There comes a moment, during a summer holiday in Moena, when you realise the programme you had planned no longer matters. Not because there’s nothing to do – quite the opposite. It’s that the air, the village’s slow pace and the woods just a hiking boot away change your priorities almost automatically.
Here are ten experiences that tell the story of this Dolomite summer better than any brochure.
Not the twenty-minute stroll just to say you did it. A real outing, with the right shoes, some elevation gain and a mountain hut as your final goal. Moena is the ideal starting point for trails graded from T to EE, within reach of Alpe Lusia, Val San Nicolò, the San Pellegrino Pass and the foothills of the Catinaccio.
Each of these areas is different: Alpe Lusia open and rich in pastures, San Pellegrino wilder and marked by the history of the First World War, Val San Nicolò secluded and silent. Three days are enough to understand how varied the mountains around a single village can be.
The enrosadira is the optical phenomenon that turns the Dolomite peaks pink at dawn and dusk, and it has inspired centuries of Ladin legends, including that of King Laurin. You can see it from the centre of Moena, looking at the Catinaccio. But seeing it at altitude – on a plateau or at a hut, after a walk that made you earn it – is an experience of a different order.
The enrosadira is “much more than a simple sunset”: an explosion of shades that lights up the sky and is reflected on the Dolomites, best enjoyed in the silence of nature, perhaps on a guided walk through the woods. In September, during the Puzzone Festival, there is even a sunset dinner by Michelin-starred chef Alfio Ghezzi at the InAlto restaurant, at 2,500 metres on Col Margherita. An experience that is hard to forget.
How often is a hotel spa seen as the alternative to a bad-weather day? In Moena it works differently. After a day at altitude, with your lungs full of fresh air and your legs having done their work, heading down to the wellness centre of Hotel Cavalletto becomes the natural finale of a perfect day.
Jacuzzi, Finnish sauna, aromatherapy Turkish bath, salt grotto, Scottish shower, ice fountain and relaxation area: all included in your stay, with no bookings or supplements. The hot–cold sequence in the mountains has a regenerating effect you just can’t replicate in the city.
Moena has a pedestrian centre that is rare among mountain resorts. The scenic bypass has freed the main streets from traffic, and the result is a village where walking is a pleasure at any time of day. Balconies overflowing with the geraniums typical of Ladin houses, wooden buildings with frescoes, craft workshops, cafés with outdoor tables.
Wandering the streets of the old town, you discover Moena’s true soul: step by step you come across elegant buildings, magnificent frescoes and picturesque squares, with the authentic mountain atmosphere that envelops Dolomite villages. In the evenings the village often comes alive with events, live music and summer happenings organised by local associations. For the up-to-date calendar, just ask at reception or check visitmoena.it.
It’s one of those things that seem ordinary until you actually do it. Reaching a mountain hut on foot, with a little effort, sitting outside and ordering canederli with mountain butter or a slice of Puzzone with polenta is the quintessential Dolomite experience. Views of the most beautiful peaks included, at no extra charge.
On the way to Malga Peniola, through the hamlet of Sorte, you will pass Malga Panna – a historic hut turned into a restaurant in the 1950s by the Donei family, which has become one of the best tables in Val di Fassa: today it holds a Michelin star, with chef Paolo Donei reinterpreting local flavours in a contemporary key; its cuisine has shone in the Michelin firmament since 1993. Booking is essential, but it is worth every effort.
In mid-September Moena is transformed. The Puzzone di Moena PDO Festival is a three-day event packed with experiences dedicated to the king of Trentino cheeses: excursions to where it is made, visits to cowsheds during milking, guided tastings, masterclasses and cooking shows with starred chefs.
The most eagerly awaited moment is the Desmontegade: an authentic Alpine ritual in which cows, sheep, horses and goats adorned with flowers and bells return from the summer pastures, parading through the streets of Moena’s centre, accompanied by shepherds, farmers, bands and folk groups. It’s one of those scenes where you realise that Ladin culture is not a tourist attraction but something alive.
The festival takes place every year in mid-September: you can find the programme for the next edition on fassa.com.
Bikes have revolutionised access to the summer mountains. With an e-MTB you can tackle routes once reserved for the well trained, with the freedom to gain altitude without sacrificing the following days. Val di Fassa has always been one of the favourite destinations for mountain bikers, with hundreds of kilometres of trails of varying difficulty.
The absolute benchmark is the Sellaronda MTB Tour: a loop of about 60 km around the Sella massif, accessible from four valleys – including Val di Fassa, starting from Canazei – that uses the lifts to cross the four Dolomite passes of Gardena, Campolongo, Pordoi and Sella. It is also e-MTB friendly, thanks to charging points along the route. A one-day adventure, with views that justify every single pedal stroke.
For something less demanding, the bike rental office in Moena and Moena Outdoor’s guided tours offer routes tailored to every level.
Ladin culture isn’t something you visit like a museum. You encounter it: in the language you hear at the bar among locals, in the architecture of the houses, in the names of the hamlets, in the village festivals. Every Thursday afternoon in summer there is a free guided tour of the churches of San Vigilio and San Volfango in the heart of the village, with 18th-century frescoes and a Baroque ceiling that surprise with their quality and sense of contemplation.
During the summer there are folk events, concerts, markets and traditional festivals. The full calendar is updated weekly on visitmoena.it, or available at the Cavalletto reception.
Not everything has to be a hike with elevation gain and a goal. Sometimes the smartest thing you can do on holiday is to head out with no destination, follow the Avisio stream towards Soraga, stop wherever you like and come back whenever you like. The route is suitable for pushchairs, with refreshment points along the way such as the El Mas and Malga Piè agritourisms. On the hottest days, the cool of the Avisio is the best alternative to air conditioning.
Val di Fassa has an effect you only notice from a distance, once you are back in the city. You did so many things, filled your eyes with wonder, clocked up kilometres of trails and hundreds of metres of ascent… and you don’t feel tired. On the contrary, you feel you have recovered something you had lost without knowing it.
Sleeping well. Having breakfast without looking at the clock. Reading a book with the Dolomites outside the window. Not opening your laptop even once. In Moena you don’t need a plan for any of this. You just need to be here.
Hotel Cavalletto is in the centre of Moena, a few steps from the start of the trails and the heart of the village. Every week, guests have access to a free programme of guided hikes with Moena Outdoor’s professional guides, for those who want a guide. And for those who just want to be: an included spa, cuisine based on local ingredients, and a family that knows this valley like few others.
Planning your summer in Val di Fassa? Check availability and request a quote from Hotel Cavalletto – in the heart of Moena, the Fairy of the Dolomites.
