Seiser Alm Half Marathon

The half marathon on the roof of the Dolomites

The Seiser Alm Half Marathon is a high-altitude road and trail running race held annually on the first Sunday of July on the Seiser Alm/Alpe di Siusi, in the municipality of Castelrotto/Kastelruth, in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (Trentino-South Tyrol). The Seiser Alm is Europe's most extensive high-altitude plateau: a sea of meadows framed by the spires of the Sciliar, Sassolungo, and Sassopiatto massifs, all part of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites.

A 21-kilometer course at over 1,800 meters

The distance is the classic half marathon, 21 kilometers with 601 meters of positive elevation gain. The start and finish are located in Compaccio/Compatsch, the plateau's tourist hub. From there, the route reaches the Mont Seuc/Bullaccia area, continues past the Hotel Ritsch, the Almrosenhütte mountain hut, the Hotel Goldknopf, and the Alpenhotel Panorama, before returning to the finish line in Compaccio. Running almost entirely above 1,800 meters, the event combines a sporting challenge with one of the most famous panoramas in the Alps, and is part of the Top7 Alto Adige circuit.

An increasingly popular event

The race attracts around a thousand runners each year, including both professional athletes and amateurs, with race bibs regularly selling out well in advance. Alongside the competitive race, there is the Just for Fun non-competitive run, open to those who want to experience the Seiser Alm without the pressure of the clock. The event is organized by Alpe di Siusi Marketing in collaboration with the LG Schlern association.

Practical information

The event takes place over two days: Saturday is dedicated to bib collection in the valley, while Sunday morning features the race itself with staggered starts and the awards ceremony. To reach Compaccio, participants use the Seiser Alm cable car from Siusi allo Sciliar/Seis am Schlern, as the plateau is closed to private traffic during the day.