Val di Sesto, in the Alta Pusteria, is the easternmost corner of the Dolomites — a German-speaking valley of unmistakably Tyrolean character that opens around the villages of Sesto and Moso above 1,300 metres. It is borderland, where Austrian and Italian cultures meet, and where the relationship between the community and its mountains has remained close and daily. The territory falls within the Tre Cime Nature Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The valley's most intriguing feature is the so-called Sesto Sundial, formed by the peaks named Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve: names derived from the old farming custom of telling the hour by watching the position of the sun above each summit, as if reading the hands of a great clock carved in rock. It is a detail that conveys, better than a thousand words, how deep the bond was between everyday life and the mountain skyline.
This valley is also profoundly shaped by the Great War: the Dolomite front ran through these very peaks, and open-air museums, historical trails, and fortifications bear witness to the fierce fighting at high altitude. In summer it is the ideal base for viewing the north face of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and exploring the Val Fiscalina; in winter, skiing on Monte Elmo and snowshoeing trails take over from summer hiking, in an atmosphere that always feels collected and serene.
