The Ciampedie, which in Ladin means “God’s Field”, is located at an altitude of 2,000 metres and is a beautiful panoramic balcony overlooking the Fassa valley and the Dolomites, also famous for the spectacular Vajolet Towers.

From the summit of the Ciampedie, you can see the Sassolungo, the Sella Group, the Marmolada, the Sasso Vernale, the crest of the Costabella, the Buffaure, the Monzoni and the Vallaccia and, in the distance, the Latemar group, the Pale di San Martino and the Lagorai. Whichever slope you choose, your skiing day will be accompanied by a breathtaking view!

Peaceful holidays in the Catinaccio area is also about appreciating a relaxing break in a mountain refuge to savour traditional Ladin dishes, as well as national and international cuisine. A cool beer will go down well with the many genuine, well presented dishes on the menu, and the delicious desserts will replenish your strength.

There are numerous refreshment points in the Catinaccio ski area: Rifugio Ciampedie, Rifugio Bellavista, Baita La Zondra, Baita Checco, Rifugio Negritella and Baita Prà Martin.

You can reach the Catinaccio ski area from Vigo di Fassa via a modern escalator that takes skiers from the centre of the village to the “Catinaccio” cable car departure station, or from Pera di Fassa with the “Vajolet 1”, “Vajolet 2” and “Pian Pecei” chairlifts.

The area is perfect for families thanks to the long blue slopes "Cigolade", "Ciampedie-Pian Pecei", Vajolet 1" and "Vajolet 2", suitable for beginners and children taking their first steps on skis, and the wide offer dedicated to the little ones. There’s in fact a large Baby Park where children can be left in the care of the Vigo Ski School, which organises skiing lessons, or the Mini Club for fun activities (info: www.scuolascivigo.com).

In addition to the blue slopes, a really challenging track is the Thöni slope, running for 4.5 km from Prà Martin to Vigo di Fassa, and the other red slopes of the area. Capable skiers can also test their skills on the black “Alberto Tomba” slope: the international champion trained at Ciampedie for many years, to the joy of many skiing enthusiasts and his fans

At Ciampedie there is the possibility of taking numerous snowshoe hikes, a way of experiencing the winter mountains in an alternative way to skiing, walking in the wonderful snowy landscape of the Catinaccio Group, with temperatures that are always mild thanks to the Dolomite peaks that protect from the harsh winter winds. 

Our hiking suggestions:

• Tour of the Ciampedie plateau: a circular route through the forest with panoramic views of the Val di Fassa and the Dolomite peaks
• Tour Ciampedie-Gardeccia: from Pian Pecei a forest road will lead you to the Gardeccia basin, a unique natural amphitheatre. From here, although the walk becomes more demanding, you can continue along summer path no. 546 towards the Vajolet and Preuss Refuges and further on to the Principe Pass along path no. 584. For these last two variants, it is best to rely on an alpine guide. 

In Gardeccia, in the heart of the Catinaccio, there are four mountain huts that are normally open also in winter: Rifugio Gardeccia, Rifugio Stella Alpina Spiz Piaz, Baita Enrosadira and Rifugio Catinaccio.

In the Catinaccio ski area, you'll find one of Val di Fassa's six black runs, the one dedicated to Alberto Tomba. Approximately 900 meters long, with gradients of up to 59% and a vertical drop of approximately 300 meters, it's definitely a must-try for expert skiers, who can test their skills on the slope where the great ski champion often trained.