Alta Badia is blissfully quiet in autumn, yet also extraordinarily beautiful. The colors usually peak from mid-October to early November, and the visibility is so extraordinarily clear that you can see all the way to the Austrian border ranges, such as the Zillertal Alps.
Compared to neighboring Val Gardena, the summer season here ends much earlier, often by late September. By the beginning of October, most hotels, restaurants, and cableways have already closed. Still, the key point is that not everything is closed. It will be remarkably quiet, but for those who appreciate peace and solitude, there’s no better, or more restorative time to visit.
Accommodation is easy to find, though the selection is more limited, and prices are noticeably lower than in the summer and winter high seasons. From a budget perspective, it’s an excellent moment to explore Val Badia. However, I strongly recommend booking either self-catering apartments or hotels with on-site dining. There simply aren’t enough open restaurants in October, and especially November, to comfortably stay somewhere without access to a kitchen.
Here’s what we discovered during our mid-October through November autumn sojourn in Alta Badia
- Best Time to Visit: Mid- to late October, when the fall colors are at their peak.
- Special Events: Leondariritt Horse Parade in November
- Where to Stay: Berghotel Ladinia (hotel & restaurant), Ama Stay (4-star hotel & restaurant), Les Dolomites Mountain Lodges (aparthotel)
Where to Stay in Val Badia in Autumn
The following Val Badia accommodations stay open in autumn, some until mid-October, others through the end of October, and a few even into November. Due to the limitations of shoulder-season travel in Val Badia, I highly recommend staying in a hotel with an on-site restaurant. Here are my top picks:
In a quiet corner of Corvara, Berghotel Ladinia has been hosting guests since 1930. Its 13 wood-panelled rooms and Ladin-inspired restaurant offer a cozy, timeless retreat that preserves the charm of a bygone era. They keep their doors open for the full month of October.
Ama Stay, located in the heart of San Vigilio (Plan de Corones–Kronplatz holiday region), impresses with its bold design and striking interiors. Rain or shine, you can relax and unwind with its top-notch facilities: a wellness area, rooftop pool, fitness room, and a welcoming on-site restaurant.
If you’re traveling with your children, take a look at the family-friendly Excelsior Dolomites Life Resort in San Vigilio. Here’s our Excelsior Dolomites review.
Set in the peaceful Ladin village of Lungiarü (Longiarü, Campill), a secret entrance to Puez-Odle Nature Park, Les Dolomites Mountain Lodges provides spacious apartments, a small, but relaxing wellness area, and a delicious breakfast. Discover more in our Les Dolomites review.
The Ostí Vedl bed and breakfast is another excellent choice in Lungiarü, though its lack of kitchen facilities may complicate a visit in late autumn.
For the ultimate spa hotel experience, take a special look at 5-star Hotel Fanes in San Cassiano, 4-star Hotel Cristallo in La Villa, and 5-star Kolfuschgerhof Mountain Resort in Colfosco.
Val Badia self-catering apartments: Ciasa Agreiter and Sportony Mountain Lodges in La Villa, Residence Costa Burjada in Colfosco, Agriturismo Sotgherdena above Badia, Ciasa Milandura and Bio Lüch Ruances in San Cassiano
Val Badia hotels with on-site dining: Hotel Cavallino in San Linert above Badia, Boutique Hotel Dolomit in La Villa, Hotel Recort and Crëp Sella in Colfosco
Autumn Weather
It’s difficult to generalize about the weather, as conditions can vary from year to year. Autumn 2024 and 2025, for example, were unusually stable, bringing an unprecedented stretch of sunny days throughout October and in early November. Mornings typically hover around 0 °C – 5°C, warming to 10 – 15 °C by the afternoon.
Snowfall can occur periodically in autumn, with the heaviest accumulations typically arriving in mid to late November. That being said, we’ve also experienced heavy snowstorms as early as early October (2020). The ski season officially begins in early December, so by late November, resort preparations are in full swing, with snow cannons already in operation.
Related | October in the Dolomites and November in the Dolomites
Restaurants
The main challenge of visiting in late autumn is finding open restaurants. This Alta Badia restaurant page offers a generally reliable overview of what’s available.
It’s also worth checking which restaurants are open in Lungiarü and San Vigilio, as these won’t appear on the Alta Badia list, since lower Val Badia belongs to the Plan de Corones / Kronplatz holiday region rather than Alta Badia.
We were fortunate to enjoy meals at the following restaurants in October before they all closed for the season: Ostaria Vedla and Agriturismo Ciablun in La Val, Berghotel Ladinia in Covara, and Pizzeria Fornata in Lungiarü.
Mountain Huts
Most mountain huts (Rifugio, Hütte, Ütia) and alpine pasture huts (Alm, Baita, Malga) around Alta Badia close by the end of September. There are very few exceptions.
Rifugio Fodara Vedla (2000 m), technically in San Vigilio, usually stays open until early November. To hike to this hut, drive to the Pederü Berggasthaus car park, located at the end of the Tamersc valley road in San Vigilio.
Rifugio Lavarella (2042 m), located on the Fanes Alp, usually stays open until mid-October. You can hike to the Fanes plateau from either Pederü Berggasthaus in San Vigilio or Capana Alpina near San Cassiano. I’m partial to the Pederü ascent route.
Fall Foliage Hiking Trails
You don’t need to seek out specific trails to find vibrant autumn colors, as every corner of Val Badia is carpeted in golden larch. That being said, here are a few hikes I especially enjoyed this season.
A quick note on safety: during our visit, the higher peaks were already snow-covered, so I chose lower-elevation routes for safety reasons.
Armentara Meadows
The rolling Armentara Meadows are located at the foot of the Sas dla Crusc (Sasso della Croce) massif between Badia and La Val. Though captivating in each season, autumn is especially sensational due to the fall colors and solitude. There are numerous ways to hike to Armentara Meadows, including from San Linert (Badia), Furnacia (La Val), Spëscia (La Val), and Rudiferia (San Cassiano).
I’m partial to the Badia – Armentara route, as described in our Armentara Meadows hiking guide. Since the La Crusc cableways will not be operating, I recommend hiking the route described out-and-back.
If you choose to hike from Badia to the Sanctuary of Santa Croce as an out-and-back route, plan for 5:30-6:00 hours to complete the 17-km trail, which involves roughly 801 meters of elevation gain and loss.
For a shorter option, consider turning around at the 15A/18A junction on the Armentara Plateau, located about a 10-minute walk beyond Ranch da André. This variation brings the hike to about 12 km total and takes approximately 4 hours, with 586 meters of elevation gain and loss.
San Cassiano to La Crusc Pilgrimage Church
Begin your hike in San Cassiano and follow the Trail of the Larches to the Rudiferia Farm. From there, continue along Trail 15 all the way to the La Crusc Pilgrimage Church, also known as the Sanctuary of Santa Croce (2045 m).
The route is mostly forested, offering a serene woodland experience with the occasional glimpses of Conturines and, later, Sas dla Crusc.
When I hiked it in late October, the trail was covered with about 5-7 inches of snow. Return to San Cassiano along the same path.
This 13.3 km out-and-back hike, with 542 meters of elevation gain and loss, takes roughly 4:30 hours to complete.
Colfosco High Trail
The Colfosco High Trail links Colfosco with Passo Gardena, traversing the sunny slopes beneath the Cir Group. Much of the route follows wide gravel farm roads, making it relatively easy to navigate, even with some snow on the ground.
When seasonal buses are operating, you can hike this trail one-way with a bus start from or return to Colfosco. But in late autumn, you will likely need to hike this trail out-and-back.
Ütia Ciampcios
Ütia Ciampcios is a Ladin alpine pasture hut in Lungiarü. Trail 5, largely a forest road, links the Pares Car Park in Lungiarü Valley to Ütia Ciampcios. This is especially beautiful in autumn.
If there’s already snow, it’s best to hike to Ütia Ciampcios out-and-back.
If there’s no snow, feel free to extend the hike to Kreuzjoch (Furcella de Furcia) and Kreuzkofeljoch (Passo Poma, Furcella de Munt de Furcia), where you can detour to the summit of Zendleserkofel for a grand view of the Odle-Geiser Peaks and the Aferere Geisler Peaks. To return to the car park, descend trail 4 to La Val di Morins, looping back to the Pares Car Park. Sections of trail 4 are very slippery and steep.
This out-and-back hike to Ütia Ciampcios is 7 km with roughly 500 meters of elevation gain/loss and takes around 2:30 hours.
Special Events in Autumn
Rait de San Linert – Leonardiritt
The Leonardiritt horse parade is a traditional Ladin celebration held in the hamlet of San Linert above Badia, honoring Saint Leonard, the patron saint of horses, livestock, and farmers. The event takes place each year on the second weekend of November.
The procession features beautifully decorated horse-drawn carriages, participants in traditional Ladin and South Tyrolean dress, lively folk music, and the region’s emblematic horse breeds: the Haflinger and the Noriker.
Learn More: Rait de San Linert – Leonardiritt Explained
More Alta Badia Travel Guides
Alta Badia:
- Alta Badia Hotel Guide
- Alta Badia Summer Guide
- Sass da Ciampac Summit Hike
- Rifugio Puez Day Hike
- Lake Pisciadù Day Hike
- Rifugio Fanes Day Hike
- Sass de Putia Circuit Hike
Dolomites:
- Places to Visit in the Dolomites
- Things to Do in the Dolomites
- How to Get to the Dolomites
- Day Hikes in the Dolomites
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