The kindom of meadows and woods, 35 kilometres long and surronded by the Lagorai and Latemar mountain ranges, Valle di Fiemme has become one of the major tourist resorts of Trentino with a wide variety of accomodation from four star hotels to comfortable family apartaments in small villages. The valley's capital is Cavalese, the ancient administrative centre with the Magnificent Community Palazzo where the local community rules of self government were established in the Middle Ages and are still of vital importance in the managment of an immense woodland heritage. Among the trees in the Pieve Park, in Cavalese, you can find the "Banc de la reson", a circular stone construction where, in the equivalent of the current parliament, the elected representatives of the rules, inspired by Longobard law, used to sit and debate matters concerning the Magnificent Community. This form of self government was so elaborate and valid that it was recognised and accepted by the Prince Bishops of Trento during their reign. The inhabitants of Valle di Fiemme have defended their rules for centuries from Tyrolean and French invasion, fully aware of their importance and value. Cavalese and Predazzo, the chief centres of Fiemme, have become renowned resorts in recent years, but many other smaller centres have by no means lagged behind. All of them are able to provide first calss accomodation coupled with a cordiality and candour typical os these mountain people. Fiemme is also the cradle of great cross country skiing champions, from Franco Nones, gold medallist in the Grenoble Olympics, to Giorgio and Bice Vanzetta, medallists in the Lillehammer Winter Games. This sport became known to Italians right here and its tradition is kept alive by the Fiemme and Fassa Marcialonga. This fantastic ski race with about 6 thousand starters, who compete over 70 kilometres finishing in Cavalese, is held every winter on the last Sunday in January.