Sitting in the beautiful Gardena Valley, in the famous Dolomites, Selva is a popular resort that is linked to the famous Sella Ronda circuit - a 26 km day long circular ski tour. The location is magnificent, at the foot of the imposing Sella Massif and looking out over the Dolomite Mountains. Before World War 1, Selva was actually a part of Austria, so today it is a mix of Italian and Austrian influences, and both German and Italian are spoken.
The 177 km of pistes are mainly intermediate level, on both sides of the big, wide Val Gardena valley. There are good beginner runs on both sides as well, and skiers can discover the Hidden Valley and scale the Marmolada glacier. Val Gardena is a massive skiing area, but offers only a few challenging steep slopes and moguls. However, it is a part of the Dolomiti Superski area which covers 464 lifts and 1,220kms of pistes, many of which are interlinked. Here you'll find all the steep chutes, moguls and scary cliff faces your expert heart desires.
The fairly small but sprawling village is famous for its woodcarving - make sure you check out the workshops and wares of the world-renowned carvers. On your day off, absorb a little history at the Parish church, Chapel of S. Silvestro, commemorative chapel for the victims of Selva Gardena and the ruins of the Wolkenstein castle. The nightlife is lively but informal, and the food is a wonderful blend of Austrian and Italian specialities. The resort is pretty good value, especially for kids as under-sevens can ski for free.
