The main resort of Alta Badia, at the foot of the Sassongher and a crossroads of the Sellaronda between the Gardena and Campolongo passes.
A short history
Corvara, Corvara in Ladin, sits at 1,568 metres at the head of the Val Badia, where the valley opens into a basin below the Sassongher. It is the best-known village in Alta Badia and its tourist heart, but behind the hotels it is still a Ladin settlement born from farmsteads and high-altitude pastures.
The turning point came with skiing. Corvara was one of the first resorts in the Dolomites to invest in lifts and winter tourism, and today it is one of the starting points of the Sellaronda, the ski circuit around the Sella group. From here you climb to the Gardena and Campolongo passes and up to the Pralongià plateau.
The Ladin language stays alive in daily life, in the festivals and in the place names. The church of Santa Caterina, with its pointed bell tower, and the farmhouses on the slopes are a reminder that the village existed long before the pistes and the cable cars.
Corvara is considered the cradle of tourism in Alta Badia. As early as the 18th century the first guests came here to climb the surrounding peaks with local guides, often British naturalists and geologists studying the Dolomites. The shift to skiing came in 1938, when the first lift went into service on Col Alto; in 1947 it was replaced by the first chairlift in Italy.
The church of Santa Caterina is recorded as early as 1347 and holds a winged altar from 1520, the only well-preserved one left in the whole Val Badia. At the table it is Ladin cooking, plain and rural: canederli (bread dumplings), cajincí (ricotta and spinach ravioli) and tutres, the fritters filled with spinach or sauerkraut.
How to fit Corvara in Badia into a three, five or seven day trip: The Dolomites in 3, 5 or 7 Days: How to Plan Your Trip.
What to see
- The Pralongià plateau, the wide sunny balcony of meadows and mountain huts above the village, between Corvara and San Cassiano.
- The Sass Songher, the pyramid of rock that towers over Corvara and the symbol of Alta Badia.
- The e-bike tour on the Pralongià, which starts from the village and climbs through the pastures and huts of the plateau.
How to get to Corvara in Badia
By car you leave the A22 Brenner motorway at Bressanone/Val Pusteria, follow the Val Pusteria to Brunico and climb the Val Badia on the SS244 to Corvara. From the south you arrive over the Campolongo or Gardena pass. The nearest railway station is Brunico, linked to Corvara by the Val Badia scheduled buses.
When to go
Summer, from June to September, is the season for hiking, for the lifts running up to the Pralongià and for e-bike rides. Winter brings skiing and the Sellaronda, with Corvara among the starting points of the circuit. December is the time of the nearby Ski World Cup race at La Villa.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Corvara?
The Pralongià plateau with its mountain huts, the Sass Songher that towers over the village and, in winter, the Sellaronda that starts right here. It is the best base for exploring all of Alta Badia.
How do you get to Corvara?
By car you leave the A22 Brenner motorway at Bressanone/Val Pusteria and climb the Val Badia, or you arrive over the Gardena and Campolongo passes. In winter the lifts link Corvara to the Sella ski carousel.
Is Corvara good for people who don't ski?
Yes. In summer it is a base for hiking, e-biking and walks on the Pralongià, while in winter some lifts also serve walkers and snowshoers. The village has shops, restaurants and services open all year.
What is the Sellaronda that starts from Corvara?
It is the ski circuit around the Sella group, linking four valleys through four Dolomite passes. Corvara is one of the starting points, and you can ride it clockwise or anticlockwise with the Dolomiti Superski pass.
Why is Corvara famous?
Corvara is the cradle of tourism in Alta Badia. Here in 1938 the first lift went into service on Col Alto, later replaced in 1947 by the first chairlift in Italy. It is also one of the starting points of the Sellaronda.
What do you eat in Corvara?
The cooking here is Ladin, plain and rural. You find canederli (bread dumplings), cajincí (ricotta and spinach ravioli dressed with butter and cheese), panicia (barley soup with speck) and tutres, fritters filled with spinach or sauerkraut. Worth trying too are furtaies, spiral-shaped sweets.