Alpe Di Siusi is one of the most famous photography spots in the Dolomites and for good reason. From the golden halflinger ponies, fireweed flowers, lush meadows of grass, and many many cabins dotting the rolling hills – it’s all a compliment to the gorgeous backdrop Sassolungo ridge. It’s also the largest high alpine meadow in Europe so there is plenty to explore.
How to visit Alpe Di Siusi
There are many ways to visit. When planning your trip also pay attention to signs/ information referring to the area as Seiser Alm.
By Bus
Seiser Alm Express (Alpe di Siusi Express) bus runs from the village of Kastelruth (Castelrotto) to Compatch (Compaccio) and from there you can take another bus or hike (approx. 60 minutes). The actual bus timetables and all the connections can be found here.
By private car
You can only drive to the small town Compatsch (where we stayed) before 9 AM or after 5 PM and you cannot drive past the numbered parking areas within Compatsch unless you have a reservation for a hut further within the park. If you drive past Compatsch you risk a $112 fine which is not worth it when there’s cheap buses and many beautiful hiking trails to get further out into the meadows. (It’s also not worth risking the fine to drive up the scenic road between 9-5) The closest parking area to the trails is number P4 and all the lots cost the same – 18euros. (If you arrive after 6, the parking attendant leaves and there’s no way to pay this fee)
By Cable Car
Recommended if you are staying in Ortisei and don’t have a private car to get around. Just keep in mind, the cable cars run limited times making sunset/sunrise photos more difficult to get.
Ortisei – Alpe di Siusi Cable car information:
Cost:
Cost:
Adults Roundtrip/ one way: 23.90/15.90
Juniors 8-14 years old: 16.70/11.10
Kids under 8 are free
* To view specific timetables and book tickets visit the website here.
About our experience:
After much debate we decided to book a place to stay in Compatsch which gave us access to drive up to Alpe Di Siusi any time after our check-in hour. This way I could get a lay of the land for sunset and maybe even take nice sunrise photos. The apartment that we booked on Airbnb was awesome – we had amazing view from the private balcony and lots of space to relax. We drove up the road about 3:00 and checked in.
After checking the weather I thought sunset would be our best bet so we looked at the bus time table to drive closer to the “photo” spots. Cue naps running a little longer and missing the bus- we had to walk to the photo spots instead. It took about 1.5 hours to get to the area I had mapped out – it was mostly flat walking with a couple more hills at the end. The views were stunning the whole way so ended up not being too upset we missed the bus.
After snapping photos we started the walk back. The buses don’t run after about 6 so we started back just before the sunset actually happened – if we had any hope of eating dinner, we had to start back around 8. That being said I never really stopped taking photos as we walked back.
Our apartment, godsend that it was, had a restaurant/ pizzeria IN it that was open until 10. (otherwise there’s nowhere to eat after like 8/9 up there) The food was fabulous and the cheapest of our whole trip. The next morning the weather was looking very cloudy and I had no desire to walk very far knowing I wanted to hike later in the day so I just enjoyed the views from our balcony before check out.
So all in all staying in Compatsch didn’t impact our Alpe Di Siusi experience that much – We could have easily driven up after 5, taken sunset photos, and then driven back down into town. However the restaurant was great and I loved the views from the balcony! Based on your budget, a stay in Compastch is a great idea to save money on bus fares or cable cars and to experience sunset/ sunrise in one of the prettiest meadows.
Where to stay in Alpe Di Siusi
Appartamento con vista sull’Alpe di Siusi $$- Where we stayed: highly recommend for the onsite restaurant with great hours, beautiful view from the porch, and overall great space. Just remember linens are not provided….
Adler Lodge Alpe $$$$$ – Expensive but it’s located right at the main view point and is a gorgeous hotel. If you’re on a luxury trip, it would be a dream.
Icaro Hotel $$ – Similar location to Adler Lodge location and much more affordable- the catch is you have to stay 2 nights. Still worth checking out for the location, beautiful rooms, and incredible pool.
Any number of hotels in Siusi or Ortisei will also provide great places to launch your adventure from.
