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 Gardena: valley of diversityYou will find it in the heart of the Dolomites, in a small linguistic enclave in South Tyrol: Ladinia, or Val Gardena. The locals call it "Gherdëina", because the language spoken here is Ladin, so people will greet each other in the morning saying "Bondí", and any jokes they tell each other over a beer will also be in Ladin. Century-old traditions are still alive here: the songs about "Bel Mei" (the beautiful month of May), the appearance of “Krampusse” (companions of St Nicholas) on St Nicholas Day, or the “Almabtrieb” (bringing down the cattle from the mountain pastures) in September. The traditional Gardena costume, grandiose and elegant and worn by village women, is also very distinctive. Gardena is also famous for its many wood carvers of world renown creating unique hand-crafted artefacts. Many old farmyards are part of the landscape in the valley and further up, which means that excursions and walking tours will also take you through the valley’s history which can be traced back to Roman times. Last changed:29/09/2007 |
