Trentino-South Tyrol · Bolzano
Corvara in Badia
The Ladin centre of Alta Badia at 1,568 metres, at the foot of the Sassongher, on the four-pass Sellaronda ski circuit.
Known for
SELLARONDA
One of four village bases on the forty-kilometre ski circuit around the Sella massif, skied in a single day on one lift pass.
LADIN
Eighty-seven percent of residents speak Ladin as a first language, the highest share in any commune of Alta Badia.
SASSONGHER
Rock spire at 2,665 metres above the village, the signature peak of Alta Badia and a classic Dolomite via ferrata.
When to visit
Best · Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar
- J0°
- F3°
- M5°
- A9°
- M13°
- J19°
- J21°
- A21°
- S16°
- O12°
- N5°
- D0°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
Why come
Corvara sits at 1,568 metres in a wide basin at the head of the Val Badia, below the rock spire of the Sassongher and inside the Dolomites UNESCO area. Ladin is the everyday language: in the 2024 census 87 percent of residents named it as their first tongue, with Italian and German distant second and third. The settlement was a scattered group of farms until tourism arrived in the early twentieth century, and Corvara is considered the birthplace of organised Alpine tourism in the Val Badia.
The village is one of four bases on the Sellaronda, the forty-kilometre ski circuit that loops the Sella massif through Corvara, Arabba, Canazei and Selva di Val Gardena on a single lift pass. Above the village, the Pralongià plateau opens a long view to the Marmolada glacier. The Gran Risa piste at the next hamlet of La Villa hosts the men's giant slalom on the World Cup tour each December.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written Corvara in Badia’s letter yet.
One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.
How to get there
From Venice (TSF), about 2h 28m by car.
Verona (VRN) is about 3 hours away.
By car from the centre of Bolzano 1h 15m or Trento 1h 49m.
What to see
Chiesa di Santa Caterina
Late Gothic church first documented in 1347 and consecrated to Saint Catherine in 1452, holding the only well-preserved winged altar in Val Badia, dated 1520.
Sassongher
Rock peak at 2,665 metres above the village, the signature silhouette of Corvara and a classic via ferrata climb on the eastern flank.
Altopiano di Pralongià
Grassy plateau above the village reached by cable car, with open views to the Marmolada glacier and the surrounding Dolomite groups.
Sellaronda
Forty-kilometre ski circuit around the Sella massif linking Corvara, Arabba, Canazei and Selva di Val Gardena on a single lift pass.
Parco Naturale Puez-Odle
Protected Dolomite area at the northern edge of the commune, inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list with the wider Dolomites group in 2009.
The slow-trip planner
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We recommend
Where to eat and stay
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to: a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
La Stüa de Michil - Simone CantafioRistorante
La Stüa de Michil - Simone Cantafio carries one Michelin star, two Gambero Rosso forks (88/100), plus a place in L'Espresso's Top 300, among other nods.
L'OstìRistorante
L'Ostì carries a place in L'Espresso's Top 300, plus a spot in the Michelin Guide.
Rifugio Col AltRistorante
Two Gambero Rosso forks (80/100) for Rifugio Col Alt, and a spot in the Michelin Guide.
Bistrot La PerlaRistorante
Bistrot La Perla has a spot in the Michelin Guide to its name.
Burjé 1968Ristorante
Burjé 1968 has a La Liste score of 79.5 to its name.
KELINA Fine DineRistorante
KELINA Fine Dine has a spot in the Michelin Guide to its name.
LadiniaRistorante
Ladinia has a spot in the Michelin Guide to its name.
Hotel La PerlaHotel
Hotel La Perla carries a La Liste score of 92.5, plus a Leading Hotels of the World listing.
Living here
- Population 1,396
- Very remotei
- Pharmacy in town
- Nearest airport Venice, 2 h 28 min drive
- Regional capital Bolzano, 1 h 15 min drive
Common questions
- What is Corvara in Badia known for?
- Corvara in Badia is the Ladin centre of Alta Badia at 1,568 metres, at the foot of the Sassongher, on the four-pass Sellaronda ski circuit.
- Where is Corvara in Badia?
- Corvara in Badia is a comune in the province of Bolzano, in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, at 1568 meters above sea level.
- What is the nearest airport to Corvara in Badia?
- Venice (TSF), about 2h 28m by car.
- How long is the drive from Bolzano to Corvara in Badia?
- About 1h 15m by car.
- When is the best time to visit Corvara in Badia?
- Best in Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar. July is the warmest month, averaging 21 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 18 rain days.
- Which other towns are like Corvara in Badia?
- Sappada, Pescocostanzo and Abetone Cutigliano.
- How many people live in Corvara in Badia?
- 1,396 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 1568 m
- Population: 1,396
- Surface area: 38.92 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
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