St. Ulrich in Gröden: Discover Culture, Mountains and Trails

St. Ulrich in Gröden combines the local Ladin culture with impressive mountain landscapes and a variety of trails. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in St. Ulrich in Gröden, you can combine cultural discoveries in the village with hikes, cycling tours and excursions into the Dolomites. This makes the area interesting for families who want to choose between active days, shorter walks and special insights into the region’s history.

Natural landscape between Puez-Odle, Resciesa and Seceda

In Ortisei, Puez-Odle Nature Park covers 2,425 hectares, equivalent to 41 percent of Ortisei’s area. Ulrich lies in the centre of Val Gardena and is surrounded by mountains such as Seceda, Pic and the Raschötzer ridge. Seceda is located in Puez-Odle Nature Park. The circular trail at Resciesa leads from the mountain station of the Resciesa funicular to the summit cross, via the Santa Croce chapel and back to the starting point; along the way, it passes through Puez-Odle Nature Park and the UNESCO World Heritage Site. A short hike to Seceda can be started from Ortisei by taking the gondola or cable car. Those planning to complete the entire ascent should allow for around 1,200 metres of elevation gain.

There are also specific options for different levels of fitness and energy. The 1.5-kilometre asphalt path in Val d’Anna leads from Ortisei to the Val d’Anna mountain hut and is accessible to wheelchair users all year round. The panoramic trail in Val d’Anna is particularly recommended for people with disabilities; its slight incline is easy to manage with a wheelchair. From the centre of Ortisei, you can reach the valley station of the Resciesa funicular on foot via the escalators in Via Rezia and through a tunnel to the Seceda gondola. Bus lines 350, 360, 172 and 351 reach Piazza S. Antonio. Several mountain-bike routes lead from Ortisei through forests and alpine meadows towards Seceda; an 8-kilometre trail leads from Ortisei to Selva di Val Gardena.

Art, Wood and History in the Village

The Museum Gherdëina is located in the Cësa di Ladins in the centre of Ortisei and provides an overview of geology, woodcarving, the artistic tradition and personalities who have shaped Val Gardena. It includes a virtual-reality experience about the ichthyosaur from Secëda, as well as an richly illustrated Lenten veil from the Church of St. James. The exhibition „Wood Becomes a Toy – from Val Gardena to the World“ traces the development of Val Gardena wooden toys from the 1830s to the turn of the millennium and offers children and adults space for crafts, creative work and play. ART52 is a permanent exhibition in Ortisei’s cultural centre. It displays entirely hand-carved sculptures, paintings and high-quality woodcarvings by 52 artisans from Val Gardena.

The woodworking tradition in St. Ulrich dates back to the 17th century: at that time, numerous families primarily produced biblical figures, statues of saints and altars. The parish church of St. Ulrich features Renaissance and Baroque elements as well as elaborate carvings. St. James’s Church is considered the oldest church in Val Gardena and has a Baroque high altar with figures by the Vinazer family of artists. A historical walking tour passes villas dating from around the turn of the century and craft workshops associated with the village’s toy industry and wood sculpture. The event „UNIKA – scultori in fiera“ also takes place in Ortisei every year.

Trails for Active and Culturally Curious Holidays

The winter trail to the Church of San Giacomo begins at the parish church in Ortisei, leads through forests and past historic farmsteads, and reaches the oldest church in Val Gardena. The trail to San Giacomo passes through the forest and leads to the Col de Flam viewpoint overlooking Ortisei. The chapel dedicated to St. James is dedicated to the patron saint of hikers and pilgrims. The Val Gardena Railway walking trail recalls an important chapter in the history of Val Gardena and explains the railway’s origins. The Cudan-Dumat walking trail leads from the valley station of the Resciesa funicular past the houses “Solaria” and “Cudan” to the characteristic “Dumat” farmstead, while also providing an insight into Ladin culture. Ulrich in Gröden is also a starting point for hikes and ski tours in the Dolomites. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can therefore consider whether short cultural trails, Baroque churches, accessible walking paths, mountain-bike routes or more challenging days in the mountains should be the focus of your stay.

Other destinations in the surrounding area: Nova Levante, St. Christina in Gröden, Sarntal, Jenesien, Lengstein, Klobenstein, Ritten, Mölten

For the higher-level travel overview: Salten-Schlern.