Hi—-I wil just mention my two favorite hikes (or areas), but without great detail because right now I am away from my home and the map resources available there (babysitting a baby granddaughter).
One is from Ortesei. Ride both states of the Seceda lift to the top station, and ascent to the cross that makes the summit. Amazing views to the next valley from there as well as down into Val Gardena. There is a good downhill party from there, engineered with metal grips to help with footing. It goes right along the ridge line for a way, then splits. We made the mistake of heading down to one of the mountain “huts” (they are actually nice restaurants, positioned as lunch spots for hikers and skiers) for lunch, then depending all the way back to Ortesei. A bad idea and very hard on my old knees. Instead, I suggest you do as we did the previous year—-follow the trail leading to Rifugio Firenze and have lunch there, then make your way to the top of the Col Raiser lift for a ride down to Santa Cristina. You can walk or catch a bus back to your car at Ortesei from there.
The route should bbe obvious when you look at a trail map. And you need not be tied to Rifugio Firenze for lunch; there are other good options. As long as you end up at the top of the Col Raiser lift you can go any way that you like. This is a nice open area and you can get a good look at the whole thing when you are up high.
The second hike is up on Alpe di Siusi and is more adventurous. You ride a lift up to Alpe di Siusi from Santa Cristina and start there. You aim for the trail that circumnavigates the Sassolungo/Sassopiatto group and take that anti-clockwise. Where the trail splits, you go left and follow the rocky trail leading to the Tony Demetz Hütte which lies in the notch between the two peaks. https://www.tonidemetz.it/en/index.php
That is your lunch stop—-it is crowded with climbers and other hikers but they should be able to make room for you with a wait. Or since you are going to ride the little lift down to the other side, you could have lunch down there. The lift—-which consists of 2-person cabins the size of a telephone booth which you jump into on the fly—-takes you down the face of that slope you see in the photo of the hut. It is quite an adventure. I have done it twice and lived to tell. :>). From the restaurant at the bottom you follow the trail around Sassolungo back to the top of the lift you rode up, and take it back down. Make sure you on schedule to arrive at the lift before it stops running!!! I know this description is vague but if you look at a hiking map it will be clear.
If that seems too rugged, you can just ride up to Alpe di Siusi using that lift from Santa Cristina, or the one up from Ortesei to Mount Sëuc, or the one going up from the town of Siusi if that works better with your lodging. With a trail map for Alpe di Siusi you can wander wherever you like and stop at a hut for lunch. I believe Rick recommends a hike using the Panorama lift or another; we have not done that, but have hiked a number of the other trails around the Alpe. It is all good.
