Nature
Passo Fedaia
The Fedaia Pass is a mountain pass traversed by a paved road in the Dolomiti Range in Northern Italy. It lies at the northern base of the Marmolada, the highest peak in the region and the Dolomiti. It is known for its beauty, for Lago Fedaia, and for its use in the Giro d'Italia. It was also used as a location for the 2003 film Italian Job. It is the site of the Fedaia Pass and Marmolada Gletscher ski areas.
What it is
Passo Fedaia is a mountain pass at the northern foot of the Marmolada, the highest peak in the Dolomites. The road crosses a dam holding back Lago Fedaia, a turquoise-grey reservoir lake, with the glaciated north face of the Marmolada rising directly behind it. It's a place to pull over, walk along the lake, and look up at the glacier rather than a single sight to tick off — the combination of water, rock wall, and ice is what draws people up here.
Getting there
There's no city centre nearby in the usual sense — the pass sits between the Fassa and Agordino valleys. From Canazei it's roughly a 30-40 minute drive on the SS641; from Rocca Pietore or Alleghe on the Agordo side, count on a similar 30 minutes of winding mountain road. A car is effectively required, though the road is also a well-known cycling climb and sees seasonal bus links from valley towns.
Time to allow
An hour is enough to stop at the dam, walk a stretch of the lakeshore, and take photos. Allow half a day or more if you plan to ride the cable car or lift up onto the Marmolada glacier itself, or to walk one of the trails around the lake.
When to go
The pass is a high-altitude road, so it's only reliably open (and the lake ice-free) from late spring through autumn; heavy snow closes or complicates access in winter outside of the ski season. It gets busy on clear summer weekends and whenever the Giro d'Italia route brings crowds and closures, so a weekday morning is calmer. Weather changes quickly at this altitude, so check conditions before heading up.
Combine it with
- Marmolada Glacier (2.4 km) — the natural next stop, reachable by cable car from nearby.
- Campolongo Pass and Piz Boè (7.1 km each) — part of the wider Dolomites pass circuit and Sella Ronda area.
- Col di Lana (7.8 km) — a First World War historic site with hiking trails.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
