Moena

The gateway to Val di Fassa, between Fiemme and Fassa, known as the Fairy of the Dolomites and for Puzzone di Moena cheese.

A short history

Moena, Moena in Ladin, opens Val di Fassa at 1,184 metres, where the valley meets that of Fiemme. It is the lowest and largest village, often called the Fairy of the Dolomites, with a lively centre around the church of San Vigilio.

Its character is that of a border: here the Ladin language mixes with the speech of Fiemme, and for a long time Moena was tied to the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, the old institution that managed woods and pastures. This double identity is still felt in the festivals and the dialect.

Moena is also famous for its table. Puzzone di Moena comes from here, a washed-rind cheese with an intense aroma, today a protected-origin product. Around the village open Val San Nicolò and the slopes of the Catinaccio, among the most loved by the valley's hikers.

In the heart of the village survives the Turchia quarter, tied to a story that goes back to the late 1600s. It is said that an Ottoman soldier, fleeing after the 1683 siege of Vienna, arrived wounded in Moena and found care and shelter, settling along the Avisio. Every August the Festa del Rione Turchia re-enacts the tale with costumed parades, music and stalls of Ladin products. Among the quarter's lanes remain old tabià barns and the Brenz de Turchia fountain.

Puzzone di Moena DOP is made only with mountain milk and takes its name from its strong aroma. In September the village devotes a whole weekend to it, a food festival of tastings, mountain huts and valley cooking. It is Moena's signature product and one of the best-known cheeses in Trentino.

How to fit Moena 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 Val San Nicolò, a side valley of meadows and alpine pastures at the foot of the Catinaccio, one of the finest walks in the area.
• The Catinaccio and the enrosadira phenomenon, the wall that turns red at sunset above the valley.
• The old centre with the church of San Vigilio and the tradition of Puzzone di Moena, a local protected-origin cheese.

How to get to Moena

By car you leave the A22 Brenner motorway at Egna/Ora and drive up Val di Fiemme: Moena is the first village in Val di Fassa coming from the south. You can also arrive over the San Pellegrino Pass, which links the valley with the Agordino. The nearest station is Bolzano, then you continue by line bus up the valleys of Fiemme and Fassa.

When to go

In summer Moena is a handy base for Val San Nicolò, the Catinaccio and walks through the meadows, with June and September among the most pleasant months. In winter it is close to the Alpe Lusia lifts and the Fiemme and Fassa carousel. Autumn and spring bring a quieter village and are good times to taste Puzzone di Moena.