3 Cime Dolomiti

A Resort Built Around an Icon

Few ski destinations in the world can claim a backdrop as recognisable as this. The 3 Cime Dolomiti resort, spreading across Sesto, San Candido and the Monte Elmo in the upper Val Pusteria, has the rare privilege of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo as its permanent backdrop. The Cima Grande (2,999 m), Cima Ovest (2,973 m) and Cima Piccola (2,857 m) — perhaps the three most photographed Dolomite towers in the world — are visible in full from numerous points within the resort, a panorama that has made this area famous among climbers, photographers and skiers worldwide.

The area has been UNESCO World Heritage since 2009, part of the recognition extended to the Dolomites as a whole. Skiing here means moving through a landscape that has received the highest international recognition for its natural and geomorphological value — an awareness that many skiers feel distinctly once on the ground.

The Resort Sectors

The 90 km of pistes are distributed across multiple distinct areas connected by the lift system. Monte Elmo, above San Candido, is the main sector and the most convenient access point: from its high-altitude plateau you enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view over the surrounding valleys and the Sesto Dolomites range. The Croda Rossa-Baranci sector, reachable from Sesto, adds technical variety with several demanding black runs suited to more expert skiers. The third hub, Versciaco-Prato Piazza, completes the system with slopes well suited to families and intermediate skiers.

The pistes are generally well groomed and maintained, with artificial snowmaking on the connections between sectors. The difficulty distribution is balanced: good supply of blue pistes for beginners, reds dominant for intermediate skiers, a handful of technical blacks for those seeking steeper terrain.

The Connection with Austria

One of the most interesting aspects of the resort is the cross-border connection with Sillian in the East Tyrol (Osttirol) of Austria. This is not a simple commercial agreement between adjacent skipass areas: the physical connection between the Italian and Austrian pistes is skiable, making 3 Cime Dolomiti one of the rare resorts with an international connection practicable directly on skis. For those who enjoy the idea of “skiing in two countries in one day”, this is a concrete opportunity. The resort skipass includes Sillian, and the operators on both sides of the border collaborate to keep the connection open when snow conditions permit.

The Alta Pusteria and Tyrolean Culture

The resort is located in a territory with a strong South Tyrolean cultural identity, predominantly German-speaking, with a well-preserved Tyrolean gastronomic and architectural tradition. The villages of the Alta Pusteria — San Candido (Innichen), Sesto (Sexten), Dobbiaco (Toblach) — have a character different from the more southerly Trentino resorts: the mountain huts serve Kasspatzen and Schlutzkrapfen, Romanesque medieval churches dot the valley floors, and daily life proceeds with the discretion and order typical of Alpine communities of Austrian heritage.

The rail connection to San Candido, served by the Brennero line via Fortezza and Dobbiaco, makes the resort reachable without a car — a not insignificant advantage on peak weekends when traffic on the Val Pusteria can be heavy.

Getting There

From Bolzano the A22 motorway reaches Val Pusteria with the San Candido exit in about an hour. From Innsbruck the route takes approximately two hours via the A12 and the Brenner pass. The Brennero railway — with a change at Fortezza for the Pusteria branch — connects San Candido with Bolzano, Trento, Verona and northwards with Innsbruck. The SAD bus service manages local connections between the resort’s villages and the lift stations throughout the winter season.