From Ferrara, the centre of Braies di Dentro, to the protected Prato Piazza high plateau
Image gallery: Ferrara di Braies di Dentro
Ferrara (Schmieden) is the centre of Braies di Dentro (Innerprags) in the middle of the Valle di Braies. Here you will find the Church of the Suffering Saviour, which was built on the foundations of a small 17th-century church. For a long time, it was considered a quiet place for reflection, until restoration work in 1981 uncovered valuable and previously hidden frescoes.
In Ponticello (Brückele), the shuttle service starts from the hikers' car park and takes you up to the high plateau of the Prato Piazza. These vast alpine pastures lie beneath the imposing rock faces of the Braies Dolomites, dominated by the Croda Rossa. The high plateau is worth a visit at any time of year: In summer, hiking trails lead to huts such as the Vallandro Mountain Hut. Not far from it, the Prato Piazza Fortress is a reminder of the mountain warfare during the First World War.
At that time, South Tyrol was still part of Austria, and the structure itself was part of the Austrian fortifications on the border with Italy. In winter, you will find a network of cross-country ski tracks in the valley, connecting the villages with the heights of the Prato Piazza. The Ponticello trail for example starts at the ski lifts of Braies Vecchia, which are part of the 3 Zinnen Dolomites Ski Resort. The trail leads to Ponticello, where the road climbs towards the Prato Piazza.
Up on the plateau, snow-covered winter hiking paths wind through the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park. Here you can go on a winter hike, sledge along the flat paths, or simply enjoy the impressive silence of the mountain world before warming up in one of the local inns.
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