Sunrises and sunsets in a mountain farmstead in Val di Fassa

On the Fassa Dolomites

We selected a valley that understands tradition, Val di Fassa. It is here that we find the Ladin Dolomites, steeped in fairy tales and legends. The queen of Monti Pallidi, her majesty the Marmolada with the garden of King Laurin, Catinaccio, Sassopiatto, Sassolungo, Torri del Vajolet, mountains that have the shape of the dreams of gnomes.

Each peak hides the treasures of the smaller valleys, so different in origin, but each guarded by the passion, perseverance and pride of the herdsmen. To understand why the pride of life in the mountain pastures survives from generation to generation, one has to walk into local stone and wooden houses, shake hands and explore the pastures together with the shepherds, their dogs, and the peace of their animals.

Pride and passion

In mountain farmsteads there is no rest; rain or shine, there is the first milking before breakfast and then pasturing. The rhythms are those of nature, no other clock. In the pasture the cows know where to go to look for the best grass and water; you need to know the cows, understand when it’s time to let them go and when to call them back. You need intuition and experience. Cheese needs daily care. But the food has a taste that restores the soul.

What is needed here is just the essential. An essential that has the heat of a cauldron on the fire and a milk so creamy that you confuse it with cream.

Technology has come to the rescue, but here young people continue to choose life in the mountain pastures out of their attachment to the land, its beauty and its care. They feel the pride of being part of a story even bigger than theirs, the story of their grandparents, fathers and mothers.

Authentic mountain experiences

To really get to know mountain life, come and enjoy the experience of falling asleep and waking up in a mountain farmstead. Watch milking and cheese making, listen to the stories shared by herdsmen, delight in their products and genuine traditional dishes, then walk on pastures and slopes to reach panoramas that reward any effort.

Discover all the opportunities, dates and programmes for your next mountain pasture adventures in Val di Fassa. From July to September, you have many opportunities to reach the heart of mountain life.