Ortisei is preparing to transform the heart of the village into a veritable crystal landscape, where the most fragile and fascinating material of winter – ice – becomes the absolute protagonist. The natural sculptures, modeled by the talent of the Val Gardena masters, will remain visible until the first warm days of spring, when the slow melting will mark the end of a unique exhibition.
Val Gardena, a land of sculptors, takes its tradition beyond wood to embrace winter in its purest form. In January, when the temperature drops and everything crystallizes, “Ice Figures” takes shape, an event in which local artists and young students sculpt ice directly along the pedestrian zone of Ortisei, transforming it into a corridor of imposing transparent structures, capable of capturing light, wind, and imagination.
From January 19 to 24, 2026, 600 perfectly rectangular blocks of ice (16x16x80 cm) will be used. Artists will work on this living, changing material with hammers, chisels, and chainsaws, creating monumental figures that will make the town center shine like a true open-air art gallery.
The Ortisei Tourist Association will coordinate the initiative together with expert sculptors and curators, creating a unique exhibition dedicated to the theme of the year:
“Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026”.
An early celebration of the big event that will take place in a few weeks’ time.
On January 28, the Olympic flame will cross Ortisei on skis, symbolically illuminating the ice sculptures before continuing on to the Sella Pass with the athletes of the Gardena Ski Club.
Sustainable mobility
To enjoy this ice spectacle in an eco-friendly and safe way, we recommend traveling to Val Gardena by train or bus.
There are daily direct train connections between South Tyrol, Munich, Vienna, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Venice, and Milan, as well as night trains from Rome, Hamburg, and Düsseldorf.
During the first four weekends of the Christmas markets, Trenitalia will also provide a special train connecting Lombardy directly with South Tyrol.
The nearest stations are: Bolzano (25 miles), Ponte Gardena (11 miles), Chiusa (14 miles), and Bressanone (21 miles).
For the last few kilometers, the Val Gardena Guest Pass is available, provided by participating accommodation facilities, which allows free use of public transport in South Tyrol, or taxi services and the Südtirol Transfer.
Val Gardena
The heart of the Dolomites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the valley offers extraordinary experiences throughout the year: the light of spring, the explosion of alpine flora, an Eldorado for hikers and mountaineers in summer, autumn days shaped by the “Burning Dolomites” and, finally, December, when everything becomes a kingdom of snow and ice, ready to welcome the spectacular winter sculptures of Ortisei.
For further information
DOLOMITES Val Gardena – Tel. 0471 77 77 21 – www.valgardena.it – pr@valgardena.it
Press Way – Press Office – Tel. 02 367 950 54 – tiziano@pressway.it – www.pressway.it
Contacts: Christina Demetz / Tiziano Pandolfi (Mobile 338-6820776)
