Canazei is a mountain village belonging to the province of Trento and placed in a fascinating natural valley in the most northern area of the wonderful Val di Fassa. It is surrounded by magnificent Dolomites peaks like those called Colac’, Marmolada, Gruppo del Sella and Col Rodella.

Canazei and its valley

Canazei and its valley

This is the most important Val di Fassa tourist village being also part of the ski area called “Carosello Sella Ronda” that it the biggest one in the Alpine arch connecting the nearest Dolomites valleys and the neighboring villages of  Selva di Val Gardena, Corvara in Badia, and  Arabba that are all easily reachable from Canazei.

The Dolomites surrounding Canazei

The Dolomites surrounding Canazei

This village offers you many wonderful landscapes together with several sport buildings, 78 ski slopes, and many sky lifts like 9 aerial lifts, 51 platter lifts, 2 funitels and 29 chairlifts. Canazei is in fact a big winter centre made up by four easily reachable ski areas called Belvedere, Ciampac, Col Rodella and Marmolada that are also associated with the widest Dolomiti Superski area, so all the ski lifts can be used having a unique ski pass.

The Canazei ski slopes

The Canazei ski slopes

This interchange allows tourists to have fun crossing 1.100 km of ski slopes connected by more or less 400 modern and efficient ski lifts.

A chairlift in Canazei

A chairlift in Canazei

There also is the striking path called “Sellaronda, Giro dei quattro passi” made up by a lot of ski slopes that surround the Sella Massif crossing the four valleys called Fassa, Gardena, Badia and Livinallongo that will lead you to other ski areas of the Alto-Adige region. Practically you can experience new slopes every day.

In the near village of Pozza di Fassa there also is a ski slope provided with a nightly lighting. In the Canazei urban centre there is the Ciampac funitel that will bring you to the ski area called Ciampac-Buffaure allowing you to arrive in Pozza di Fassa wearing your skis.

The 50 cross-country ski slopes are constantly cured being also part of the famous “Marcialongapath. Also on the Ciampac and on the Pian Trevisan ski resort there are some slopes for this particular sport.

One of the most loved activities is the Alpine skiing: many competitions are organized in Val di Fassa and particularly in Canazei. The most important challenge is which one called “Sellaronda Skimarathon” that takes place in February on the “Quattro Passipath during the night.

The Sellaronda Skimarathon

The Sellaronda Skimarathon

You can also do excursions wearing particular snowshoes called “ciaspole” to discover the uncontaminated nature of the surrounding woods. For the most romantic tourists there also is the possibility of doing relaxing tours on a sleigh drawn by horses. Another option is to do funny snowmobile races.

Touring on a horses drawn sleigh

Touring on a horses drawn sleigh

Staying in Canazei in fact you can practice many winter sports: in the covered ice stadium of Alba, a neighboring small village,  you can ice skate thanks to the presence of a well equipped hire centre and of professional teachers. This also is the official stadium of the Hockey S.H.C. Fassa Levoni team and so, for this reason, here you can also watch many sport events.

Thanks to all this elements, many international tourists arrive every year in Canazei being attracted by very modern sport buildings ideal for any kind of activities including rock climbing and paragliding.

The rock climbing in Canazei

The rock climbing in Canazei

The paragliding in Canazei

The paragliding in Canazei

After having skied, you can eat some delicious typical dishes made up by game and polenta (the Italian cornmeal porridge) in one of the several restaurants of this village. Then you can finish your day spending the night in one of the local night clubs.

A polenta pan on the snow

A polenta pan on the snow

During springtime the most appreciated sport is the ski touring and during summertime you can go for a walk by foot or by bike discovering all the Dolomites natural marvels.  From Canazei you can arrive at the bottom of the Marmolada massif or you can reach fascinating panoramic passes like the Passo Sella and the Passo Pordoi.

Canazei during summertime

Canazei during summertime

A path for summer walk

A path for summer walk

Other two places that deserve your attention near Canazei are the beautiful Fedaia artificial lake and the Avisio river bank.

The Fedaia artificial lake

The Fedaia artificial lake

The Avisio river bank

The Avisio river bank

Canazei offers you also many cultural features: in the local architecture you can still note the Ladini influence. The inhabitants do all their best to preserve their cultural origins that are still alive in their popular habits, in their country dances and in the local exhibitions and theatrical shows.

A typical Canazei house

A typical Canazei house

Events

All year long many events occur in Canazei:  in winter, for example, there is the famous nightly alpine ski racing called “Sellaronda Skimarathon” while in summer there is the spectacular “Dolomites Skyrace” that is the important race belonging to the World Skyrunning  Championship. Other two important summer events are:

- “Te anter i tobie” that literally means “Among the barns” because during this event all the ancient barns are open and all the artisans start working like they did many years ago in order to show to tourists all the old crafts that are about to disappear.

- The other very characteristic event is which one called “Festa d’Ista” that literally means “Summer feast”:  all inhabitants wear the traditional dresses in a colorful folkloristic parade.

The “Festa dIsta” folkloristic parade

The “Festa d'Ista” folkloristic parade

How to arrive in Canazei

By Car

Coming from the A22 Highway of the Brennero you can arrive to the Egna-Ora exit or to the Bolzano nord exit.

From the Egna-Ora exit you should go on through the freeway SS48 of the Dolomites towards Cavalese and then go on towards Canazei and the Val di Fassa crossing the San Lugano Pass.

From the Bolzano nord exit you should go on towards the Val d’Ega and the Costalunga Pass through the free way SS241. After the this Pass you will arrive in the Vigo di Fassa village.

Coming from the A27 Mestre-Belluno Highway you should arrive until the Belluno exit and then you should go on towards Agordino, Cencenighe and towards the San Pellegrino Pass through the free way SS203.

By Bus:

There are daily direct buses that will lead you in Canazei leaving from the Trento (Atesina), Ora (Sad) and Bolzano (Sad) railway station.

During the high season there also are direct buses that leave from the main Italian cities like Milan, Florence, Venice and Parma.

By Train:

The nearest international railway stations are which one of Bolzano and Trento; there also is the smaller Ora-Auer railway station.

By Plain:

Travelling by plain you can arrive in one of these airports:

The Airport of Bolzano (50 km far from Canazei)
The Airport of Innsbruck (190 km far from Canazei)
The Airport of Milan (350 km far from Canazei)
The Airport of Monaco di Baviera (320 km far from Canazei)
The Airport of Venice (177 km far from Canazei)
The Airport  of Verona (180 km far from Canazei)

…Enjoy your stay in Canazei!



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