Village at the foot of the Marmolada, at the mouth of the Serrai di Sottoguda, the most striking gorge in the Dolomites.
A short history
Rocca Pietore sits in the upper Val Pettorina, at the foot of the Marmolada, the highest peak in the Dolomites. The municipality gathers a series of hamlets scattered between 1,000 and 1,500 metres, along the road that climbs towards Passo Fedaia and the great glacier.
The area long held its own autonomy, the Magnifica Comunità di Rocca Pietore, with old rules that governed woods and pastures. Like the nearby Ladin valleys it belonged to the border world between the Veneto and the Tyrol, and its history is tied to the mountain, to timber and to high pastures.
The jewel of the village is the Serrai di Sottoguda, a narrow, deep gorge carved by the stream between rock walls. Storm Vaia, in 2018, badly damaged the area, but the Serrai remain one of the finest walks in the valley, and in winter the frozen waterfalls draw ice climbers from all over Europe.
What to see
- The Serrai di Sottoguda, the gorge carved by the stream between high rock walls, at the start of the climb towards the Marmolada.
- The glacier and Punta Rocca of the Marmolada, the Queen of the Dolomites, reached by cable car from Passo Fedaia.
- The ice waterfalls of Sottoguda, a winter destination for ice climbing inside the gorge.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Rocca Pietore?
The Serrai di Sottoguda, the gorge carved by the stream between high walls, and the Marmolada with its glacier, reached by cable car from Passo Fedaia. In winter the frozen waterfalls inside the Serrai are a destination for ice climbing.
What are the Serrai di Sottoguda?
They are a narrow, deep gorge carved by the Pettorina stream between rock walls, near Rocca Pietore. You walk through them, and it is one of the most striking walks in the area. In winter the frozen waterfalls draw climbers.