is much loved by cyclists: the entire route, in fact, can be covered by bicycle, and is the scene, every year, of the Marathon of the Dolomites, the most famous mountain cycling event, which takes place every summer in July and sees a very large turnout not only from the others Italian regions but also from the rest of Europe.
ON FOOT
If you want to admire the route on foot, starting from Passo Sella, the best thing is to reach the Sella Refuge, which offers an unforgettable view of the valleys and Sassolungo, a mountain massif between the Val Gardena and the Val di Fassa: starting from the refuge, you can head through the well-marked mountain paths towards the Forcella di Sassolungo.
It is an old structure still fully functional which, passing over the ruins of an ancient landslide, leads to the Forcella refuge, over 2500 meters high.
But the other three passes also offer unique naturalistic spectacles: the Passo Gardena, for example, wilder than the others, and, precisely for this reason, suitable for more experienced hikers, and to be tempted only with a favorable climate, it is characterized by a landscape full of spiers and roughness, as well as the Passo Pordoi, characterized by enchanting valleys full of farms that act as a counterbalance to rocky walls suitable for the most skilled climbers.
Finally, the Campolongo pass, which joins the Val di Livinallongo with the Val Badia, offering visitors a series of small tourist villages in which to try the local gastronomy and be tempted by crafts.
WITH SKIS
For those who want to cross the Sellaronda on skis, there are two routes that run around the massif.
Offering all the glimpses of the mountains with very long descents in the silence of the valleys: placed in two opposite directions, in fact, you can try the green path and the orange path, very popular tracks at any time of the year.
1) The green slope is the most relaxing and most suitable for those who are less familiar with skis: the starting and ending point is Selva di Val Gardena and, proceeding in anticlockwise and using the various chairlifts, you pass near Canazei and through Arabba, one of the most modern and popular lifts in the area.
2) The orange Sella Ronda route is more difficult, which proceeds clockwise and also starts and ends in Selva di Val Gardena, passing through Corvara in Badia and, also, Arabba, and tackling more challenging climbs and descents , like the one called White Wolf.
Furthermore, both routes acquire a particular charm in the hot period, when the climate is better and the sky is clear and blue: moreover, although training is essential to try them, the efficient bus service present in the lifts allows you to stop at any time to leave the slopes, allowing you to relax even more in the snow-covered landscapes.