Sella Ronda - From Sterzing to Bozen

This tour crosses the Dolomites from north to south, linking the Pustertal and the Gadertal with the passes around the Sella massif before descending through the Eisacktal to Bolzano. The centrepiece is the Sella Ronda itself - the loop around the Sella group, which we rode on day four.

Total length: 245kmAccumulated height: 6.200mDuration: 5 days

We started in Sterzing near the Brenner Pass and finished in Bolzano five days later.

We pre-booked all our accommodation. That removed the need to look for a place to stay on arrival or during the day. Finding a bed at the planned stop can be difficult in this region, and without a reservation you may have to adjust the daily stages on the fly.

Take a look at this video to get an impression about this trip:

Day Trips

Day 1 - Sterzing to Bruneck

Length: 75kmAccumulated height: 750m

The first day is mostly downhill and along the valley, with the exception of the final section in Bruneck, where we stayed near the cable car station up to the Kronplatz. The photo shows the river in Sterzing.

Day 2 - Bruneck to San Martino in Badia

Length: 30kmAccumulated height: 1.600m

Since we rode up to the Kronplatz instead of taking the cable car, this short day turned into a serious climb. San Martino in Badia (St. Martin in Thurn) is a small village with only a handful of restaurants for dinner.

Day 3 - San Martino in Badia to Arabba

Length: 34kmAccumulated height: 1.400m

Day 4 - Arabba to Campitello di Fassa

Length: 45kmAccumulated height: 1.400m

This was the hardest and at the same time the most beautiful day, above all the Sella Ronda loop itself. The climb up to the Passo Pordoi already took a good while. We then had bad luck at the cable car ticket office, which was closed for a lunch break: we lost an hour just waiting to buy the tickets for the bikes, and it was around 2:30pm before we finally started the loop.

The scenery up there is outstanding. Along the way, and particularly on the descent, you occasionally find yourself wondering whether you are still on the right track. From Saltria the route climbs again to the Passo della Torba. The descent to Campitello di Fassa starts steeply - expect to push the bike for the first stretch.

We reached Campitello di Fassa at 8pm, just as it was getting dark.

Day 5 - Campitello di Fassa to Bozen

Length: 60kmAccumulated height: 900m

One of the more relaxed days, with most of the route running downhill. The main concern was keeping the brakes from overheating on the long descent.

The photo shows one of Bolzano's churches in the evening.

Our Learnings

• Book accommodation in advance. Options are limited in the smaller villages, and without a reservation the daily stages become guesswork
• Do not judge a stage by its distance. Day two is only 30km but climbs 1.600m; day four combines 45km with cable car logistics and took us until dark
• Plan around the cable cars on the Sella Ronda. Ticket offices close for a lunch break, bikes need their own ticket, and an hour lost in the queue moves the whole day
• Start the Sella Ronda loop early. Beginning at 2:30pm left us finishing the descent in fading light
• Several descents require pushing the bike, so this is a mountain bike tour rather than a leisurely alpine crossing