Armentara Meadows Day Hike in Alta Badia, Dolomites (original) (raw)

The Armentara meadows are located on the Armentara Plateau, between 1600 meters and 2000 meters, on the western edge of Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park in Alta Badia, South Tyrol.

Sprawling beneath the impressive rock faces of the Sasso di Santa Croce Group (Sas dla Crusc in Ladin, Kreuzkofel in German), the idyllic Armentara Plateau embodies everything we love about walking in the Dolomites: accessibility, dramatic views (with little effort), and scenic contrasts.

The walk across the Armentara Meadows begins at the Santa Croce Chapel (La Crusc in Ladin, Heiligkreuz in German), which is accessible by two cableways (La Crusc 1 and La Crusc 2) from Badia.

From the chapel, you’ll amble across the plateau, following easy pathways, before descending all the way back down to Badia.

Armentara Meadows, Alta Badia

Armentara Meadows Hiking Map

When to Hike Armentara Meadow

Armentara Plateau, Alta Badia, Dolomites, Italy

Armentara Plateau

We recommend visiting between mid-June and mid-September, when the cableways are operating. You can hike here earlier or later in the season, but you’ll have to ascend 800 meters from Badia to the Armentara Plateau.

How to Get to La Crusc: the Armentara Meadows Trailhead

This Armentara meadows walk begins in Badia, a small town in Val Badia. It’s easy to reach Badia from other villages in Alta Badia using local bus lines.

La Crusc Cableways

To start the hike, head to the La Crusc Chairlift valley station in Badia. Take the La Crusc 1 chairlift followed by the La Crusc 2 gondola to the Santa Croce Sanctuary (2045 m). You only need to purchase a one-way ticket.

The La Crusc cableways usually operate from mid-June until the end of September.

Opening times

La Crusc 1 chairlift | 8:30 am – 5:30 pm

La Crusc 2 gondola | 8:45 am – 5:15 pm

La Crusc 1 + La Crusc 2 Pricing Ascent-Only

Adults | 16.40 EUR

Juniors (ages 8 – 16) | 14.80 EUR

Babies and children (ages 0 – 8): Free

For more information on pricing and opening times, visit the Santa Croce website.

Armentara Meadows Trail Description

Santa Croce Sanctuary to Armentara

La Crusc Pilgrimage Church, Badia, Dolomites

La Crusc Pilgrimage Church

Starting from the La Crusc/Heiligkreuz/Santa Croce chapel, trail 15 leads left beneath the Sasso Santa Croce massif (Sas dla Crusc / Kreuzkofel) to the grassy Armentara plateau.

Small wooden huts dot the green pastures of Armentara in storybook fashion. The soft alpine views unfold beautifully, beckoning you to take your time.

As you descend, follow signs to Hütte da Andre (Ranch da André refuge).

Lunch at Ranch da André Refuge

Armentara Plateau, Badia, Dolomites, Italy

Herbstzeitlose (Autumn crocus) flowers.

Surrounded by goats and cows, Űtia Ranch da André (1855 m) makes for a perfect lunch stop on the Armentara plateau. The hut is open 9 am – 6 pm daily from June 1st until October 31st.

Ranch da André Refuge to Badia

Armentara Plateau, Badia, Dolomites, Italy

From Űtia Ranch da André, it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to hike to Badia. Follow signs 7a in the direction of Badia (1324 m).

From the Űtia, head back to the trail a few meters and then continue right. Walk past the fenced enclosure of goats and animals. After about 20 minutes (1.2 km), you’ll arrive at the tiny lake called Lech de Valacia.

The trail continues to slope down. You’ll pass several farmsteads surrounded by grazing cows. Continue all the way to San Linert, the small hamlet above Badia. We used maps.me for orientation towards the end of the hike because the signage wasn’t very clear at times.

Armentara Plateau, Badia, Dolomites, Italy

Where to Stay in Alta Badia

Badia

Badia Hill, Badia, Alta Badia

Badia Hill

Badia (Abtei) is a village in Val Badia between La Villa and San Martino in Badia. This Dolomites village lies between Puez-Odle Nature Park and Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park at an elevation of 1315 meters. The La Crusc Cableways connect Badia with Santa Croce Sanctuary (2045 m), the starting point of the Armentara Meadows hike.

Budget | Chalet Planvart is a great value B&B in Badia.

Midrange | Hotel Melodia del Bosco offers lovely spacious and modern rooms in Badia. Guests have free access to the hotel’s wellness area, which encompasses a Finnish sauna, infrared sauna, Alpine herbs sauna, and a steam bath, as well as a relaxation area and gym. For the hotel’s location and overall quality, the price is unbeatable. When booking your room, you can opt for breakfast only or half board (breakfast and dinner).

Top Choice – Luxury | Badia Hill impresses with its contemporary, drool-worthy design and satisfies with its facilities, restaurant, and bar. This brand new hotel commands unimaginable views of Sasso Santa Croce from its gorgeous spa and infinity pool. Book this hotel if it’s available!! Read our Badia Hill hotel review.

Look for accommodation in Badia.

La Villa

La Villa (Stern) is a small village in Alta Badia between Badia and Corvara. Advantageously situated between the Fanes Group and Puez Group, La Villa is one of the dreamiest places to stay in the Dolomites. Set further away from Passo Gardena, La Villa enjoys a quieter location than neighboring Corvara and Colfosco.

Sunset views here are unforgettable. When we stayed in La Villa, we hiked to Gherdenacia Plateau, Rifugio Fanes, and the Armentara Meadows.

Budget | Pensione Camoscio is a well-run charming hotel with cozy, Tyrolean-style rooms, excellent breakfasts and dinners, and a peaceful setting. Great value for money.

Budget Apartments | Ciasa Agreiter in La Villa is a pet-friendly property with beautiful, well-equipped apartments with stunning mountain views.

Luxury | Hotel La Majun exudes luxury in the shape of gourmet Ladin cuisine (half board available), modern rooms, and an elegant atmosphere.

Luxury | Hotel Cristallo – Wellness Mountain Living enjoys an idyllic setting between La Villa and Corvara. This 4-star-superior hotel pampers guests with its heavenly wellness facilities, high-quality half board offering, and stylish rooms.

Luxury | Hotel Ciasa Soleil is a boutique hotel in La Villa that wowed us with its excellent cuisine, relaxing indoor and outdoor wellness facilities, unbeatable sunset views, and striking design.

Look for accommodation in La Villa.

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Dolomites Trip Planning Essentials

Use our Dolomites Travel Guide to plan an unforgettable trip to Northern Italy.

When to Hike in the Dolomites

The best time to hike in the Dolomites is between mid-June and mid-September. If the weather is stable, the hiking season can extend until late October.

How to Get to the Dolomites

Read How to Get to the Dolomites to find out how to travel to the Dolomites from the closest airports, train stations, and bus terminals.

If you’re traveling without a car, also check out How to Visit the Dolomites Without a Car.

Car Rental

The easiest way to travel between hiking destinations in the Italian Dolomites is with your own car. Check out our itineraries for trip inspiration:

We recommend using the Discovercars.com car rental reservation platform to search for and book car rentals. This easy-to-use booking platform compares car rental deals from 500+ trusted providers, so that you can choose the best option for your trip.

Tip: If you can only drive automatic transmission cars, as opposed to manual transmission cars (stick shift), book your car rental as early as possible.

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Best Places to Stay

Figuring out where to stay in the Dolomites is probably the biggest hurdle to planning a trip to the Dolomites. We’ve created three guides to help you decide where to stay:

We suggest choosing 2-4 bases for your Dolomites trip and spending 2-4 nights in each base.

What to See & Do

During your trip to the Dolomites, you can go via ferrata climbing, culinary hiking, hut to hut hiking, cycling, paragliding, and so much more. We’ve highlighted our favorite experiences in Best Things to Do in the Dolomites.

Wherever you decide to stay, you’ll be surrounded by glorious mountain scenery and incredible natural landmarks.

In Best Places to Visit in the Dolomites, we’ve outlined the most iconic attractions as well as lesser-known destinations across the Dolomites, including Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, Lago di Braies, and Lago di Sorapis.

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Dolomites Hiking Guides

Hiking in the Dolomites is our passion. Year after year, we love discovering new trails and expanding our knowledge of the area. For day hiking, check out Best Day Hikes in the Dolomites. For trekking, take a look at our guide to Hut to Hut Hiking in the Dolomites and Alta Via 1.

For region-specific hiking trails, check out:

Recommended Hiking Guidebook: Cicerone Guide: Shorter Walks in the Dolomites

More Alta Badia Hiking Trails

Moon & Honey Travel is an independent blog created by two passionate hikers. We are able to provide free content to you, because of ads and affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Happy travels and happy trails, Sabrina and Kati