SeiserAlm, Alpe di Siusi with kids: all you need to know to plan a trip + why you’ll love it

All you need to know to plan a trip to Seiseralm / Alpe di Siusi with kids: why we recommend it as one of the best places on the Dolomites for kids, where to stay, how to get around, travel tips.

SeiserAlm/ Alpe di Siusi is a stunning spot in the Italian Alps and one of the very best places in the Dolomites for families with kids.

Alpe / Alm means ‘high pasture’ and the name gives away what makes this place so special: Alpe di Siusi is a high plateau, blessed with serene, vast lawns and framed by stunning high mountains.

Basically, imagine a picture perfect alpine scenery and you have Alpe di Siusi!

I have been coming to the Dolomites for over 40 years (my family has always vacationed here) and I love Alpe di Siusi.

In particular, I love Alpe di Siusi with kids: Alpe di Siusi is at the time safe, well served, super family friendly yet it still has wonderful views and that high mountain feel the Alps do so well.

Here, you don’t have to compromise between mountain scenery and child-friendliness as you have both, in spades!

On top of this, Alpe di Siusi has the added advantage of being easy to reach without a car!

Today, as I find myself in Alpe di Siusi with the kids once again, I want to share all my tips for a perfect family stay.

Since we come here in the summer, this is a family guide to Alpe di Siusi in summer.

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Why visit Alpe di Siusi with kids

I recommend you visit Sesieralm / Alpe di Siusi with kids if:

You are looking for a stunning location on the Dolomites to enjoy mountain views, traditional Sud-Tyrolean cooking and a family friendly atmosphere

You want a mountain location easy to reach from Bolzano

You want to visit the Dolomites without a car.

Why not to visit Alpe di Siusi with kids

There is no reason to skip Alpe di Siusi because you have kids.

On the contrary, after many many years visiting the Dolomites and exploring several parts, I believe Alpe di Siusi is one of the best places to visit with children.

The one thing it can be useful to know is this: Alpe di Siusi is a high plateau and you can reach it by road (bus) or cable car.

The road up is not particularly scary or hair raising but it is a mountain road with mountain hairpin and it can cause issues to people with a severe fear of heights or who suffer from motion sickness.

This is, to an extent, inevitable in mountain destinations yet I feel it is good to know ahead, so you can be ready with motion sickness remedies if needed.

How many days to stay in Alpe di Siusi with kids

Depending on the time you have you can:

Stay 1 day to just enjoy the view

Stay 3 days for hiking / take a day trip to nearby Seceda

Stay a week or ore – this is a common length for Italian visitors who stay here several days and take it easy with hikes and time at the towns

What to do in Alpe di Siusi with kids

When talking about Alpe di Siusi with kids, we need to distinguish the Alpe itself (aka: the high plateau) and the area surrounding it, comprising of the towns of Castelrotto, Siusi allo Sciliar and Fie’, which serve as basis to explore it.

On the Alpe you can:

Go on easy hikes: since the plateau is already quite high up, many hikes here and non strenuous as relatively flat (see below)

Collect hiking stamps. To make hiking more appealing to kids, the area is equipped with ‘stamp stations’.

They work like this: as the start of your stay, get hold of the kids booklet and bracelet ‘Witch’s Nix Excursion guide’ (we have it in Italian but we have seen it in other languages too)

Then, each time you are close to a stamp collection point, punch your bracelet: once you have a sufficient number of stamps, your child can collect their medal!

Get bikes. This area is well equipped with bike and e-bike rental options for easy and more strenuous bike rides

Go to the playground Several mountain playground dot the Alpe!

Meet the animals; Alpe di Siusi is a great place to encounter cows, rabbits and birds

Get the cable car / chairlifts: the Alpe is well equipped with cable cars and chair lift that bring you and the kids to stunning viewpoints and scenic trails.

In the towns below you can:

Go to the Playgrounds

Take one of the many easy walks in / between the towns

Enjoy town life by going shopping, trying the different bakeries and pastry shops, visit the museum of local costumes, watch traditional dances etc

Enjoy the local sports center (a great escape for rainy days!)

Where to stay in Seiseralm / Alpe di Siusi with kids

When visiting Alpe di Siusi with kids you can stay on the Alpe or at one of the towns nearby, connected by bus / cable car to it.

Hotels on the Alpe are more isolated and expensive as they tend to have all amenities on site (these are fantastic in winter especially, when being right up here is simply magical!).

Fabulous ones are SesierAlm Urthaler, Brunelle Alpine Lodge, Seiser Alm Plaza

My favorite places to stay in Alpe di Siusi with kids outside of the plateau and specifically in the town just below it: Castelrotto and Siusi allo Sciliar.

I prefer staying in the towns as they are pretty, well served, lively, full of families and have a local, more authentic feel.

Family hotels you may like are:

Parc Hotel Tyrol in Castelrotto, a nice 3S star hotel with family rooms, breakfast, dinner, pool, playground, perfect location just above the town, close to the bus stop)

BinterHof Bio, adorable family hotel with traditional decor, animals on site (so cute for the kids!!), lovely buffet breakfast, dinner, and a great location.

Where to eat on Alpe di Siusi with kids

The quality of food on Alpe di Siusi is excellent: all the mountain huts have lovely mountains fare so you can eat anywhere with confidence!

We enjoy particularly pretty Malga Tuene, where you also have a small but pretty mountain playground and a bunny! A lovely no fuss place for lunch!

How to get to Alpe di Siusi

Alpe di Siusi, the high plateau, is a delicate environment and therefore can only be reached the following ways:

By car, if you are staying the night and therefore have a permit issued by your accommodation

By cable car – the plateau is reachable from Siusi allo Sciliar and Ortisei (different parts of the plateau).

The cable car from Siusi is wonderful and the best entry point to the plateau for most of our favorite family friendly walks. The ticket at the type of writing costs 26.50 euro return per adult (less for kids and seniors).

By bus from Castelrotto and Siusi.

Bus number 10 offers regular trips to / from the Alpe and is an easy way to move without your own vehicle.

The bus operates separately from the rest of the bus system of the area and is not included in most bus passes. You can purchase the ticket on board (cash only).

At the time of writing the cost of a return ticket is 26.50 Euro per adult return (less for kids and seniors) and has the same price as the cable car.

Using the bus and cable car system is easy: you do not need car seats on the bus (not required and not provided. Please note they cannot be secured to the bus.

How to get around

Alpe di Siusi and the localities immediately below it are well served by a network of buses.

Local hotels commonly offer a bus pass or you can secure one at the bus station or tourism information center.

The pass is personal: make sure you write your name, surname and first day of use on the pass as failing to do so may result in a fine.

As you board the bus, scan your ticket at the ticket machine on board to validate it.

Family friendly hikes in Alpe di Siusi

On top of Alpe di Siusi you find several family friendly hikes and many huts/ restaurants dotting your way.

Some we love are Malga Tuene, the walk Compatch- Piz -Saltria (there is a stamp stop at Hotel Icaro), Malga tirler and the ‘Witches’ springs’, the loop around Bullaccia and the Spitzbuhl.

There are several more in the area below, such as the wonderful walk Siusi-Castelrotto, the ‘mushroom walk’, the Oswald von Wolkenstein trail and the Gumperer sensory trail in Siusi allo Sciliar.

Practical tips for visiting Alpe di Siusi with kids

Visiting Alpe di Siusi is easy but a few tips from a mama can be handy!

Tip 1: Book well in advance

This area, like many in the Dolomites, received recurring visitors who book accommodation one year for the next.

This means that you may find accommodation in this area harder to secure: do not give up if you don’t find accommodation straight away and ask hotels to put you on a waiting list is possible.

If you see accommodation is not easily available and you’re getting close to the time, secure what you can as indeed this area does fill up!

Tip 2: book half board

This is one of the very few places in Italy where I recommend to book hotels with dinner.

This is because hotels here are equipped with great restaurants for skiers (who wouldn’t venture out for dinner in the winter) and therefore offer cuisine of very high standard

Tip 3: know what to expect

This area of Italy, because of historical reasons, has strong Germanic influence you see in food, aesthetic and culture.

This means that while you do find gelato and pizza, these are not standard offerings: food here is delicious but things apfel strudel, knodels, speck and potatoes rather than pesto or lemon specialties.

Tip 4: Bring a hiking carrier for little ones

The vast majority of hikes here are easier with a baby carrier. If you bring a stroller for hikes, make sure is an all terrain one.

Tip 5: pack wisely!

In summer, the weather here can be from glorious to chilly and rainy and packing light is paramount for comfort and safety (the right shoes especially are key) You can find here >>> our packing list for the Dolomites in summer.

I hope you enjoyed this quick guide to SeiserAlm / Alpe di Siusi with kids and it inspired you to visit. Safe travels!

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