Val Gardena après-ski with South Tyrolean wines

Quintessential South Tyrolean après-ski culture in the heart of the Dolomites. The Sella Ronda ski circuit connects multiple valleys, and the traditional wood-carved village of Ortisei features excellent wine bars serving local Alto Adige wines.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Find the Après-Ski Bar Where Skiers Switch Languages Adventure · Free

   Return to Ortisei's pedestrian zone (Streda Rezia) after a day on the slopes. Val Gardena après-ski is unlike anywhere else in the Alps because of the three-language collision. At the bar, you'll hear ski instructors switch from German to Italian to Ladin mid-sentence. Austrians come for the skiing, Italians for the food, and the Ladins run everything in between. The atmosphere is warmer and more food-focused than Austrian après (no Jagermeister chugging) and more sophisticated than French (actual wine, not just vin chaud). Walk into any busy bar on Streda Rezia between 4-6pm. Listen to the conversations. Can you identify which language is which?

   Backup: If the outdoor terraces are too cold (deep winter), head to any hotel bar with a 'Stube' (traditional wood-paneled room) — Hotel Adler and Hotel Gardena both have atmospheric ones. The Stube is the Ladin version of après-ski: low ceilings, warm wood, candlelight.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Order Schiava Instead of Beer Wine · Price: moderate

   In most alpine resorts, après-ski means beer. In Val Gardena, locals drink Schiava — the light cherry-red wine (also called Vernatsch in German) that's been the everyday drink of South Tyrol for centuries. At 11-12% alcohol, it's lighter than most reds, practically rosé, and perfect for altitude-tired bodies. At any bar or enoteca in Ortisei, order 'un bicchiere di Schiava' (Italian) or 'ein Glas Vernatsch' (German). When it arrives, notice the color — translucent ruby, not the deep red you expect from Italian wine. Taste it: fresh cherry, a hint of almond, maybe cotton candy. Ask the bartender: 'Is this what locals actually drink?' The answer is yes — Schiava outsells every other grape in South Tyrol by volume.

   Backup: If Schiava isn't available by the glass, ask for St. Magdalener (Schiava-dominant blend) or any 'vino locale rosso.' If you prefer white, Gewürztraminer is the aromatic alternative and pairs better with cheese platters.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Pair Wine With a Ladin Marenda Plate History · Price: moderate

   'Marenda' is the Ladin word for afternoon snack — the meal between lunch and dinner that fueled farmers and carvers through long winter afternoons. A traditional marenda is Speck (smoked ham cured 22+ weeks using Austrian technique), Schüttelbrot (crispy flatbread baked since medieval times), local alpine cheese, and pickled vegetables. This is the original après-ski food, 500 years before someone invented cheese fondue. Order a 'Marende' or 'Brettljause' (Austrian term) or 'tagliere di salumi e formaggi' (Italian term). Three names, one plate — the cultural collision again. When it arrives, eat the Speck first — the smokiness opens your palate. Then the cheese, then Schüttelbrot — break a piece and listen to the crunch. Pair every bite with Schiava. Budget: €12-20 for the plate.

   Backup: If cold plates aren't available, order canederli (bread dumplings) in broth — the hot version of après-ski Ladin comfort food. The dumplings are made from stale bread (waste nothing in the mountains) with Speck and cheese mixed in.

   Log Memory
4. 4 Watch the Mountains Turn Pink From the Bar Adventure · Free · Optional

   If you time après-ski right (arrive at the bar by 4pm in winter, 6pm in summer), you can watch the Enrosadira sunset from your seat at any bar or restaurant terrace in Ortisei with a view of the Odle/Geisler peaks to the northeast, or Sassolungo to the southeast. The Dolomite peaks turn gold, then pink, then deep red over 20 minutes. With a glass of Schiava or Lagrein in hand, the wine and the mountains are the same color. Choose a terrace or window seat facing the peaks. Time your second glass of wine for the moment the color shift begins. Hold the wine glass against the sky when the pink is deepest — Lagrein is almost the same ruby-red as peak Enrosadira. This is the single image that defines Val Gardena: glowing mountains, local wine, and three languages humming at the bar behind you.

   Backup: If clouds block the sunset, the Stube atmosphere (warm wood room, low light, wine, Speck) is its own reward. Enrosadira happens every clear evening — you'll have another chance tomorrow.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• Take the Seceda cable car for drinks at 2500m with spectacular Dolomite views

• Gostner Schwaige rifugio is legendary for sunset speck platters with wine

• Try traditional Ladin dishes with wine pairings at Restaurant Concordia