San Cassiano, attractions and history

San Cassiano (San Ciascian in Ladin and St. Kassian in German) is a tranquil and enchanted mountain village lying at 1536 m above sea level, at the foot of the soaring peaks of Lavarela and Conturines. The charming centre of the village is closed to traffic, making it the ideal place to discover shops, bars, restaurants and enjoy various cultural and folk events. San Cassiano is renowned for the quality of its restaurants and mountain huts, boasting two Michelin starred restaurants. The Museum Ladin Ursus Ladinicus, a branch of the Museum Ladin Ciastel de Tor, has its seat here. The museum is dedicated to the geology of the Dolomites and to the ursus ladinicus, a prehistoric bear who populated the Dolomites thousands of years ago. San Cassiano hosts the Cross Country Ski Centre Alta Badia, the only Nordic skiing area of the valley.

Most of today's neighbourhoods of San Cassiano are already mentioned in 1296, in the first document listing all farmsteads of Val Badia. Back then the village was called Armuntarora (from Armentum+area+eola, small cattle pasture). This place name survives only in Armentarola, a green area 2 km from the centre.