Ortles Area

About the Ortler area

Here delight and danger are close together: the Ortler area and the most impressive mountains the Eastern Alps have to offer.

Legend has it that the giant Ortler was very proud and vain because everything seemed so tiny and simple to him.

One day, however, the Stilfs dwarf noodle head cheekily and arrogantly climbed onto his head and started making funny somersaults, laughing and making fun of the fact that he - the little dwarf - was now bigger than the Ortler. Annoyed that the dwarf was leading him by the nose, the giant wanted to slap the wretch from his head, but his limbs suddenly froze, and out of sadness he turned into rock and eternal ice.
In the midst of one of Europe's largest nature reserves, the Stelvio National Park, lush green flower meadows, steep cliffs and icy mountain peaks combine to form an imposing and dominant landscape, from which 14 breathtaking 3,000 m peaks tower around the highest mountain in South Tyrol, the massive 3,955 meter high Ortler.

With its two well-known ski resorts Sulden and Trafoi, the Ortler region offers winter sports enthusiasts a masterful sports landscape that leaves nothing to be desired. However, the alpine landscape is not only a paradise for skiers, snowboarders and ski tourers: in summer, the area turns into a highlight for hikers, mountain bikers and cyclists who can explore the diverse cultural landscape along numerous paths.
Impressive are also the 48 breakneck, adventurous turns that lead to the highest mountain pass in Italy: the Stilfser Joch at 2,757 meters. Here every year, ambitious cyclists take on the challenge of following sweaty sections to prove themselves in the second most important stage race in cycling - the Giro d'Italia.
Let yourself be impressed by the fascinating peaks, numerous leisure activities, the crystal-clear air and the breathtaking panorama of the Ortler area.