Nadel Urtijëi – Ortisei, the Christmas Village

The Christmas Village in the heart of Val Gardena

Nadel Urtijëi is the Christmas market in Ortisei (in Ladin Urtijëi, in German St. Ulrich), the main town of Val Gardena in the province of Bolzano, in the heart of the South Tyrolean Dolomites. During Advent, the town's pedestrian center turns into a true Christmas village: about twenty characteristic wooden huts are arranged around the parish church of Saint Anthony, amidst decorations, lights, and the fairytale atmosphere of a snow-covered valley surrounded by the peaks of the Sassolungo and Puez-Odle.

Ladin traditions and wood carvings

Nadel Urtijëi combines the deep-rooted traditions of Val Gardena with the elegance and exclusivity of the products offered in the huts. The valley is world-famous for wood carving: in Ortisei, the art of the nativity scene is a ritual deeply felt by the local population. Along the streets of the center, you can admire shop windows with hand-carved nativity scenes, while next to the parish church, a life-size nativity scene is set up, created by one of the historic Val Gardena wood-carving workshops. Among the huts, you will find statues, nativity scenes, candles, and true works of art in wood created by local artisans.

Products and gastronomy

• Regional handicrafts and wood carvings typical of Val Gardena
• Original gift ideas, Christmas decorations, and handmade items
• Spiced sweets, gingerbread, and South Tyrolean confectionery specialties
• South Tyrolean wines, fine spirits, and mulled wine

A program rich in music and traditions

The Nadel Urtijëi calendar offers over forty performances throughout the period: local choirs (male choir, parish choir, children's choir), vocal ensembles, alphorns, accordionists, youth bands, and Advent concerts. On December 5th, Saint Nicholas arrives in town, while New Year's Eve is enlivened by a torchlight procession with a drone show and a party in Piazza Sant'Antonio.

A highlight of the South Tyrolean Christmas

Established in 2014, Nadel Urtijëi has established itself as one of the most evocative markets in South Tyrol, part of the so-called "Christmas Valley of the Dolomites". A few steps from the ski lifts and slopes of Val Gardena, the Ortisei market is the ideal destination to combine skiing, winter walks, and the magic of Christmas in the municipality of Ortisei, in Trentino-Alto Adige.