Eloping on Seceda: rules, cable car and the best time to go

Why Seceda

From Seceda (2,519 m) you look straight at the Odle peaks and the Fermeda, whose meadows drop steeply towards Val di Funes. Behind them rise the Puez group, Sassolungo and, on clear days, half of the Dolomites. Few places in South Tyrol show this much landscape within a few steps. That is exactly why Seceda has become one of the busiest viewpoints in the Dolomites.

Seceda lies in the Puez-Odle Nature Park and is part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site. The meadows along the ridge are private land, farmed by families from Val Gardena. That explains many of the new rules.

What changed in 2026

Since summer 2026 you book the cable car uphill online in fixed 30-minute time slots. According to the operator, most places are sold in advance and a smaller share stays at the ticket office. In high season, do not rely on the ticket office.

On the ridge trail east of the summit cross, towards Forcella Pana, the landowners have installed a turnstile. Passing costs €5 per person, and a second pay point stands on the trail up from Rifugio Firenze. The meadows are fenced off: you stay on the marked trails, photos included. That is not a drawback, as the best known viewpoints are right along the trail.

• Book your time slot as soon as your date is fixed.
• From the top station it is only a few minutes to the summit cross and the ridge. Still, allow time to arrive without rushing.
• Plan for the turnstile if you want to continue along the ridge.

Cable car, times and costs

The cable car runs in two sections from Ortisei via Furnes up to Seceda. In summer 2026 both sections run from 22 May to 2 November, daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. A return ticket costs €74 for adults, one way €49. In winter Seceda is part of the Dolomiti Superski area, with its own operating hours.

Prices and times change every year. Check them on the Seceda cable car website before you plan. I always confirm the current details for the couples I photograph.

Sunrise and evening light

The most beautiful light on Seceda comes early in the morning and in the evening, when low sun grazes the meadows and the Odle peaks turn red. The cable car, however, only starts at 8:30 am and stops at 5:30 pm. For sunrise or sunset, you walk.

• Sunrise: depending on where you start, you hike for roughly 1.5 to 2 hours in the dark with a headlamp. A night in a nearby mountain hut shortens the climb a lot.
• Evening light: after the last ride down you descend on foot. It is very doable, but you need proper shoes and a light for the way back.
• Daytime: with the first ride up you reach the top before most day visitors. The light is harder, but in June and in autumn it often stays soft enough.

With a wedding dress and suit on the mountain, I plan the route so you can change shoes for the hike and only get fully dressed at the top.

A ceremony on Seceda: what is possible

A civil wedding on Seceda is currently not possible. In Italy you marry legally in front of a town registrar or in church. Many couples therefore marry at the registry office first, at home or down in the valley, and hold a symbolic ceremony on the mountain, with their own words, a friend or a celebrant.

A quiet ceremony for the two of you, or a very small group, along the trail and without any set-up is possible. Arches, chairs, sound systems or decorations do not belong on the ridge: it is private land in a nature park, and on many days hundreds of people pass by. What you need legally is explained in the guide Getting married in South Tyrol.

Drones and the nature park

Flying drones in the Puez-Odle Nature Park is prohibited without a special permit, and fines are high. That is why your Seceda photos are made from the ground, with long lenses that bring the ridge and the Odle peaks closer. Please do not bring a drone of your own.

The best time for your elopement

• June: green meadows, long days, often some snow left on the peaks. The cable car runs and the big crowds only arrive in July.
• July and August: high season. Time slots go fast and afternoons often bring thunderstorms. If you come now, take the first ride or hike up for sunrise.
• September and October: clear air, golden meadows, fewer people. My favourite time of year up there.
• Winter: Seceda becomes a ski area. A winter elopement is possible but different: snow instead of meadows, skiers instead of hikers and short days.

Weekdays are almost always quieter than weekends. And keep a backup day: when clouds sit on the ridge, you will not see the Odle at all.

A possible day

1. Sunrise hike or the first cable car ride with a booked time slot.
2. A short walk to the summit cross, then along the ridge trail to the best known viewpoints.
3. Your symbolic ceremony, your vows, or simply a quiet moment for the two of you.
4. Couple portraits on the ridge and on the trails around Seceda.
5. Breakfast or lunch at a mountain hut, then the walk or ride down.

When Seceda is too busy

Seceda is not the only place with this view. The meadows around Pieralongia and Col Raiser are right next door, and the Alpe di Siusi offers wide open space with Sassolungo and Sciliar. Which other places I recommend and how an elopement day with me works is on the page Dolomites elopement photographer.