German-speaking village of the Upper Puster Valley, home of the Sesto Sundial and the gateway through the Val Fiscalina to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
A short history
Sesto, Sexten in German, sits at 1,310 metres at the eastern edge of the Upper Puster Valley, where the valley bends toward the border with the Cadore. It is a German-speaking village with old roots, grown around cattle, farmsteads and forests. The First World War ran right through here, along the peaks and passes that marked the front between Italy and Austria, and it left behind trenches, tunnels and war cemeteries.
Its signature is in the sky. The peaks that close the basin, known as the Sesto Sundial, carry names tied to the hours: Cima Undici, Cima Dodici, Cima Una. Seen from the village, the sun grazes them as the day goes by, a clock of rock the locals have read for centuries. It is one of the reasons Sesto entered the history of alpine climbing and Dolomite tourism.
From Sesto you step into the Val Fiscalina, the narrow green side valley that points straight at the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Some of the most famous hikes in the Dolomites start here, among historic mountain huts and walls that made the legend of climbing. The village is now a quiet base for walkers, yet it still keeps the slow rhythm of the Tyrolean farmsteads.
The Sesto Sundial counts five peaks in a row: Cima Nove, Cima Dieci (the Croda Rossa di Sesto), Cima Undici, Cima Dodici and Cima Una. The sun grazes them one after another and marks the hour above the basin. Even the name of the village seems tied to time. It is thought to come from the Latin "sexta hora", the sixth hour of the Romans, which fell at midday.
In the First World War, Sesto was the only German-speaking village of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to lie right on the front line. It was evacuated and partly destroyed by Italian artillery, then passed to Italy along with the rest of South Tyrol. On the Croda Rossa, in the Val Fiscalina, the Bellum Aquilarum association has recovered trenches, tunnels and positions, now open to visitors in the open-air museum of the Great War. In the village, in the old elementary school, a permanent exhibition tells the story of those years.
Sesto keeps its Tyrolean farming soul alive. The Sesto dairy works the milk of the mountain pastures and makes mountain cheeses such as Bergkäse and the traditional Graukäse. On the tables the dishes of the farmsteads return, from canederli dumplings to apple strudel to Kaiserschmarren, the shredded sweet pancake.
How to fit Sesto 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 Sesto Sundial, the peaks that mark the hours of the day as seen from the village, from Cima Undici to Cima Dodici.
- The Val Fiscalina, the green side valley behind Sesto from which the trails set off toward the Tre Cime and the huts of the Upper Puster Valley.
- Monte Elmo, the mountain above the village with its panoramic trails and the view over the whole basin of Sesto.
How to get to Sesto
Sesto lies at the eastern edge of the Puster Valley. By train you reach San Candido on the Pusteria line, then continue on the local bus that climbs toward Sesto and the Val Fiscalina. By car you follow the Puster Valley road to San Candido and then the road to Sesto and Moso. In summer and winter it is best to use the local buses, because the car parks in the Val Fiscalina fill up early.
When to go
Summer is the best season for walking in the Val Fiscalina and toward the Tre Cime, with trails and huts open from June to September. Autumn brings glowing forests and clear air over the Sesto Sundial. In winter the village becomes a base for skiing and snowshoeing, with snow covering the basin until spring.
Frequently asked questions
What to see in Sesto?
The Sesto Sundial, the peaks that mark the hours as seen from the village, the Val Fiscalina with its trails toward the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and Monte Elmo with its panoramic paths. The places of the First World War also remain, among trenches and tunnels on the Croda Rossa.
What to do in Sesto?
In summer you walk in the Val Fiscalina toward the huts and the Tre Cime, climb Monte Elmo and visit the open-air museum of the Great War on the Croda Rossa. In winter you ski on the Alta Pusteria slopes and go snowshoeing. All year round you can read the hour on the Sesto Sundial.
What do you eat in Sesto?
The cooking is that of the Tyrolean farmsteads. Canederli dumplings, apple strudel and Kaiserschmarren, the shredded sweet pancake. The Sesto dairy works the milk of the mountain pastures and makes mountain cheeses such as Bergkäse and the traditional Graukäse.
Why is Sesto famous?
For the Sesto Sundial, the peaks that mark the hours from the village like a clock of rock. It is also famous as the gateway of the Val Fiscalina toward the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and as a place of the Great War, when it was the only German-speaking village of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the front line.
Where is Sesto?
Sesto sits at 1,310 metres at the eastern edge of the Upper Puster Valley, in South Tyrol, where the valley bends toward the border with the Cadore. By train you reach San Candido on the Pusteria line and continue by bus toward Sesto and the Val Fiscalina.
How do you reach the Tre Cime from Sesto?
From Sesto you step into the Val Fiscalina, the green side valley behind the village. From there the trails climb toward the huts of the Upper Puster Valley and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. It is one of the finest and busiest walk-in approaches to the group.