Prato Piazza - breathtaking high plateau in the land of the Three Peaks

CAR
Access by car to the Prato Piazza is regulated as follows:

from the end of December to the beginning of April | from mid-May to mid-July | from mid-September to mid-October:
the driveway is subject to a charge for a maximum of 100 cars until 10.00 am and from 3.00 pm. Departure is possible at any time.

from mid-July to mid-September:
the driveway is subject to a charge for max. 100 cars until 9.30 am and from 4.00 pm. Departure is possible at any time.
Between 9.30 am and 4.00 pm, the Prato Piazza can only be reached by car on presentation of an online reservation.

From the beginning of April to mid-May | from mid-October to the end of December:
the driveway is open all day, but is subject to a charge for a maximum of 100 cars.

Private buses and motorhomes (campers) are not allowed to drive through all year round.

HIKE
VARIANT A | From the Ponticello parking lot via the wide gravel path no. 37 to Prato Piazza. The last section leads along the road to the high plateau.(approx. 2 hours - 500 meters difference in altitude)

VARIANT B | From Ponticello via the Malga Stolla to Prato Piazza. To do this, follow the road from Ponticello to the third bend and then take hiking trail no. 18 along the Stolla stream to the Malga Stolla. From there it is a steady up and down across alpine meadows to Prato Piazza.(approx. 2,5 hours - 500 meters difference in altitude)

VARIANT C | From Cimabanche in the Valle di Landro via Valle die Canopi (hiking trail no. 18) to Malga Stolla, on to Prato Piazza and Rifugio Vallandro hut. From there, descend via hiking trail no. 37 to Carbonin and back to the starting point. (approx. 2 hours ascent - 4 hours total - 500 meters difference in altitude up and down)

MOUNTAINBIKE
Start from the Berghotel and via the cycle path to San Candido, on to Dobbiaco and through the Valle di Landro, past Lake Dobbiaco and Lake Landro to Carbonin. After the "Ploner" vacation resort, you take a forest road (approx. 7km - 1 hour) to Prato Piazza. Return via the road to Ponticello and via trail no. 37 to Braies di Fuori. From there continue along the cycle path to Villabassa, Dobbiaco, San Candido and back to Sesto (approx. 60 km). Electrical Mountainbikes E-MTB can be hired at the Berghotel.

BUS
From June, you can also get to Prato Piazza all day on bus line 443 from Dobbiaco. Take bus no. 446 from Sesto to Dobbiaco and change there to bus no. 443. During the summer months, a shuttle also runs between the Ponticello parking lot and Prato Piazza.

From the Berghotel drive to San Candido and continue to Dobbiaco and Villabassa. Between Villabassa and Monguelfo, turn off at the traffic circle into the Braies Valley. After approx. 3 kilometers you reach the village of Ferrara and turn left at the traffic circle (second exit) in the direction of Ponticello and Prato Piazza (on the right you drive to the Lake Braies). After approx. 5 kilometers you reach the Ponticello parking lot and from there it is another 5 kilometers to the Prato Piazza parking lot. The total distance is 33 kilometers, and the drive takes about 40 minutes.

Parking fees:
10,00 € cars up to 9 seats
30,00 € vehicles 10-20 seats

Parking fees - from 3.00 pm:
7,00 € cars up to 9 seats
20,00 € vehicles 10-20 seats

From mid-July to mid-September, the Prato Piazza is only accessible from 09.30 a.m. by public transport, on foot, by bike or by reserving a parking space at Ponticello online under https://www.prags.bz/en/plaetzwiese.

The cost of the car park is € 40 for vehicles smaller than 2.20m and € 45 for vehicles higher than 2.20m. The price includes a permit to drive through the Braies Valley to the Ponticello car park incl. parking, the shuttle from Ponticello to Prato Piazza and a voucher of € 20 for a restaurant or shop.

Refreshments are well provided for on the Prato Piazza. The "Rifugio Prato Piazza" hut (2,000m) is located right at the entrance, in the immediate vicinity of the car park. If you walk on from there and past the Hotel “Hohe Gaisl”, you will reach the "Malga Prato Piazza" hut (2,000m) after around 20 minutes. The “Rifugio Vallandro" hut (2,040m) is approx. 35 minutes' walk from the car park. Not directly on the Prato Piazza, but accessible from there or can be combined with a hike from Ponticello to Prato Piazza, there are also the Malga Rossalm" (2164 m) and the Malga Stolla” (1,940 m).

1. Because Prato Piazza is easily accessible from the Berghotel and yet far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the Braies Valley.
2. Because you can leave your car in the garage for all tours in Sesto & surroundings.
3. Because Sesto is a valley where there is plenty of space and you don't have to worry about crowds of people.
4. Because the Berghotel is a place where you can combine a holiday in the mountains with style, atmosphere and every comfort.

The Picco di Vallandro (German: Dürrenstein) is a 2,839-meter-high mountain in the Braies Dolomites. It rises in the mountain ridge between the Braies Valley and the Valle di Landro Valley and is part of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park. From the summit of the Picco di Vallandro you have one of the most beautiful and extensive panoramic views in the entire Dolomites: Tre Cime di Lavaredo & Sesto Dolomites and the Cristallo Group to the south.