Seceda is a jaw-dropping peak in the heart of the Dolomites, and is not to be missed on your visit! I admit that I almost cut it from my itinerary, but I am beyond happy that I didn’t! This was one of my favorite places on my entire trip. You step into a gondola on Earth and truly feel like you’re walking out onto another planet. Don’t sleep on it! Here are my top tips for visiting Seceda in the Dolomites!
1. It’s possible to visit with minimal hiking
In all of my Googling and planning, I had to dig pretty deep to find info about visiting Seceda with minimal hiking. Maybe because (in hindsight) it’s so easy and doesn’t involve much thought! There are countless resources about hiking all the way up from Ortisei, or halfway up from Furnes. However, I struggled to find info about the hikes at the top! Turns out, it’s incredibly easy and intuitive. The Seceda Ridgeline Trail is a simple loop and starts right at the cable car station. It’s only about 1.5 miles long (with a few optional detours that will add on a little distance, if you choose) and is an easy walk with some inclines and declines. It’ll give you spectacular views of the razor peaks and the valley below! Just simply follow the signs (and people!) and you can’t mess it up.
2. Plan to arrive first thing in the morning
Seceda is an incredibly popular attraction in the Dolomites, and attracts thousands of visitors a day. Plan to do Seceda first thing in the morning and be one of the very first gondolas up! Click here for their hours, and then plan to arrive about 30 minutes before opening. This will give you time to park, gather your gear for the day, and get in line. It’ll be worth the early morning alarm to feel like you have the mountain to yourself just as the sun starts to rise!
3. Book your lift tickets ahead of time
Booking your ticket ahead of time is critical in saving time and getting you to the peak faster! My plan was to show up and buy tickets at the window the morning of. As it turns out, the ticket window didn’t open before the lifts and everyone around me already had purchased their tickets ahead of time. Thankfully, I was able to go online here, purchase my ticket, and got the QR code emailed to me right away. You can buy your tickets any time during the summer and they are valid for any day during the season, so there’s no reason not to do this ahead of time! As of September 2025, a round-trip ticket from Ortisei to Seceda is 52,00 € which includes both the gondola to Furnes, and then the cable car up to Seceda. You’ll scan your ticket multiple times on the way up and down, so keep a screenshot handy!
4. Where to park
Parking in Ortisei is tough and limited. However, if you follow tip #2 and visit Seceda first thing in the morning, it’ll be significantly easier! There is a (very small) parking garage right at the base, located here. I arrived about 8:10 am (when the lifts opened at 8:30 am) and had no problem finding a space. However, when I returned to my car at about 10:30, it was completely full! Parking rates are a little steep at about 3,00 € per hour, but worth it for the convenience in my opinion! Once you return from Seceda, pay for your parking at the payment machine and it will validate your ticket (which you will then insert into the machine to let you out of the lot). There are also a few other small places nearby in Ortisei to park (such as here, here, or here), but they’re also small and will fill up quickly!
5. Be patient with the weather
The weather at Seceda, and in the Dolomites in general, changes fast. Both for better and worse! If you’re at the peak and it’s foggy and the visibility is low, take time to wait it out as it will often change before long. When I arrived to the peak around 9:00 am, it was crystal clear with blue skies. About an hour later, it was covered in dense fog and you couldn’t even see Seceda from the closest viewpoint! Then 20 minutes later? The peaks reemerged. Definitely pack your patience and be prepared to wait out foggy or cloudy weather. If needed, you can grab a bite or drink at Restaurant Secëda to wait out the weather.
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