We loved taking a break on this easy valley walk after all the hard hikes we had done that week. This “long valley” has steep rock walls and interesting peaks on all sides, passing through both grassy fields and dense forests. We saw lots of families picnicking here but the farther walked, the quieter it got. You can walk as far as you like, then turn around. But we recommend going at least 3 km to a big flat field at the end of the valley, a really beautiful sight.
See more of our Dolomites family hikes here.
| Location: | Val Gardena, Dolomites, northern Italy |
| Car: | Vallunga, Streda Val, 39048 Selva di Val Gardena, Italy GPS: 46°33’50.2″N 11°46’24.7″E |
| Train: | Bus schedule to Selva-Wolkenstein town center, but no bus to Vallunga. See TI for possible shuttles. |
| Trail: | 8 km round trip (or less), about 3 hrs with kids |
| Elevation: | highest point 1830 m, climb/descent 230 m |
| Condition: | wide dirt path, rocky and bumpy, but possible with all terrain strollers |
| Skill: | easy |
| Open: | best June to October |
| Cost 2018: | free, except parking €5/day or €0.35/30 mins, coins only. |
| More info: | valgardena.it – webcams |
Vallunga Location
Vallunga is just outside the town of Selva-Wolkenstein in the Val Gardena region of the Dolomites.
Here is the summer hiking map for this area, with Vallunga right in the middle.
Trail Overview
We simply hiked up the valley and back on trail #14, a relatively easy walk. We walked 4 km up the valley, turning back when the trail the trail narrowed and started heading up the mountain. Of course, you can make this much shorter. There is a very pretty open field at the 3 km mark and I’d recommend going at least that far. The trail continues to the top of the cliffs surrounding the valley if you want a much longer tour. See an larger interactive version of the trail map here.
It’s a dirt path, very bumpy and rocky in parts, but possible with an all-terrain stroller if you are determined. It gradually ascends about 200m in elevation, not a tough climb but you feel it a bit. The trail passes through lots of fields filled with cows as well as shady forests. This is a popular place for picnics, with lots of families scattered along the trail, some in official picnic areas with tables and benches, at least one with a grill. The farther you walk along the trail, the less populated it is.
Getting There
By car: Use the following map to drive from the town of Selva-Wolkenstein to the Vallunga parking lot at the end of a one-lane road.
Here’s the big metered parking lot at the end of the road. It costs €5/day or €0.35/30 mins, coins only.
On the trail
Here’s the entrance to the valley, a Unesco World Heritage site. You can take either path, they join together a bit further up the valley.
You are following trail #14 Vallunga but it’s basically the only trail. You won’t get lost.
It’s a narrow valley with cliff walls on both sides.
Looking back down the valley.
Lots of interesting rock formations along the way.
This is the open field at the 3 km mark. I recommend going at least as far as here. It’s very beautiful and you feel like you’ve arrived somewhere. It took us about 1 hour to get here.
We walked to the end of this valley and started up the narrow path along a little stream.
At the end of the valley, the path is in thick forest without a view and gets rocky and narrow. The stream was dry when we were there. It wasn’t that interesting and we turned around rather quickly. If you want to hike to the top of the cliffs, just keep walking up the mountain. The trail eventually loops back around the Selva-Wolkenstein, but it will certainly take you a long time.
We got rain on the way back adding a little drama to our day.
See more of our Dolomite family hikes here.
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