The kindom of meadows and woods, 35 kilometres long and surronded by the
Lagorai and Latemar mountain ranges, Valle di Fiemme has become one of the
major tourist resorts of Trentino with a wide variety of accomodation from four
star hotels to comfortable family apartaments in small villages. The valley's
capital is Cavalese, the ancient administrative centre with the Magnificent
Community Palazzo where the local community rules of self government were
established in the Middle Ages and are still of vital importance in the
managment of an immense woodland heritage. Among the trees in the Pieve Park,
in Cavalese, you can find the "Banc de la reson", a circular stone construction
where, in the equivalent of the current parliament, the elected representatives
of the rules, inspired by Longobard law, used to sit and debate matters
concerning the Magnificent Community. This form of self government was so
elaborate and valid that it was recognised and accepted by the Prince Bishops
of Trento during their reign.
The inhabitants of Valle di Fiemme have defended their rules for centuries from
Tyrolean and French invasion, fully aware of their importance and value.
Cavalese and Predazzo, the chief centres of Fiemme, have become renowned
resorts in recent years, but many other smaller centres have by no means lagged
behind. All of them are able to provide first calss accomodation coupled with a
cordiality and candour typical os these mountain people.
Fiemme is also the cradle of great cross country skiing champions, from Franco
Nones, gold medallist in the Grenoble Olympics, to Giorgio and Bice Vanzetta,
medallists in the Lillehammer Winter Games. This sport became known to Italians
right here and its tradition is kept alive by the Fiemme and Fassa
Marcialonga. This fantastic ski race with about 6 thousand starters, who
compete over 70 kilometres finishing in Cavalese, is held every winter on the
last Sunday in January.