South Tyrol

South Tyrol >> Territories in South Tyrol >> Dolomites >> Alta Badia

Alta Badia in the Dolomites, South Tyrol

The Alta Badia, called Hochabtei in German, is the southernmost part of the Val Badia and lies in the very heart of South Tyrol. The major part of the local population belongs to the ethnic group of the Ladinians. They have their own language and culture and are known as the oldest Rhaeto-Romanic people in the entire Alpine region. Alta Badia comprises the localities La Val, Badia, and Corvara. This southern part of the Val Badia is traversed by the Gadera river (“the big waters”) which again joins the Rienza river near Brunico in the Val Pusteria. In the West the Alta Badia finishes at the Passo Gardena, in the South it is enclosed by the Passo Campolongo which connects the region with Livinallongo and in the East the Passo di Valparola marks the boundary with the province of Belluno.

The imposing Kreuzkofelgruppe in Alta Badia The imposing Kreuzkofelgruppe in Alta Badia

Alta Badia is one of the annual venues of the Ski World Cup races that are held on the notorious Gran Risa piste. For that reason it is primarily known as a winter sports area.