Sellaronda

Arabba’s geographical position makes it “the temple” in the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage for cycling fans. Starting out from here, one of the must is surely the Sellaronda tour, also known as the tour of the “Giro dei 4 Passi”.  Arabba is the start and finish for this highly spectacular ride on the Dolomitic passes (in order):  Camplolongo (1875 m), Gardena (2121 m), Sella (2240 m) and Pordoi (2239 m) (you can ride it either clockwise or counter-clockwise). These four authentic Dolomite giants have a unique charm. Challenging climbs cover a total of 50 km with an altitude change of 1800 m. It’s even accessible to amateurs, if they’re physically fit and not in a hurry.  The beauty of these mountains makes you forget the exertion of pedaling! Evidence of this is the Sellaronda Bike Day, a non-competitive event dedicated to sports and nature, open to everyone, scheduled here each year (for 2011 it’s a double date: on Sunday, July 3 and Sunday, September 18). Thousands of fans and entire families pedal along these spectacular passes, which are closed to traffic for the occasion.