From Santa Cristina, situated in the heart of the Val Gardena, the lifts start up to the high plateaus of Col Raiser and Monte Pana
Image gallery: Santa Cristina Valgardena
Santa Cristina Valgardena, Santa Cristina Gherdëina in Ladin, is situated in the sunny centre of the valley, framed by the mighty peaks of the Odle Group in the north and the Sassolungo Group in the south. From here, the cable cars take you up to the high plateaus of Col Raiser and Monte Pana with their highlights such as the sundial and the zipline amidst the Dolomites. In addition, there are countless paths: Several of them are themed trails, such as the PanaRaida Adventure Trail with its interactive stations on the Monte Pana.
The village consists of many small houses and several shops and bars, with the Gothic parish church of St. Christina of Bolsena towering above. The numerous accommodation establishments in between show that tourism is the most important economic sector here. In the middle of the village are also the sports facilities of the Iman Sports Centre, next to which the largest hand-carved nativity scene in the world has been set up: It is a testimony to the traditional and world-famous woodcarving of the Val Gardena valley, a centuries old handicraft, which has been kept alive.
Where the St. Jacob Legend Trail, the Stevia Hut or the Zallinger Ensemble are popular destinations in summer, the slopes of the Val Gardena Skiing Area spread out in winter. Santa Cristina is the location of both the FIS World Cup slope Saslong and the Val Gardena Ronda Express, the first underground funicular in South Tyrol, which connects the two ski areas Seceda-Col Raiser with the Ciampinoi. Once you arrive at the mountain station, 121 km of perfectly groomed slopes await you on the Sella massif, with numerous huts for refreshments. On the other hand, there is a cross-country skiing centre on the Monte Pana adventure mountain: The tracks extend to 1,600 m a.s.l.
