Selva is the top of the Val Gardena, a long, green valley in South Tyrol that cuts into the heart of the Dolomites, and it is the place where winter sport, woodcarving and the Ladin language all meet. The village lies below the Sella massif and the jagged spires of the Sassolungo, and its houses are strung out along the stream, with meadows climbing to the forest on either side. It is known in German as Wolkenstein, after a castle ruin up the valley, and in Ladin as Sëlva, and the three names on the signs tell you something about the place before you have left the bike.
Val Gardena has been a woodcarving valley for centuries. Local families, with so little arable land and long winters, took to carving religious figures, toys and decorations, and sold them across Europe. The craft is still alive in the shops of Selva and Ortisei, with carved saints and wooden animals in the windows. The valley also hosts the famous Saslong ski course, where World Cup downhill races are held every winter, and in summer the ski lifts carry walkers and mountain bikers to high meadows.
For riders, Selva is a junction. From here, you can climb to Passo Gardena on one side and Passo Sella on the other, and the two together make half of the Sella Ronda circuit. The roads are well surfaced, with a mix of hairpins and flowing bends, and the views of the rock walls are spectacular. In summer, traffic can be heavy, and the passes fill up with bikes and cars on fine weekends, so a weekday is better. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible. The valley road is also pleasant, running down towards Ortisei and Bressanone through forests and meadows.
The village has everything a rider needs. Fuel is available in the valley, with several stations along the main road, along with supermarkets, bakeries, restaurants and hotels. A plate of canederli, dumplings made from stale bread and speck, or a bowl of barley soup is a good way to warm up, and Italian coffee is excellent as always. Many hotels cater for riders, with garages and drying rooms, and booking ahead in summer is a good idea.
Bressanone, about nineteen kilometres away, is the nearest large town and has a lovely old centre with a cathedral and arcades, and is worth a detour if you have a spare afternoon.
If the weather turns, there is plenty to do in the village, and the rock walls above give a dramatic backdrop whether they are in sunshine or cloud.