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Alta Badia, custodian of an age-old Ladin and Alpine culture

Rhaetian and Roman languages intertwined and formed Ladin, idiom of the Dolomites which is still very much present in the Ladin culture.

The first settlements in Alta Badia, as testified by archaeological remains in Sotciastel in Badia, date back to 1700 BC. This is where the Rhaetians of the Dolomites lived. Right in the heart of those mountains that seem to be so far away from everything and everyone. But as history unfolds, the Romans, in their endeavours to expand their empire, eventually reached the territory in which the Rhaetians once resided. Officials, soldiers and merchants mingled with the inhabitants of the Dolomites and, out of the combination of the Rhaetian and Popular Latin, the Ladin dialect was formed - a neo-Latin language akin to Italian, French, Provençal and Catalan, which is spoken to this day by the Ladin people.

A story from the Dolomites

The Ladin identity emerges from its language

Five valleys, three provinces. Today, the Ladin community counts a total of 30,000 people living in the valleys of Val Badia and Val Gardena in South Tyrol, Val di Fassa in Trentino as well as Livinallongo del Col di Lana and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Belluno.

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Traditions, a fundamental pillar of the future

Folk costumes and rituals, gastronomy and artisanship, legends and religious feasts: when the Ladin people dress up in their traditional clothes, it’s not only to celebrate special moments of community life, but to strengthen the roots of their culture - customs and traditions which are vital for envisioning the near future.

In between nature and culture

Alta Badia, heritage of hospitality

In bygone days, it was the “viles” who preserved the fragile landscape of the mountains. Today, it’s for the travel industry to safeguard the balance between man and nature.

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Yesterday, today and tomorrow

Alta Badia has always been one with its landscapes. Witness to this are the viles, authentic strongholds of the Ladin communities. Now more than ever, with the wealth provided by tourism, hospitality can only meet the challenges of the future if the concepts of sustainability and environmental protection are actively embraced and realised.    

Rural legends

About the hard work on steep slopes and excellences of food

Ladin culture and rural traditions are the source of legends and rituals which relate to the life on a farm. Exploring its fascination also means experiencing its distinctive taste.

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