Things to Do in Sexten - Sesto

Self-guided outdoor loop with 12 interpretive panels about local customs, farming, woodcarving, and the 1915-1917 frontline in the Dolomites. Starts at the town square and takes about an hour.

🕐 Accessible 24/7

💡 Pick up the free leaflet from the tourist office – it has a simple map and extra details not on the panels. Best done before lunch.

An 18th-century baroque church with notable frescoes by Paul Troger and a ornate high altar. The interior is quiet, well-preserved, and free to enter during daylight hours.

🕐 Daily 8am–7pm (winter until 5pm)

💡 Pop in mid-afternoon when the light hits the frescoes through the south windows. You can also ask the sacristan to show you the crypt (usually by request).

An outdoor museum of traditional Tyrolean farmhouses, barns, and woodworking tools spread across a meadow. Entry is cheap (€5 adults), children under 14 free.

🕐 Mid-May to mid-Oct Tue–Sun 10am–5pm; closed Mon and Nov–Apr

💡 The audio guide (free) is worth getting – it explains how locals survived winters before tourism. Visit on a Wednesday for the live bread-baking demo in the old oven.

18th-century church with a notable onion-domed spire and frescoes inside. Typically open for quiet visits outside mass times.

🕐 Daily 8:00-18:00, mass times vary.

💡 Visit on a Sunday morning to hear the choir practising at 10. The crypt has small exhibitions about local history, free to browse.

Baroque parish church with a painted wooden ceiling and a serene cloister garden. The former monastic buildings now house a small local history display in the corridor (free).

🕐 Church: 08:00-19:00 daily; cloister: 09:00-17:00

💡 Pop into the adjacent tourist office for the free audio guide on your phone – they have a short walking tour that includes this spot.

Interactive exhibition on the Dolomites geology and wildlife, with a wall of windows facing the Three Peaks. Models, touchscreens, and a small cinema room. Good for understanding the landscape before hiking.

🕐 09:00-18:00 daily, June–October; closed November–May

💡 Ask at the desk for the short guided walk in English (Thursdays, no extra charge).

A short walk along the Rio Sesto stream leads to a series of small but scenic waterfalls, especially after snowmelt. The path is gravel and well-maintained, suitable for pushchairs.

🕐 Open 24 hours; path may be icy in deep winter (Nov–Mar use caution)

💡 Go early morning in June for the fullest flow and fewer crowds. Take a swim in the lower pool if you don't mind cold water.

A vast protected area with marked trails through alpine meadows and dramatic rock formations, including the Tre Cime di Lavaredo views. Entry to the park itself costs nothing, though some huts charge for parking.

🕐 Open 24 hours year-round; visitor centre hours vary seasonally (May–Oct daily 9am–6pm, closed Nov–Apr)

💡 Walk the easy path from Fischleintal valley to the Büllelejoch hut; it's free, uncrowded, and gives you the classic Dolomite panorama without paying for the cable car.

A marked, family-friendly trail along the Rio di Sesto creek through pine woods and open meadows, with info boards on fossils and mountain formation. Flat and easy, about 3 km one way to the Val Fiscalina entrance.

🕐 Always open; best April–October

💡 The stretch past the old sawmill has a natural rock swimming hole – brave ones take a dip in July. No facilities, so pack water.

Free cross-country ski trails maintained by the municipality. A 5km loop through meadows and woods, suitable for classic and skate skiing. No lift pass needed.

🕐 December-March, 7:00-17:00, weather permitting.

💡 Rent skis at Sport Sexten for €15/day. The loop is groomed daily at 6 AM — go before 9 for untouched tracks. Not crowded midweek.

Gentle valley path starting from the parking lot near Hotel Hell. Mostly flat, good for families, with views of the Sexten Dolomites. No ticket needed.

🕐 Open all year, path usually clear May-November.

💡 Bring cash for the farmer's stall at the midway point — they sell homemade cheese and speck. It's cheap and fresh.

Large protected area with marked trails, alpine lakes and meadows. Free access for walkers; the park has no entrance fee, though some huts charge for services.

🕐 Open all year, trails mostly accessible June-October.

💡 Pick up a free trail map at the visitor centre in Sexten. The path to Fischleintal valley is flat and good for a short stroll without climbing.

A natural balcony overlooking the Sesto valley, with the striking red-and-white rock face of the Rote Wand behind it. No entry fee – just a 40-minute walk from town.

🕐 Open 24 hours; best views in late afternoon

💡 Combine with a picnic from the bakery in Sexten centre. Sunset here is spectacular, but bring a torch for the descent.

Easy 1.5-hour walk from town to a wooden viewing platform perched above the Sesto Valley. Panorama over the Sexten Dolomites, the Croda Rossa, and the Three Peaks. The adjacent Alm hut sells cakes and drinks.

🕐 Trail open year-round; hut open 10:00-18:00, mid-May to mid-October

💡 Go at sunset for the light hitting the Croda Rossa — the rock turns literally red. Bring cash, the hut doesn't take cards.

Iconic dolomite trio seen from the Auronzo hut approach. No entry fee, but you'll pay for parking at Rifugio Auronzo unless you hike up from the valley.

🕐 Trail open June-October, weather-dependent; no gate or hours.

💡 Skip the paid car park. From the Val Fiscalina trailhead, it's a 5-hour round-trip hike with stunning views the whole way. Go early morning for quieter paths and better light.