Holidays at Villabassa
Magical summers and fairy tale winters
Villabassa is a real paradise for active holidaymakers: The town is ringed by the Dolomiti Superski ski areas and is a popular destination for mountain bikers, mountaineers, ski mountaineers and hikers. And there is certainly no shortage of natural sights in this part of the Dolomites, with famous hiking destinations such as Lake Dobbiaco, the Three Peaks and Lake Braies. The huge Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park has many lovely unspoiled places, far from the usual tourist trails …
Highlights | My summer in the Dolomites
Alpine lakes
If you overhear locals or guests talking about turquoise-blue water and a truly magical place, you can be certain they’re describing Lake Braies. The most famous alpine lake in the Dolomites is at Braies, and is a popular hiking destination and favourite postcard image at any time of year. In addition to the gem of Lake Braies, there are various other beautiful lakes in this area, such as Lake Dobbiaco (Dobbiaco), Lake Landro (Valle di Landro) and Lake Anterselva (Anterselva).
Hiking adventures
The Dolomites have always been a favourite destination for hikers, nature lovers and photographers. They have so much to offer: jagged rock formations and alpine landscapes, meadows dotted with colourful flowers and traditional mountain huts. Amazing views at every bend in the trail. Hikers can venture out into the Dolomites straight from the Helvetia. The range of hikes on offer include not only such classics as the Three Peaks, but also many high-altitude trails that take you right into the heart of the mountain landscape. Starting from the Helvetia, hikers can also access trails 1 – 5 of the Alte Vie delle Dolomiti.
Bike trails
- Drava cycle path: San Candido – Lienz
- Stoneman Trail at Villabassa
- Long-distance cycle routes from Munich to Venice and Trieste, and from Lienz to Maribor.
- Downhill and freeride trails
Tennis
- Air dome at Villabassa, with 2 artificial pitches made from natural sand
Highlights | Winter in the Dolomites
Ski areas
The stop for the Ski Pustertal express train is five minutes’ walk from the Helvetia, and will take you straight to the ski area of your choice. You can decide which one to visit first, but there’s one thing for sure: you’ll always have plenty of fun!
- 3 Cime Dolomiti ski area
5 interconnected ski resorts = 1 ski area = 100 kilometres of slopes.
Top picks: Giro delle Cime – 34 km ski circuit | The only reindeer herd in Italy on the Croda Rossa - Plan de Corones ski area
119 kilometres of slopes + 5 black slopes + connection to the famous Sellaronda = South Tyrol’s No. 1 ski mountain!
Top picks: Messner Mountain Museum Corones | LUMEN – Museum of mountain photography
Cross-country skiing
There’s direct access from the Helvetia to a whole network of cross-country trails in Val Pusteria and the Dolomites, taking you through some fabulous winter scenery. Some of the top places for cross-country skiing enthusiasts are the Nordic Arena in Dobbiaco, the Biathlon Centre in Anterselva, the high trail on the Prato Piazza plateau, and many more.
Dobbiaco Balloon Festival
At this annual event in Dobbiaco, you can watch lots of brightly coloured hot air balloons floating up into the sky – and there is also the option of taking a ride yourself!
