There’s a corner of Val di Fassa where time slows down, the scents become more intense, and the mountain tells its story even through the plate. It’s the Rifugio Fuciade, nestled in an enchanted basin above Passo San Pellegrino, surrounded by larches, wooden huts, and the majestic peaks of Costabella, the Pale di San Martino, and the Marmolada.
Reaching Rifugio Fuciade is an experience that begins long before sitting at the table. You can leave your car near Passo San Pellegrino, in Val di Fassa, and from there take a wide, well-maintained forest road, accessible even for families with children or those who aren’t particularly fit.
The walk takes about 40 minutes, with a gentle and consistent elevation gain, winding through flower-filled meadows, ancient larches, and vistas that embrace the Pale di San Martino and the Marmolada. It’s a rejuvenating stroll that you can also enjoy in winter with snowshoes, perfect for syncing with the mountain, step by step.
At Fuciade, the mountain is tasted. Chef Martino Soraperra, together with his family, has transformed this refuge into a culinary destination of excellence, where every dish is crafted as a story.
The cuisine, deeply inspired by Ladin tradition, is reinterpreted with creativity, technique, and a love for detail. The ingredients come from small local producers or are gathered from the forests and meadows surrounding the refuge.
Among the must-try dishes: cajoncie filled with herbs or mountain cheeses, marinated venison, risottos with alpine herbs or pine, and handmade desserts like warm chocolate cake or elderflower panna cotta. To accompany it all, a surprising, well-curated, and in-depth wine list, offering both the great classics of Trentino-Alto Adige and hidden Italian gems.
The warmth of the wood, the ceramic stoves, the soft lighting, and the traditional objects create an intimate, elegant and homely atmosphere inside. It’s the kind of place where you feel welcomed with discretion, but also with genuine affection.
On summer days, the panoramic terrace invites you to dine outdoors: rustic wooden tables, flowers on the windowsills, the scent of fresh grass, and a view that stretches out into the clouds above the Catinaccio. Here, you can even take off your shoes, stretch out on the grass, and let yourself be cradled by the silence of the valley.
In winter, everything transforms. The refuge becomes an enchanted haven in the snow, where the white landscape pours in through the windows and the scent of hot broth greets you as soon as you step inside. Outside, the snow falls gently, while inside, the fire crackles. And there you are, seated with a steaming dish before you, living a moment that has the true flavor of the mountain.
