The Dolomites

Alta Badia is in the middle of it all – with six villages and three municipalities, a Ladin valley in the centre of the Dolomites.

Eight impressive natural park regions (two of which are located directly in the surrounding area of Alta Badia) are all around. They are sure to impress you with their fascinating natural beauty.

Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park

Measuring 25,680 hectares, Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park stretches as far as Alta Badia. This nature park is one of the largest protected areas in South Tyrol, and consists largely of spruce forests, alpine meadows and mountain pastures. It is home to a wide variety of animals – with a little luck, visitors might catch a glimpse of capercaillies, pine martens, foxes and, at over 2,000 m in altitude, mountain hares and snow grouses. The biodiversity of plants includes arnica, gentian and, at higher altitudes, devil's claw, Dragonmouth and Dolomite yarrow.

The most famous part of the park is the Lago di Braies, which is also known as the “pearl of the Dolomite lakes”. Ibex and chamois can often be seen scampering around their habitat on the cliffs above the Lago di Braies.

Nature park tips:

• Sentiero dei Larici nature trail above St. Kassian in Val Badia
• Lago di Dobbiaco nature trail with 11 sites of interest
• Walking tour or boat trip on Lago di Braies

The area covers 10,196 hectares from Val Gardena to Alta Badia. The main attractions include typical rock types, layers of sediment and weathering forms, rich flora with spruce stands, larch forests and wildlife.

Nature park tip:

• Visitor centre in St. Magdalena in Val di Funes (birthplace of legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner)
  The centre currently has two exhibitions, one about tackling the mountains and the other about the wonders of the natural world, along with a short film about Reinhold Messner’s experiences in the mountains.