Arabba e Marmolada: what to see, do and where to stay

Arabba is a small mountain village at over 1,600 metres, a hamlet of the municipality of Livinallongo del Col di Lana, at the Ladin heart of the Belluno Dolomites. Its position is that of a crossroads: the great passes radiate outward from here — the Pordoi, the Campolongo, and the Falzarego — and it is one of the four vertices of the Sellaronda alongside Val Badia, Val Gardena, and Val di Fassa. The high altitude guarantees consistently excellent snow and some of the steepest, most technical runs in the entire Dolomiti Superski.

Above everything rises the Marmolada — the Queen of the Dolomites — which at 3,343 metres on Punta Penia is the highest peak in the group and the only one to shelter a glacier, today retreating rapidly and serving as a barometer of climate change. The cable car climbs to Punta Rocca, above 3,200 metres, where a spectacular panoramic terrace overlooks a sea of summits. Around this emblematic mountain, Arabba has built its entire identity.

These valleys still bear the deep marks of the First World War. The nearby Col di Lana was renamed Col di Sangue — the Blood Mountain — for the ferocity of the fighting, and the slopes of the Marmolada were the stage for high-altitude warfare, which left behind tunnels, gun emplacements, and the museum now housed at the Punta Serauta cable-car station. In summer, the panoramic Viel del Pan trail offers one of the finest views of the glacier, along an easy and much-loved path.

When to go & weather — Arabba e Marmolada

Winter, from December to April, is the prime season for Arabba's steep, technical skiing and for completing the Sellaronda circuit, with reliably excellent snow thanks to the high altitude; from Punta Rocca, La Bellunese descends as the longest run in the Dolomiti Superski. In summer, from June to September, the Marmolada cable car carries visitors to the glacier and the panoramic Viel del Pan trail can be walked. July and August offer the most stable conditions at high altitude, while September delivers crystal-clear light and still-green meadows around the passes.

How to get there — Arabba e Marmolada

Arabba is reached via the great Dolomite passes: the Pordoi and Campolongo from the north, the Falzarego from Cortina, or by following the Cordevole valley up from Belluno. Drivers on the A22 exit at Bressanone/Val Pusteria and arrive through Val Badia and the passes; from the south, follow the State Road d'Alemagna. The nearest rail stations are Brunico to the north and Calalzo di Cadore to the east, connected by scheduled buses, and seasonal shuttles serve the area from major airports. At over 1,600 metres, Arabba is one of the four junctions of the Sellaronda alongside Val Badia, Val Gardena, and Val di Fassa.