December 8, 2026
Immaculate Conception
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📷 Wolfgang Moroder / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Selva di Val Gardena (Ladin: Sëlva, German: Wolkenstein) is the highest settlement in Val Gardena, situated at around 1,560 metres at the very end of the valley, beneath the Sella and Sassolungo massifs. Ladin remains a living language here — heard on the streets, seen on signs, and present in the local cuisine. In winter, Selva is one of the main entry points to the Sella Ronda, the celebrated ski circuit encircling the Sella massif, while the famous Saslong run descends across the valley, hosting a World Cup alpine skiing event every December. In summer, the Vallunga valley stretches out from the village itself into the Puez-Odle Nature Park — flat, car-free, and framed at its entrance by the ruins of Wolkenstein Castle carved into the rock face — while cable cars ascend to the high plateau beneath Sassolungo and to the Sella and Gardena passes. Selva is reached by bus or car through Val Gardena; there is no railway in the valley.
December 8, 2026
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Bigger crowds are possible around the event.
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December 18–19, 2026
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December 25, 2026
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December 26, 2026
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January 1, 2027
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January 6, 2027
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April 25, 2027
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May 1, 2027
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Closures of institutions and shops are possible on that date.
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June 2, 2027
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Traffic and access changes are possible around the event.
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August 15, 2027
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Closures of institutions and shops are possible on that date.
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Everything you need for Selva di Val Gardena in one place
At the entrance to the Vallunga valley, high up in the rock face of the Stevia group, stand the remains of the medieval castle of the lords of Wolkenstein, from whom Selva takes its German name to this day. The castle was built directly against the cliff, so the ruins appear to grow out of the rock itself. Access is short but steep, over rocky terrain and without railings in places — visitors proceed at their own risk, in sturdy footwear and only in dry weather. Even those who do not make the climb can see the ruins clearly from the valley path below.
The small Chapel of St. Sylvester stands alone on a meadow in the Vallunga valley, beneath the sheer walls of the Puez-Odle nature park. It can be reached from Selva by an easy, flat walk along the valley path, or in winter along the cross-country skiing trails. The white chapel set against grey rock faces is one of the most serene sights in the valley.
Castel Gardena, known in German as Fischburg, is a Renaissance castle with towers, built in the 17th century for the Wolkenstein family on a wooded hill between Selva and Santa Cristina. The castle is privately owned and not open to visitors, so it can only be admired from the outside, from the surrounding paths and the road through the valley. The view of its towers beneath Sassolungo is one of the most recognisable images of the Gardena Valley.
Vallunga is a flat glacial valley that begins at the far end of Selva and stretches deep into Puez-Odle Nature Park, between sheer limestone walls.
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Puessl is a garden-style sweet course: a thick apple pancake fried in butter, then broken apart in the pan into rough pieces, dusted with icing sugar, and served warm, most often alongside a compote or cranberry jam. It is found in mountain huts around Selva and in valley inns, as a hearty treat after a hike or a day on the slopes.
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