Discover Seceda, one of the best hiking spots of the Dolomites!

The Seceda ridgeline is one of the most unique and picturesque views of the Val Gardena and the entire Dolomites region. It is a very popular winter destination amongst snow-lovers and, in the summer, Seceda is home to some of the best hikes in the Dolomites – most of them family-friendly. Let us guide you through Seceda and show you the best way of exploring the region.

Basic information for hiking Seceda

• Duration of the hike: 1 – 3h, depending on your pace and stops for pictures
• Total distance: 4km
• Start point: Seceda cable car in Ortisei (easily located through Google Maps)
• Price: Cable car: 34 €/person return ticket, from Ortisei to Seceda (includes 2 cable cars) + parking 1.50€/hour
• Difficulty level: Easy
• Infrastructure: There are quite some lodges with restaurants on the slope, playground for children, viewpoints…
• Public transport: You can easily get to the Ortisei cable car with the public buses
• Best months for hiking: From June to September (depending on the year, there may still be snow in May)
• Accessible to kids? Yes, it is family-friendly
• Suggested hike in the vicinity: Sassulongo

Our general impressions

Ortisei is the nearest city for reaching the Seceda ridgeline. Located in the heart of Val Gardena, this region offers some of the best hikes and views of the Dolomites. Among all the available options, we opted for hiking Seceda because it has a panorama that definitely stands out and cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

We recommend either doing a loop hike, where you start and finish on the Seceda cable car, or to start here and finish in Col Raiser. The second option is a bit longer, with 4-5km in total, but the hike is always downhill which makes it very enjoyable even for families and people who are not frequent hikers. The only downside of this path is that you need to organise the logistics of going up and down in different sides of the mountain, but this can be easily solved by using the public transport, which connects both cable stations.

It is important to point out that this is not the cheapest daytrip due to the high cost of the Seceda cable car from Ortisei. It is possible to save some money by hiking to Seceda without the cable car – although we don’t recommend it, it’s a quite hard way up – or by choosing another starting point. Starting in Col Raiser, for instance, already allows you to save a bit since the return ticket for the cable car costs 20€. In this case, you will hike uphill towards Seceda, which means it is a bit more demanding path.

Pro tip: Seceda is a very popular destination, especially in the summer. To avoid the crowds, we recommend going up early in the morning (the first ride up is at 8h30). Around lunch time, the lodges are usually full already

How to get to Seceda?

If you are hiking Seceda from our suggested route, all you need to do is reach the cable station in Ortisei. Here are a few of the options:

How to get to Ortisei from Cortina d’Ampezzo?

By car: The ride form Cortina to Ortisei takes around 1h30 in a windy road that crosses the mountains and the entire Val Gardena, passing through some of the greatest views we’ve seen in the area. This road is toll-free and quite enjoyable.

Do you still need to rent a car? Check the price with Discover Cars, our trusted affiliate.

By bus: Since Ortisei and Cortina are two quite important cities in this area, there are regular buses connecting them that run all year round. Check the bus schedule on the Dolomiti Bus official page, but take into consideration that Italians may not be very strict when it comes to punctuality.

How to get to Ortisei from Bolzano?

By car: From Bolzano, you have the option of going through the highway or through a toll-free road. Both of them take roughly 1h because they basically go side by side. We opted for the toll-free one and we can definitely vouch for it – it was in great conditions and always empty, which means quite a fast ride. The tolls in this region can be quite expensive.

By bus: Just as above, the bus line between Bolzano and Ortisei runs regularly. Check the bus schedule on the Dolomiti Bus official page, but take into consideration that Italians may not be very strict when it comes to punctuality.

Pro tip: Arrive early if you want to park on the Cable Station’s parking lot. You will pay 1.50€/hour, with a max of 8h allowed. But you get a discount of 2h when using the Seceda cable car, just go back to the paying booth and they will validate your parking ticket for the free time.

Our recommended trail for hiking Seceda

As we’ve said before, we recommend doing either the loop trail or hiking from Seceda to Col Raiser. Going up on the Seceda cable car is one of the best part of this whole experience, because you get out of the cable car face-to-face with the ridgeline and the most amazing panorama. It is literally 360 degrees of breath-taking views. 

Once you get out from the cable station, go to your left and follow the path along the ridgeline. There is a viewpoint right on the top with a map of the peaks you see around you. On clear days, it is even possible to spot some Swiss mountain peaks on the distance. Continue following this path until you reach a sign pointing downwards to your left. This is where you need to make a decision – if you are doing the loop, head back in the direction of the cable car; if you are going to Col Raiser, follow the signs that lead you to the left towards it.

You will see that there are plenty of other hikes and paths in this area. This is the trail we recommend, but feel free to explore some other paths if you have the extra time. There is a reason why Seceda is known as one of the best hiking places in the Dolomites – and it is all due to the views.

Pro tip: In the summer, the best time for taking pictures of the ridgeline is around 11am. Early in the morning the sun is still quite low and does not yet reflect the green of the mountains and the valley. Alternatively, if you are seeking the foggy and misty vibes, your best bet is to go up early in the morning.

Hiking Gear recommendation

Check out our favorite hiking gear and essentials which we always bring with us.

Our Amazon Hiking list

What is the best month to go hiking Seceda?

For hiking, the best season is the summer, particularly between June and September. August is by far the busiest month, since it is also the school’s holidays. To avoid the crowds, try to go in June or the beginning of September. 

In the winter, this is a very popular destination for skiing. The winter season usually goes from December until March, with January and February being the busiest months.

Where to stay near Seceda?

The closest town is definitely Ortisei. It is quite a small town, but a very charming one. We recommend staying in Ortisei if you have the intention of exploring the Val Gardena for several days. However, if this is your only stop in the valley, we recommend using a bigger city as a base since it is not very practical to cross the mountains every day for reaching other famous sites of the Dolomites.

Check the accommodation options in Ortisei on this link.

The two biggest and well-connected cities in the region are Bolzano and Cortina d’Ampezzo. If you are relying on public transport, then this is definitely where you should base yourself. However, if you have your own car, you can choose to stay in some smaller town that usually offers the best-priced accommodation options.

Here are some of our suggested picks from this region:

• Faloria Mountain Spa Resort is a beautiful hotel close to Cortina d’Ampezzo that offers free shuttle service to the city, as well as a free wellness center and stunning views.
• Hotel Meuble Oasi is our budget-friendly suggestion within the same city. The hotel is located just 1,4 km from the city center and the property has one of the best value for money in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
• Castel Hörtenberg is very well located, almost in the center of Bolzano. It is one of the newest properties in town and is labeled as a “Travel Sustainable” accommodation.
• Stay Cooper Goethe Guesthouse has an amazing location in Bolzano, right in the city center. This cozy hotel has one of the best ratings in the city and is very affordable for a couple.