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three idyllic alpine villages
arabba, corvara and pedraces
excellent springboards for walks and via ferrata
enchanting places with stunning mountain backdrops
Situated between the well known resorts of Selva Gardena to the west and Cortina to the east, the Val Livinallongo (Arabba) and the Val Badia (Corvara & Pedraces) combine to make a paradise for low, medium and high level walkers; for painters, photographers and wildflower enthusiasts; for Via Ferrata-ists and climbers; indeed, anyone with a passion for mountains and alpine valleys.
Collett's offers an excellent range of half-board, Bed & Breakfast and self catering accommodation in three enchanting villages:Arabba (1602m), Corvara (1537m) and Pedraces (1324m). Five days a week in each of these villages, we offer our free and optional programme of Organised Walks, Flower Walks,Via Ferrata, Painting etc. We hold Office Hour in all three villages and there is superb access to Ideas & Information for those who would prefer to venture out independently.
Arabba
At 1602m Arabba is the highest of our three villages. It is right at the end of Val Livinallongo close to some of the area's most impressive peaks, including the Marmolada, 'Queen of the Dolomites'. The striking dominance of the Sella massif which towers gloriously behind this cosy alpine village will stay with you forever.
Col di Lana
Arabba is where it all started for Collett's Mountain Holidays back in 1993 and we have a special rapport with many people here based on years of mutual respect and friendship. This will have positive repercussions for you and you will soon feel at home here in this popular little mountain centre.
Arabba is an outpost of the Veneto region and is therefore a little more Italian in character than its South Tyrol neighbours to the north, Pedraces and Corvara. Like Corvara, a few kms to the north, Arabba is towered over by the monumental Sella massif and it is easy to leave the village on foot and explore the high level trails that venture up to its summit plateau. The summit can be accessed by the less ambitious walker by taking the dramatic Sass Pordoi cable car from just above the village at the Pordoi Pass. The photo below was taken from the top station of this cable car. The pass itself is renowned for its rare wildflower species and is also the starting point of many stunning walks.
Arabba's location is strategically superb and access to high and intermediate walks, Via Ferrata and its majestic neighbouring valleys is excellent. It lies on the Old Dolomites Road - Strada dei Dolomiti - which meanders through magnificent scenery, culminating in a scenically awe-inspiring descent into nearby Cortina. It is also on the famous Four Passes circuit, a breathtaking circumnavigation of the Sella massif by road via the Campolongo, Gardena, Sella and Pordoi passes.
At the height of summer, Arabba is a hive of activity. The village festival is in August and lasts for three days, and there are other occasions when marquees are erected, local costumes worn, bands play music and beer is served. Thanks to a local hotelier with a passion for cars, vintage car rallies pass through and occasionally prestige cars park overnight in the village square. As for the great outdoors, which surrounds the village, you can make a dramatic exit to your chosen destination by cable car, car, bus or on foot. Whatever you do, you'll soon be glad you came.
from Café Peter the heart of Arabba
Office Hour in Arabba - Each early evening we invite you to the hospitable atmosphere of the bar at Chalet Barbara at the top of the village. Here you can join us for a drink and chat to our Outdoor Staff about walks, via ferrata, wildflower walks, painting and other itineraries they are offering the following day. Or, if you prefer to walk independently, glean ideas and suggestions for a self-guided day out. At Office Hour we can also help you book other activities such as horseriding, white-water rafting, paragliding etc..
Accommodation in Arabba - In Arabba, we offer 3 hosted alpine chalets, one of which is so luxurious we put it in a 'superior' category. We also offer the exquisite, family-run Sport Hotel as well as a host of self-contained self catering chalet apartments of all shapes and sizes.
Click here for details of our accommodation in Arabba.
Corvara and Pedraces in the aLTA Badia
Just 5kms north of Arabba is the Alta Badia. Our love of this beautiful valley brought us to Haus Valentin in Pedraces 9 years ago and now we have two wonderful hosted chalets just up the road in Corvara too. The Alta Badia is the South Tyrol at its glorious best.
The delightful pastoral scenery that surrounds Corvara and Pedraces characterises the abundance of gentle and medium level walks that are available in the Alta Badia, most of which are easily accessed from the doorsteps of our various properties. Yet there is also outstanding access and choice for the high level walker and for the Via Ferrata enthusiast. Trails leave both villages for the rocky reaches of the Puez Odle National Park and the extensive network of paths in the magnificent Fanes National Park, which spectacularly dominates the eastern flank of the valley. There is also superb access (on foot or by gondola) to the towering north and eastern walls of the Sella Massif with their exhilarating high trails and Via Ferrata options.
Corvara - is the largest of the five Ladin villages that constitute the majestic Alta Badia and it is the most high-profile of our three villages. Like Pedraces down the road, it is a South Tyrolean gem and a superb springboard for a mountain holiday. The many chalets, cafes and shops in Corvara are a charming mix of 'modern & stylish' and 'traditional Tyrolean & alpine'.
The village is spectacularly dominated by the Sassongher (2665m), the south eastern turret of the Puez-Odle Massif, whilst the colossal eastern flanks of the Sella Massif to the south also vies for attention. Below these formidable walls of rock, there are idyllic flower meadows, upland pastures and woodland trails, which are the ideal haven for the more gentle walker. You can gaze for hours from these tracks across the valley to the dramatic massifs that form a seemingly endless rim of stunning peaks.
Down in the village the views are similarly absorbing and you can enjoy them from a host of different places, such as the sunbathing area at the swimming lake, various delightful cafes and, of course, the balconies, terraces and gardens of our chalets. The village itself has much to offer including a swimming lake (with sunbathing area), mountain biking, a high ropes garden, tennis, ice skating, a climbing wall, a fitness trail, two cable cars - all of which open on a seasonal basis.
Pedraces - From Corvara you can follow a delightful riverside trail for 5kms to the smaller village of Pedraces. This picturesque village is unforgettable, such is the dramatic dominance of the Fanes Massif that flanks the eastern side of the Alta Badia, climaxing at Pedraces with its pinnacle, Santa Croce, towering so dramatically over the village that it has become its trademark.
Haus Valentin, our much-loved base in Pedraces, enjoys this spectacle in all its glory and in the evening as the sun sets, guests gather on the sun terrace to witness this vast expanse of rock glowing rose pink as if on fire. This phenomenon is called the enrosadira and, whilst it brings a magical air to the whole Alta Badia, it is at its best above Pedraces.
At Pedraces the Alta Badia widens to produce truly enchanting pastoral landscapes, where the low or medium level walker will thrive. Yet, as with Corvara, access to high level areas is excellent and it is easy to venture into the labyrinth of high trails in both the Puez-Odle and Fanes National Parks, using waymarked tracks that start near Haus Valentin.
As for the village itself, it is about the same size as Arabba with an almost identical range of shops, banks, cafes, bars etc. The chairlift is an absolute 'must', whether you choose to stay in Arabba, Corvara or Pedraces. It carries you peacefully over idyllic pastures, sleepy hamlets and traditional Tyrolean smallholdings, dropping you off at a beautiful spot, where the views are spellbinding and you can either spend a few hours relaxing on the sun terrace of a rifugio or start one of several delightful walks back to the village or venture into the dramatic high terrain of the Fanes National Park.
Office Hour in Corvara and Pedraces - In the Alta Badia (Corvara & Pedraces) Office Hour takes place in the bars of Chalet Bracun, Corvara and Haus Valentin, Pedraces. Here you can join us for a drink and chat to our Outdoor Staff about walks, via ferrata, wildflower walks, painting and other itineraries they are offering the following day. Or, if you prefer to walk independently, glean ideas and suggestions for a self-guided day out. At Office Hour we can also help you book other activities such as horseriding, white-water rafting, paragliding etc..
Accommodation in the Alta Badia - Corvara & Pedraces
In Corvara, we offer 2 hosted alpine chalets, one of which is categorised as being 'superior' to the other, primarily on account of its health spa, but both are delightful. We also offer superior self catering apartments for 4 or 5 next to Chalet Bracun and there are other self catering options too.
In Pedraces just down the road, we offer the ever-popular Haus Valentin with its stunning views over the village to Santa Croce as well as a handful of self-contained self catering chalet apartments of varying shapes and sizes.
Click here for details of our accommodation in Corvara and Pedraces.
The people and the area
The people of Arabba, Corvara and Pedraces are helpful and friendly. Although few speak good English, most will have a go. Amongst themselves, they use a centuries-old Ladin dialect but otherwise Italian prevails (and German too, notably in the Val Badia).
At the same time, this area retains its own character and is not overwhelmed by the tourism it attracts. In the bars and cafes, you are just as likely to find local people playing cards or taking a break from their work, as you are to see walkers stopping for refreshment on their way through.
These villages boast strategically superb locations with excellent access to numerous walks,Via Ferratas and local places of interest that punctuate the surrounding great outdoors. So you can make a dramatic exit to your chosen destination by cable car, car, bus, chairlift or on foot.Whatever you do, you'll soon be glad you came.
Modern history has shaped this area. Prior to 1918 it was Austrian territory, but after WWI, it became Italian. Mussolini set about italianising the region, but he was not entirely successful and the area now thrives on the harmonious co-existence of the Austrian and Italian cultures in a fascinating region where Latin meets Germanic.
Add to these cultures, the influence of a modern mountain-dwelling community with an enlightened, yet conservative approach to tourism and the result is a unique atmosphere of character and charm in an environment where there is lots to see and do.
Accommodation in Arabba, Corvara & Pedraces
high above Arabba
- Wildflower Walking Holidays
Low Level Valley and 'static' alpine flower walks beneath the famous towers of Dolomitic Limestone.
Five days a week - Self Guiding for Independent Walking
Extensive information and excellent material is available to all our guests
so that people who prefer to walk independently can benefit from our unrivalled local knowledge. - Low and Medium Level Walking Holidays
Low Level Valley and trail walking beneath the famous towers of Dolomitic Limestone.
Five days a week - Arabba, Corvara & Pedraces. - High Level Walking Holidays
Spectacular all day itineraries in the valleys and on the peaks in the world's most unique mountain range.
Five days a week - Arabba, Corvara & Pedraces. - Via Ferrata
Consist of a range of protected scrambling routes.
Comprised of skilfully installed fixed cables, ladders and gorge-spanning bridges
Five days a week - Arabba, Corvara & Pedraces. - First World War walks with Collett's
Join a fascinating and spectacular war walk with Isabelle Johnson, a local war historian.
Five days a week
Collett's is Bonded with ABTA and AITO
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Collett's is a regulated, independent holiday specialist committed to the highest levels of personal care and attention to detail. Abroad, we respect the people, character and local customs of our featured destinations. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators abiding to its Quality Charter and encouraging high standards of quality and service. Finally, Collett's is bonded through ABTA and guarantees the protection of all holiday payments. Collett's Ltd. is registered in England No. 3467538 @ Lake House, Market Hill, Royston, Herts, SG8 9GN Directors: N.R.Baron, T.J.E Collett & P.Melia. admin@colletts.co.uk
