Passo Sella is the pass that puts you in the middle of the Dolomites rather than at the edge of them. At 2,240 metres it connects the Val di Fassa with the Val Gardena, and it sits in a saddle between two of the great massifs of the range. To the north rises the huge, flat-topped block of the Sella group, a fortress of pale rock with vertical walls, and to the south, almost close enough to touch, are the pointed towers of the Sassolungo, called the Langkofel in German, which look like the fingers of a stone hand raised to the sky.
The road is a joy, with a perfect surface and a rhythm of bends that rises through the larches and then out into open pasture and rocky slopes. There are enough hairpins to feel like proper mountain riding, and the gradient is steady without being hard. The view at the top is the reward, where the whole panorama opens on both sides of the saddle. The pass is part of the Sella Ronda, a circuit of four passes around the massif that is a rite of passage for riders and cyclists, and in high season the road is correspondingly busy, so an early start pays off.
There are several refuges and cafes at the top, with terraces facing the rocks, and stopping for a coffee or a bowl of soup is part of the experience. The prices are mountain prices. The Ladin culture, the ancient language and traditions of the region, is visible in the place names, and in the Fassa and Gardena valleys you will hear Ladin spoken alongside Italian and German. The mountains saw heavy fighting in the First World War, and traces of those years are still found on the slopes.
Canazei, about three and a half kilometres down the Fassa side, has stations and shops, and so does Selva on the Gardena side. Plan to fill before you climb, as it is easy to burn more than expected in the thin air and the stop-start of the traffic.
The pass closes in winter, usually from autumn to late spring, and in summer the weather can change quickly, with afternoon storms common. A light waterproof and gloves are a good idea even in July. The best times are early morning, when the mountain light is clear, and the late afternoon, when the rock glows pink.