The main town of Val di Fiemme, home of the Magnifica Comunità and gateway to Alpe Cermis.
A short history
Cavalese sits at a thousand metres, on the sunny side of Val di Fiemme, and has been its centre for centuries. It is a village of stone and timber houses, with an old core gathered around the square and the old workshops.
The heart of its story is the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme. Born in the Middle Ages, it is an ancient self-governing institution that still manages the valley's common woods and pastures on behalf of the families of Fiemme. Its seat is the frescoed palace above the village, once the residence of the bishops of Trento and now a museum. Here you find paintings, documents and the memory of a way of managing the mountains that has lasted for more than eight centuries.
Above the village the Alpe Cermis cable car climbs to the meadows and ski runs of the mountain. In winter it is a ski area, in summer a balcony of meadows and trails above the valley. Cavalese remains the reference point of Val di Fiemme, among fairs, markets and the life of the community.
The history of the Magnifica Comunità reaches back into very old documents. The archives keep the Patti Gebardini of 1111, the deed that settled the agreements between the valley and the prince-bishop of Trento. Even today the Comunità manages around twenty thousand hectares of common woods and pastures. At its head stands the Scario, elected by the council of Regolani, one representative for each Regola of the villages of Fiemme. The Cavalese palace was once called the Palace of the Scari.
Every year Alpe Cermis stages the final leg of the Tour de Ski, the closing cross-country climb of the World Cup. The slope rises more than four hundred metres with gradients close to twenty-eight per cent. Val di Fiemme is the only venue to have hosted every edition of the Tour since 2007. Below the village runs the route of the Marcialonga, the long ski marathon that crosses Fiemme and Fassa.
How to fit Cavalese into a three, five or seven day trip: The Dolomites in 3, 5 or 7 Days: How to Plan Your Trip.
What to see
- Alpe Cermis, the mountain above the village, which you reach by cable car from the centre among ski runs and high-altitude meadows.
- The palace of the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, a former frescoed bishop's residence, now the museum of the institution that governs the valley's woods.
- The old town with its square, the stone and timber houses and the workshops that tell the story of the community of Fiemme.
How to get to Cavalese
By car, leave the A22 Brenner motorway at Egna-Ora, then climb the valley-floor road up Val di Fiemme to Cavalese. The nearest railway station is Ora, on the Brenner line, with local buses to the valley. By bus you arrive on the coaches linking Trento and Ora to the villages of Fiemme.
When to go
In winter Cavalese is a base for skiing on Alpe Cermis, reached by cable car from the centre. In summer the meadows and trails above the village are ideal for walking, and the air stays cool. In autumn the valley's woods light up with colour and the fairs fill the square.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Cavalese?
The frescoed palace of the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, a former bishop's residence and now a museum, the old town with its square and stone houses, and Alpe Cermis above the village, reached by cable car among runs and meadows.
What is the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme?
It is an ancient self-governing institution, born in the Middle Ages, that manages the common woods and pastures of Val di Fiemme on behalf of the valley's families. Its seat is in Cavalese, in the frescoed palace that once housed the bishops of Trento.
How do you get to Cavalese?
By car you leave the A22 at Egna-Ora and climb the valley-floor road up Val di Fiemme. The nearest station is Ora, on the Brenner line, linked to Cavalese by the local buses that serve the valley.
How do you go up Alpe Cermis?
The Alpe Cermis cable car leaves from the centre of Cavalese and carries you to the meadows and runs of the mountain above the village. In winter it serves skiers, in summer it is a balcony of meadows and trails above the valley.
Who is the Scario of the Magnifica Comunità?
The Scario is the head of the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, a kind of president. He is elected by the council of Regolani, made up of one representative for each Regola of the villages of Fiemme. The Cavalese palace was once called the Palace of the Scari.
What is the Tour de Ski on Alpe Cermis?
It is the final leg of the Tour de Ski, the closing cross-country climb of the World Cup. The slope rises up Alpe Cermis with more than four hundred metres of climb and gradients up to twenty-eight per cent. Val di Fiemme has hosted this stage in every edition since 2007.