There comes a moment, around mid-week, when non-skiers stop feeling like the group’s “problem” and start truly enjoying their holiday. It happens in Moena more often than elsewhere. Because in this village the alternative to the slopes is not a list of fallbacks: it is an offer in its own right, with its own identity and rhythm.
Here’s what to expect in winter, skis on or not.
Snowshoes completely transform your relationship with snow. No speed, no crowds, no lifts. Just the sound of snow underfoot, the forest turning silent and white, and that quiet concentration that comes when the terrain demands attention.
Near Moena there are routes for every level. The most popular of all is the “Specchio delle Fate” (Fairies’ Mirror) snowshoe hike at the San Pellegrino Pass: about two hours through the forest with a loop around the frozen lake – so popular that it runs on both Tuesdays and Saturdays. It is also suitable for first-timers on snowshoes.
For something more evocative: the Fuciade hut basin, reachable on foot from the San Pellegrino Pass in about 45 minutes on a packed road, is one of the most photographed winter spots in the Dolomites. Among old tabià barns and views of the Pale di San Martino, in winter you can also get there by horse-drawn sleigh. You don’t necessarily need snowshoes: you can walk well in boots on packed snow.
For altitude without effort: the Col Margherita cable car takes you up to 2,500 metres for a 360° panorama of the Dolomites, with the story of the “crystal mountains”. When there is fog below, up here there is often sunshine.
Guided outings are available every week through Moena Outdoor, included in the weekly programme for Cavalletto guests.
There is one thing that sets a winter week in Moena around Shrove Tuesday apart from the rest of the season: the Ladin Carnival.
The origins of this celebration are lost in time and linked to the symbolism of the cycle of the seasons – the festivities mark the end of winter and welcome the rebirth of spring. It is not a show staged for tourists. It is an authentic festival, rooted in the social fabric of the valley, which the people of Moena live with genuine pride.
Moena has two typical masks: the Arlechins – with pointed hats, cowbells, brightly coloured trousers and faces covered by a white veil – who run after children with a whip; and the Lonc, tall figures concealing men on stilts under a white sheet, who appear at dusk to frighten passers-by.
El Carnascial de Moena takes place on Shrove Tuesday with a parade of floats in Piaz de Sotegrava; among the masks is the Turchia district, whose residents parade dressed as sultans and odalisques, recalling a legendary origin of that part of the village.
If your stay coincides with this period, it is one of the most original winter experiences in the Dolomites.
Less well known than alpine skiing, cross-country skiing deserves attention. The Alochet Cross-Country Centre lies on the meadows sloping down towards Moena, near the San Pellegrino Pass, and is dedicated to cross-country skiing and Nordic disciplines. For beginners it is a sport that requires coordination more than strength, and it is accessible after just one introductory lesson.
The San Pellegrino trails, set in the snowy landscape between Trentino and Veneto, are among the most scenic in the area. And after a day of cross-country skiing, you’ll feel you’ve had a real workout.
You don’t need a ski pass to go up high. Many lifts in the Alpe Lusia – San Pellegrino area are open to non-skiers with a single ticket and take you to panoramic terraces at 2,000–2,500 metres, where the winter landscape takes on a different dimension from the one you see below.
On clear days, the terrace at the Alpe Lusia top station offers views of the Catinaccio, the Pale di San Martino and, on the clearest days, the Marmolada, which in winter appears completely covered in ice. It’s one of those spots where even people who have known the mountains for years stop to look.
The difference between eating in a restaurant and lunching at a hut at altitude isn’t just the view. It’s the atmosphere, the wooden walls, the steam from the broth, the satisfaction of having done something to get there – even if that something was just a gondola ride.
Both the Fuciade hut and the huts on Alpe Lusia serve Ladin and Trentino cuisine: canederli in broth, polenta with venison stew, goulash, mountain cheeses and homemade strudel. At Fuciade, the in-house pastry kitchen bakes different desserts every day – one of the details guests almost always mention when they get back.
When the skiers come back from the slopes and retreat to their rooms, the centre of Moena comes alive in a quiet but authentic way. The village lights, the shop windows, cafés with tables by the fire – there is that quality of Alpine winter atmosphere that in Moena feels more genuine than in the big mountain resorts.
The pedestrian historic centre works all year round: no traffic, no noise. Strolling in the evening along Strada de Fachin or up to the church of San Vigilio, with snow on the roofs and the clear high-altitude sky, is a moment you won’t easily forget. And if you also come across the Christmas market and find yourself immersed in the festive atmosphere, it all becomes even more magical.
In winter the spa takes on a different meaning. It is no longer the complement to an active day – it’s the moment when the cold outside turns into warmth, and the contrast between the icy air outdoors and the heat of the sauna becomes almost physically tangible.
The Cavalletto wellness centre is included in your stay, with no supplements. In winter, with the snowy Dolomites waiting outside or having hosted you all day, the effect is greatly amplified.
| Time | Activity |
| Morning | Guided snowshoe hike at the San Pellegrino Pass (or cross-country skiing) |
| Midday | Lunch at the Fuciade hut, by sleigh or on foot |
| Afternoon | Cable car up to Col Margherita or a stroll in the village |
| Late afternoon | Wellness centre |
| Evening | Dinner at the hotel with Chef Lele’s Ladin cuisine |
It isn’t a fallback day. It’s a full day, with a logic all its own.
Thinking about a winter week in Moena? Check winter availability at Hotel Cavalletto – in the village centre, with the wellness centre included and a weekly programme of guided activities.
