At the heart of the Stelvio National Park and in the midst of the Ortles region lie the renowned mountain villages of Solda and Trafoi
King Ortles is the highest peak in South Tyrol. Together with the Ortles Alps and its peaks, some almost 4,000 metres high, it forms an impressive natural landscape. Almost a century ago, the Italian King declared the area the Stelvio National Park. This protected area between South Tyrol and Lombardy can also be experienced in the valley through five visitor centres.
The one in Trafoi is dedicated to life in the high Alpine region. Here, where the extreme climatic conditions of the high mountains force animals and plants to adopt survival strategies, ibex, stoats, mountain hares, and bearded vultures make their home, and edelweiss and arnica flourish.
In the midst of this protected area, the houses of Stelvio village extend up the slope. Like an eagle's nest, they perch on the sunny mountain, from which miners once set out to dig for iron ore on Mt. Ortles. The few houses down in the valley are known as Ponte Stelvio, the farms above them as Stelvio Masi. From there, the journey continues into the valley to Gomagoi, where the road splits: One leads along the stream to Trafoi and then, in numerous hairpin bends, ascends to the highest mountain pass in Italy and the second highest in the Alps - the mighty Stelvio Pass, called Stilfserjoch, in German.
Once at the top, the rocky landscape unfolds at almost 3,000 metres above sea level. The other road leads from Gomagoi into the Solda Valley, which ends at Solda, from where the cable cars depart. The landscape is a revelation for every mountain enthusiast and has therefore been a coveted destination for alpinists for centuries. In recent years, it has increasingly been leisure hikers, mountain bikers, and those seeking tranquillity who use the trails and paths among these mountains. Among them, Reinhold Messner's yaks graze on the summer pastures.
In winter, the "Pfluagziachn" or Plough Pulling in Stelvio can be witnessed in the valley, one of the ancient Carnival customs, while the ski slopes open in the mountains. The ski area on the Stelvio Glacier is currently still the largest summer ski area in the Alps. The slopes of Solda and Trafoi, on the other hand, became famous thanks to the skiing legend Gustav Thöni, who learned to ski here. These three ski areas in the municipality of Stelvio are part of the Ortler Skiarena network.
