Alpe di Siusi Italy: A Complete Guide to Visiting (2024)

No visit to the Dolomites is complete without a visit to Alpe to Siusi. It’s the highest large alpine meadow in Europe and the perfect place to immerse yourself in the hut to hut hiking culture.

There’s 790 different plant species that grow on the meadows, as well as birds, deer and other wildlife that call this magical place home.

In this post I’ll cover everything you need to know about visiting Alpe di Siusi in the summer, including how to get there, how much it costs, and what I think is the perfect hiking route to help you get the most out of your trip.

*Some links in this post are affiliate links. It won’t make a difference to what you pay, but I may earn a small commission if you purchase something I’ve recommended. I’m really grateful for your trust in my advice, and if I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend, I won’t recommend it to you.

Where is Alpe di Siusi?

Alpe di Siusi is part of the Dolomites mountain range in the South Tyrol region of Italy.

This region is known for its stunning alpine landscapes and is a popular destination for hiking, skiing, and other outdoor activities.

Why is it sometimes called Seiser Alm?

Alpe di Siusi is often referred to as Seiser Alm, which can be a bit confusing, but the reason behind it is a very simple one.

The South Tyrol area where Alpe di Siusi is located has a significant German-speaking population, and Italian and German are both official languages of the area.

Alpe di Siusi is the Italian name, and Seiser Alm is the German name for the same place.

You’ll see this a lot as you travel through the Dolomites, most places will have two different names.

Getting to Aple di Siusi

There’s a couple of options for getting to Seceda, depending on what time of day your visiting.

Driving to Alpe di Siusi

To reduce traffic at Alpe di Siusi, car access is very limited. Unless you’re staying in a hotel on Alpe di Siusi, you can’t drive up between 9am and 5pm.

If you’re driving, you’ll need to make sure you pass the S. Valentino forest station before 9:00 a.m.

There’s two car parks to choose from on Alpe di Siusi. I’d recommend the one closest to Compatsch, as this small town is where the hikes start from.

P2 car park at Compaccio

Location | Google Maps

Parking Charge | 24 EUR per car

Distance from Compatsch | 1 minute walk

P1 Spitzbühel car park

Location | Google Maps

Parking charge | Free

Distance from Compatsch | 25 minute walk

Taking the Cable Car to Alpe di Siusi

If you’re arriving after 9am (as we did), don’t worry. You can take the cable car up to Alpe di Siusi and it’s really easy.

The Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway (Google Maps) is located in the town of Siusi and one cable car will take you from the bottom up to Compatsch on Alpe di Siusi.

Parking for the cable car

There’s a large free car park at the cableway station with plenty of spaces.

Cable car opening hours

The cable car runs from 8am – 6pm or 7pm depending on the month. In the peak summer months it runs until 7pm.

The cable car closes in the winter, and this year is open from May 26 until November 2, 2023.

Cable car cost

As of Summer 2023 when we visited the Dolomites, the cable car prices were:

Adult:

One way | €16.00
Return | €24.00

Children under 8 | Free

Junior (16+):

One way | €10.00
Return | €14.00

Family – 2 adults + children:

One way | €36.00
Return | €52.00

You can take bikes on the cable car at a cost of €6.00 one way. Dogs can also come at an extra charge of €2.00 one way

How long does the cable car take?

It takes around 20 minutes to get to Compatsch from Siusi in the cable car.

Taking the bus to Alpe di Siusi

There’s several bus routes that will take you to Alpe di Siusi. Find more information here.

When’s the best time to visit Alpe di Siusi?

This will completely depend on what you want to do when you’re there. In summer, the main thing to do here is hike.

In winter, the main activity at Alpe di Siusi is skiing.

We visited Alpe di Siusi in early September and it was perfect for us. The summer crowds had disappeared and so had the heat, so it was an ideal temperature for hiking. And we could enjoy lunch outside at the huts.

In terms the best time of day to visit, the only thing to consider here is that the last cable car down from Alpe di Siusi runs at 7pm, so make sure you give yourself enough time to explore.

How long do you need at Alpe di Siusi?

Our circular walk around Alpe di Siusi took 2 hours, plus 30 minutes for lunch.

I’d allow at least 3 hours to explore Alpe di Siusi, have time to take photographs, and enjoy a lunch in one of the huts.

We took quite a leisurely approach to our time in the Dolomites and spent a lot of time relaxing in the hotel as we didn’t want to feel rushed.

But you could visit Alpe di Siusi in the morning, and then head to nearby Seceda or Geisler Alm in the afternoon.

Circular hike at Alpe di Siusi

We visited Alpe di Siusi on our last day in the Dolomites, so we had a flight to catch from Venice in the evening and little time for a huge hike or any mistakes along the way.

I had a few things I wanted from my hike and I couldn’t find a guide that met my requirements, so I’m hoping this one will help you if you want the same things. They were:

1. A circular walk that started and finished at Compatsch cable car station
2. I wanted to bypass the famous photo spot on Alpe di Siusi
3. And I wanted to have lunch at a Refugio half way through

The route we took to achieve all of those things is below:

Head left from Compatsch cable car station

With Compatsch cable car station behind us, we went left down the path.

The beauty of Alpe di Siusi is that you’re met with incredible views as soon as you step out the cable car, so there’s lots to see straight away.

Continue following trail #14b

You’ll catch some pretty impressive views of the jagged peaks of Sassolungo to your right.

At this point, the walk enters through woodlands and you won’t have any views for a while, but keep following the signs to Monte Piz.

You’ll soon come to a clearing and you’ll want to turn right, following trail #3 to Monte Piz.

After a while you’ll head past a hotel and restaurant on your right, and directly in front will be two gravel paths. You’ll want to turn left and follow trail #14b towards Icaro, St Ulrich and Ortisei.

This was my least favourite part of the hike. There’s no view and it’s all uphill, so it’s tiring and there’s nothing to distract you. But it doesn’t last long so keep going.

You’ll soon see the jagged peaks of Sassolungo again, and you’ll make your way past ICARO hotel on the left.

Follow trail #6 towards Adler Mounten Lodge.

Now you’ll be back in the meadows, on a flat, wide path, surrounded by incredible views.

The beauty of doing the uphill part of the hike early on when you have the most energy, is that the rest is fairly flat.

Alpe di Siusi photo spot

After about 15 minutes on this path, you’ll come to a bench with a sign to let you know you’ve arrived at the famous photo point.

In case you just want to visit the photo point, or you get lost, here’s the Google Maps location.

There was no one else here when we arrived, so we spent time admiring the view, taking photos and flying the drone. It’s truly incredible, I can’t believe places like this exist.

Trail #9 to Hotel Restaurant Sonne

After admiring the view, continue along the path, following signs to Hotel Restaurant Sonne. If you like, you can stop at the Sonne hotel for a drink as the views are incredible, but I’d recommend continuing on for food.

Trail #6b to Compatsch

Once you get to the Sonne hotel, you’ll want to turn right, following trail #6b towards Compatsch (where we started).

From the Sonne hotel, it’s only a 15 minute walk to Malga Sanon (the Sanon Hutte), where we stopped for lunch.

Malga Sanon serves up hearty South Tyrolean food, perfect for refuelling after a long walk. There’s a large playground for children, and it’s also where you can get the iconic heart framed photo of the Sassolungo.

We ordered the Goulash and the ribs and they were both delicious.

Follow signs to Compatsch

At this point, the route is fairly easy as you’re following signs back to Compatsch. It takes about an hour to get back from the hut.

After a while you’ll come to a fork in the road at which point you could turn left and head to Rauchhütte, another Rifugio that serves fresh, homemade pasta dishes. This was my first choice of restaurant but we didn’t have time for the detour.

For the last part of the hike you’re walking along a road, until you get back into the meadows for the final 15 minutes to the cable car station.

Can you fly a drone at Alpe di Siusi?

Yes, you’re allowed to fly a drone at Alpe di Siusi and in the South Tyrol area. We saw several people flying theirs during our visit.

Make sure you follow local drone laws before you fly.

Things to pack for your hike

A water bottle: There’s plenty of water fountains around the Dolomites perfect for refilling your bottle. I have this Stanley bottle, it keeps water cold for over 12 hours, and has a straw for easy drinking

A backpack: I have this Osprey backpack which is perfect for day hikes. There’s space for my camera equipment, extra layers, snacks and my water bottle in the side.

Hiking shoes: I’d recommend a pair of hiking shoes or boots for your trip to the Dolomites. They don’t need to be expensive but they’ll support your feet much better than trainers. These are a great option for your first pair of boots, and they’ll last a long time.

A raincoat: The weather can change quite quickly in the mountains, so I’d pack a raincoat just in case. I always like to carry a pac a mac as they don’t take up much room.

Things to do near Alpe di Siusi

If you do Alpe di Siusi in the morning, you could spend the afternoon at either:

• 25 minute drive: Ortisei, where you can get the cable car to Seceda
• 35 minute drive: Val di Funes, where you can visit Geisler Alm

Where to stay on Alpe di Siusi

Staying on Alpe di Siusi is not only an opportunity to wake up to some of the most amazing views in the Dolomites, it means you’ll have unique access to the area.

Only guests who are staying on Alpe di Siusi can drive there during the day, so you’ll be able to come and go as you please.

There’s some incredible hotels on Alpe di Siusi, most of which have spas, and all of which benefit from panoramic views of the mountains.

1. Alpina Dolomites

Alpina Dolomites is the ultimate luxury 5* hotel in Alpe di Siusi.

The modern boutique hotel has 60 bedrooms and suites, and every room has a balcony or terrace with unrivalled views of the mountains.

One of the highlights of Alpina Dolomites is its extensive wellness and spa facilities. There’s a variety of treatment options, saunas, steam rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and relaxation areas.

2. Living Hotel Tirler

There’s just 28 rooms at Living Hotel Tirler, so it has a really intimate feel. Rooms range from cosy doubles to family apartments, spread across two storeys.

There’s an outdoor pool with stunning views over Alpe di Siusi, and water fed from the hotels private spring. It’s heated to 33°C so you can swim here even in winter.

There’s also a hot tub and four different saunas across the hotel.

3. Saltria

Saltria is a beautiful 4* hotel located in the middle of Alpe di Siusi. There’s different room sizes to suit every budget, and whilst they have a more traditional design (think lots of wood), they have a really cosy feel.

As well as an impressive 13m indoor swimming pool, there’s an 11m outdoor pool with panoramic views. There’s also an indoor whirlpool, relaxation room, multiple saunas, saltwater bath and a Turkish steam bath.

Click here to read my full guide to the best hotels on Alpe di Siusi

Alpe di Siusi Italy: the wrap up

Visiting the lush alpine meadows of Alpe di Siusi in Italy was one of my favourite parts of our trip to the Dolomites.

It’s an easy hike with fantastic views, with plenty of brilliant Rifugios to stop off in.

Whichever route you take, I know you’ll absolutely love it.