After a few nights in Canazei in Val di Fassa we switched it up and moved to Ortisei in Val Gardena. We had been through Val Gardena on a previous trip, but this was our first time visiting Ortisei. It’s the largest town in the valley and accordingly it was super busy when we arrived by bus in the late morning. Ortisei has a resort town vibe and I was hoping we could find lodging without paying an arm and a leg. By the tourist office was a large board with a map showing all the lodging in town with star ratings, availability and phone numbers. After a few phone calls we ended up at Garni Toni and choose a room with a shared bath for 85 euro/night. An added bonus was free passes to the indoor/outdoor pool next door. We had a full day of rain on our second day in Ortisei and made full use of the passes.

Steve preferred the more laid back vibe of Canazei, but I liked the pedestrian zone and all the fabulous wood carving shops in Ortisei. We found a few playgrounds for Norah and it was also convenient that there was a chairlift leaving directly from the town (we used this to visit Seceda a few days later). We had great meals at ristorantes Mauriz Keller, Cascade, and Terrazza (seemed to be a local favorite). Steve usually got pizza (mozzarella, prosciutto, and arugula), I usually got a ravioli or a local pasta dish, and Norah liked the meat/cheese plates. There were also some great little bakeries and stores to grab focaccia or sweet treats. Great town and we enjoyed our stay!