Italy is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. We are talking not only about ancient cities, centuries-old history and architecture, but also about nature. There are seaside resorts and ski resorts, so you can come here both in summer and winter. The Dolomites, or simply the Dolomites, are considered one of the favorite places among tourists - ski lovers. This is an amazing place located in the northeast of the country.
This is a mountain range 120 km long. The place is beautiful, with glaciers, cozy picturesque alpine meadows, and pine forests. It is no wonder that this place has become so popular with tourists from Italy and Europe and the rest of the world.
True, the Dolomites are not as advertised as other popular resorts, so not everyone knows about it. This, in principle, is not a drawback, because there are not a lot of people, the contingent of vacationers is very decent. Here you really relax and gain strength.
The climate here is mild. Typically, the air temperature ranges from 0 to -5° C. The coldest months are January and February, when the thermometer can reach -20° C. Since these areas have low humidity, even in cold weather, tourists feel comfortable and do not freeze .
Many hotels, inns, hostels, ski slopes, ski lifts, cafes, restaurants, ski equipment rentals, souvenir shops and much more will make your holiday as comfortable, interesting and unforgettable as possible.
The ski season itself begins around mid-November and lasts until mid-April. Although you can come here specifically for vacation at any other time of the year to enjoy the silence, fresh air and the incredible beauty of the local nature.
Le Corbusier once said that this place is the greatest architectural structure that nature has created. This is true. Billions of years ago there was a sea here, but due to the movement of plates, over time mountains formed here, and the water disappeared. Therefore, the landscapes here are amazing.
All photos of the Dolomites in Italy:
List of ski resorts in the Dolomites
There are about 50 resorts here. They differ from each other. There are resorts that have existed for a long time, with their own centuries-old history and tradition. Some resorts are specifically sports resorts, where various competitions and championships are regularly held, and at other times professional athletes train.
These can also be small villages with their own resorts, which are more intended for beginners who are not yet familiar with skiing and are unsure of skiing, snowboarding, etc.
The most popular resorts are:
- Val di Fiemme
- Alta Badia
- Alta Pusteria
- San Martino di Castrozza
- Valle Isarco
- Araba (the most extreme)
- Val Gardena (longest pistes)
- Civetta (ideal for rock climbing enthusiasts)
- Tre Valley (for beginners)
- Kronplatz
- Cortina di Ampezzo
Trails and lifts
It should be noted that this is the most extensive ski area in the world in terms of the number of slopes and lifts.
The total length of the slopes is 1220 kilometers, and the number of lifts is 470.
There are red and blue trails for beginners with different slopes and lengths. Therefore, everyone will be able to choose an option to their liking and their capabilities, dexterity, and experience. It is better for beginners not to start with difficult trails, because it is dangerous. But short, low slopes will no longer be of interest to professionals. They can choose something cooler for themselves. The main thing is not to forget about safety and common sense.
Cost of a single ski pass
Many tourists prefer to purchase a single Dolomites ski pass, because it is more convenient and more profitable. The cost depends on whether it is purchased for an adult or a child, and the duration of validity.
Hotels
Located in a very convenient location, just 5 minutes from the center of Madonna di Campiglio. It is located on the main street of the resort. The hotel has 3 stars. Each room has a bathroom, some also have balconies with picturesque views of the mountains and forest. The price includes buffet breakfast. The hotel is very cozy, the staff is hospitable.
Hotel Garni St. Hubertus
Also located in Madonna di Campiglio. It has 4 stars, but reviews about it are all 5 stars. Convenient location, single, double and multi-bed rooms, breakfast. The tracks are about 10 minutes on foot. Near the hotel there are a large number of cafes, shops, souvenir shops, etc.
Miramonti hotel Madonna di Campiglio
One of 2 five star hotels located in Cortina. Part of the Majestic hotel chain. It justifies its status with spacious, stylish rooms, with bath, shower, and everything you need. Breakfast is included in the price. The hotel also has its own swimming pool, gym, recreation area, restaurant, and offers many additional services.
Miramonti Majestic Grand Hotel
Search for other hotels in the Italian Dolomites:
Sights of the Dolomites
Since this is a ski resort, there aren’t really any architectural attractions here. But the nature here is very beautiful, and those who are not lazy have the opportunity to go and admire frozen waterfalls, engage in eco-tourism and walk along forest paths.
Those who decide to conquer the highest local point - Marmolada (over 3000 m), get the opportunity to see the Dolomites in all their glory.
Climbing Marmolada Peak
The Dolomites in Italy are one of the best regions for holidays and skiing in Europe . Under this name, 12 large valleys with villages and small resort towns are combined. Modern slopes and ski lifts coexist here with comfortable hotels, villas and chalets. Shops offer sports equipment, branded clothing and shoes, as well as all kinds of souvenirs. Numerous cafés and restaurants serve local delicacies and Italian wines. Noisy parties, exhibitions, carnivals take place here - there is entertainment for every guest.
Business card
In 2009, the Dolomites were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a unique natural site. The region has many ski slopes of different levels, there are cross-country ski tracks, skating rinks, snow parks and sports centers. For many years, European and world competitions have been held here, for example the Biathlon World Cup. The number of resort towns and villages exceeds 50, each of them has its own unique atmosphere.
Trails, slopes, lifts
The Dolomites in Italy combine more than 1,200 km of ski slopes of different levels. They are served by about 500 lifts, which are constantly being modernized. The famous Sella Ronda, the “Dolomite Carousel”, runs here. This is the name for the system of trails and lifts, with the help of which you can, without taking off your skis, travel several tens of kilometers and visit the resorts of Val Gardena, Val di Fassa, Alta Badia, Arabba and many others. The ski infrastructure of the region is united by the universal Dolomiti Superski ski pass. This pass allows you to use the ski lifts in all 12 ski areas.
Entertainment and active recreation
The region's opportunities are not limited to skiing. In the Dolomites in Italy you can go cross-country skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering or paragliding. The village of Ortisei has a modern water sports center, and indoor heated pools are available in most resort towns. Here you can not only relax, but also learn about the history and traditions of the region. IN
In the three provinces of northeastern Italy, Belluno, Bolzano and Trento, there is a mountain range called the Dolomites. Their length is almost 150 km, includes 17 peaks over 3 km high and the highest point is the Marmolada glacier (3345 m). They are bounded on different sides by the river valleys: Brenta, Adige, Isarco, Pusteria and Piave.
Natural processes have created bizarre landscapes: vertical cliffs, bare cliffs, narrow valleys, snowfields, several dozen glaciers, mountain lakes. In 2009, the Italian Dolomites were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a region of exceptional natural beauty, as well as aesthetic and geological importance.
How to get to the Dolomites?
The administrative center of Bolzano is called the “gateway to the Dolomites”. From its bus station and international airport, Italian resorts in the Dolomites can be reached both by road and by rail.
And from the airports of Milan, Trento, Merano and others, you will first need to take a train or bus to Bolzano. But during the height of the ski season, special express buses depart from these airports to the region on weekends.
Dolomites Resorts
In the ski world, this region in Italy is called Dolomiti SuperSki, which united 12 ski regions of the Dolomites into a single ski pass from 1974 to 1994. Today there are about 40 resorts with developed infrastructure, and more than 1,220 km of slopes and 470 ski lifts are equipped for winter sports.
For ski lovers in the Dolomites there is real freedom, thanks to the extensive map of slopes, since, living in one place, you can choose any area for skiing, using a single lift system.
Very interesting for fans is the circular route of Sela Ronda, which passes through a monolithic mountain group of peaks alternating with valleys. It is 40 km long and passes through four ski areas: Alta Badia, Araba Marmolada, Val di Fasa and Val Gardena.
All resorts and ski areas in the Dolomites have their own characteristics: there is an active nightlife and for families with children, as well as towns favored by professionals and equipped for international competitions. Among them we can note Monte Bondone, the oldest ski resort in Europe in the Valle del Adige with the first European ski lift installed in 1934.
Tourist areas with the largest number of trails include:
- Val Gardena - Alpe di Susi (175 km) - these are exciting ski safaris, skiing for beginners on the Seiser Alm plateau, sports tracks of Selva and Santa Cristina.
- Cortina d'Ampezzo (140 km) is one of the prestigious Alpine large resorts. High-level hotels and restaurants, expensive shops and boutiques, art and antique salons, developed infrastructure for a fashionable holiday.
- Alta Badia (130 km) – picturesque and not difficult routes are attractive for beginners; there are few difficult routes here. The most convenient way to get there is through Innsbruck (Austria), from which the resorts are only 130 km away.
- Val di Fassa - Carezza (120 km) - offers routes of varying difficulty and reasonable prices. Canazei and Campitello are especially popular with experienced skiers, while Vigo di Fasa and Pozzo are suitable for families.
- Val di Fiemme - Oberaggen (107 km) - suitable for children and beginner skiers, accommodation prices are reasonable here, but you need to take a bus to the ski lifts.
- Tre Valli (100 km) – it includes villages that are located in three different valleys. Passo San Pelegrino is close to the ski slopes and lifts, Moena offers a variety of evening activities and the possibility of skiing in Val di Fiemme, and Falcade gives the opportunity to feel the real Italian atmosphere.
Other ski areas also deserve attention: Kronplatz, Arabba-Marmolada, Alta Pusteria, San Martino di Castrozza - Passo Rolle, Valle Isarco and Civetta.
In summer it is very beautiful and not hot here. At this time, there are one-day and multi-day hiking trips on foot or by bicycle. It is very interesting to visit lakes and natural parks, of which there are about a dozen.
Holidays in both summer and winter at ski resorts in the Dolomites of Italy are so diverse that it is always interesting to come here.
The Dolomites are perhaps the most beautiful in the entire mountain system. They were formerly called Monte Pallidi, which means Pale Mountains in Italian. Indeed, the Dolomites are not like the other Alps. Rocky, with bizarre tower-like peaks, they are made of light stone. Its mineral composition - CaMg2 - was described in the 18th century by the French geologist Deodat de Dolomew. In honor of him, the mountains began to be called the Dolomites. This rock is of sedimentary origin. Many millions of years ago, a shallow, warm sea splashed here, populated by corals and mollusks. When the earth's surface began to rise, the water left, leaving behind a memory in the form of lagoons, fjords and reefs. As a result, high mountains appeared, more than three thousand meters above sea level, melting the warmth of the prehistoric ocean in their depths.
Dolomite effect
In this region, as in the entire mountain system, there are many But it is not because of this that the Dolomites, photos of which probably everyone has seen, were included in the UNESCO list in 2009 as a unique natural site. What is their phenomenon? How does Monte Pallidi differ from the rest of the Alps? This phenomenon is called Enrosadira - this is what the inhabitants of the high-mountain Ladin valleys call it. And the Austrians call it Alpengluhen - Alpine ignition. What does it mean? At dawn and sunset, the sun hanging low above the horizon illuminates the dolomite mineral with its light for several minutes. And it reflects the rays of the sun, visually becoming purple-orange, later changing color to creamy pink. Now imagine this landscape in winter, when the sparkle of alpine snow is added to the riot of colors! Truly, Le Corbusier was right when he called these mountains “the most beautiful natural architecture in the world.”
Legend of the Dolomites
Residents of high mountain valleys explain the effect of alpine ignition in their own way. There is a legend that once in these places there was a beautiful kingdom of gnomes, ruled by King Laurino. Its territory was completely planted with beautiful roses. The state of the gnomes did not have fortress walls, ditches, or anti-tank hedgehogs. Only a thin silk thread marked the cordons of the kingdom. In vain did the dwarves hope for the decency of their neighbors. They were not slow in invading and capturing the beautiful region. The legend is silent about who it was - Austria or Italy. The Dolomites bristled with rugged peaks because Laurino cast a spell on his garden. From now on, roses could not be seen either day or night. But Laurino forgot about dawn and sunset. It is at this time that you can admire the wonderful garden of the disappeared kingdom for a few minutes.
Dolomites Resorts
In such a beautiful area, God himself ordered the construction of places for recreation. Previously, some valleys were part of Austria. They were transferred to the Italian Republic only after the First World War. The Ladian language is still spoken in these lands, and Austrian speech is heard more often than Italian. Accuracy and punctuality also distinguish the valleys from the other lands of Trentino, Val d'Adige and Veneto. Tourists from all over the world come here all year round. Rock climbing, trekking, river rafting, mountaineering - lovers of outdoor activities will not be bored here. But still the most common type local entertainment - the Dolomites are home to interesting know-how. To attract winter tourists, twelve ski regions decided to join forces and established a single ski pass.
Dolomiti Superski - relaxation without limits
The Dolomites cover two regions of Italy - Alto Adige and Trentino, as well as the province of Belluno in Veneto. Now, looking at the map, imagine the scale of this gigazone of skiing! Without taking off your skis and with one ticket you can ride 470 and try 1220 kilometers of excellent ski slopes. The ski area includes twelve valleys and resorts: Arabba/Marmolada, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Val di Fiemme, Kronplatz, Alta Badia, Val Gardena, Val di Fasa, Alta Pusteria, San Martino di Castrozza, Valle Isarco, Tre Vali and Civetta . Some towns are located in close proximity to each other, others are at a considerable distance. Then there is a bus service between them.
Sella mountain range
On the slopes of this peak, reaching 3152 meters, there are four ski areas. These are Araba, Alta Badia, Val Gardena and Di Fasa. They are connected to each other by a network of lifts and cable cars. You can travel along the slopes without taking off your skis. Therefore, the Sella Ronda route is very popular among winter tourists. Since it is a circle, you can move clockwise or counterclockwise and start your journey from any point. The Dolomites in Sella form a kind of crown, a monolithic group of inaccessible peaks with steep cliffs. The chasms reach 600-800 meters. Moving along a circular route, you can go around all the peaks - Miara, Meisulez, Quima Pissado, Lek, Sass Pordoi and this ridge - Boe (3151). You don't even have to buy guidebooks - the trail is well marked. The length of Rondo is about forty kilometers. The entire journey will take about five hours.
Other resorts in the ski area
The total number of ski spots in Dolomiti Superski is difficult to calculate, since new artificial villages and even towns appear every year. Now there are about forty of them. All of them are good: with well-equipped pistes, fast ski lifts, and excellent tourist infrastructure. But there are also local peculiarities. For example, Civetta is located on the slopes of the mountain of the same name, three thousand two hundred and twenty meters high, and the highest skiing point at this resort does not exceed 2100 m. Kronplatz is praised for its ultra-modern lift system. The Dolomites are very diverse in terms of ski holidays. There are resorts with noisy après-ski, and there are quiet villages aimed at families with children (the Italians themselves prefer them). Some of these places have gained fame for sports, they host international competitions, while others are chic, such as Cortina d'Ampezzo, which is called the Queen of the Dolomites.
Val di Fiemme, San Martino di Castrozza, Valle Isarco, Civetta and Tre Valli.
Dolomites at night. Photo by Thinkstock
Dolomites
Many millions of years ago, the waters of a hot tropical sea splashed across the Dolomites. As the continents - Africa and Europe - came closer together, the tropical sea became shallower and shallower, and one day its waters completely dried up. All that remains of the sea is the bottom, consisting of depressions and depressions, coral reefs and fjords. This is how the Dolomites, or simply the Dolomites, were formed, mountains of amazing beauty.
Dolomites. Photo by Thinkstock
The Dolomites got their name from the mineral that makes up the rock - dolomite, named after the French geologist Deodat de Dolomier. It was he who, for the first time in history, studied the chemical composition of the mineral from which the Dolomites are formed - mountains with sharp and inaccessible peaks, reaching heights of more than 3000 meters above sea level.
However, the Dolomites were not always pale and cold as they are today. According to legend, the king of the gnomes, Laurino, who once lived on the green peaks, is to blame for their inaccessibility and insensibility. The myth of the mountain peoples says that the land of the gnomes was previously decorated with flower carpets and greenery, but one day evil invaders came here and took the gnomes and their king captive. King Laurino decided that the flowers, whose beauty attracted the conquerors, were to blame for everything, and immediately turned them into gray stones. While reciting the spell, Laurino ordered the flowers to remain stones day and night, but the magical formula was not “planned” for the transition time between day and night - twilight. Thus, a few seconds before sunset, the Dolomites came to life - and continue to come to life. On the eve of twilight, the mountains change their color to pink-orange: this phenomenon has its own name: Enrosadira or Alpenglùhen.
Appengùhen. Photo by Thinkstock
Dolomiti Superski
The Dolomiti Superski ski region includes 12 ski resorts, united by a common ski pass, which are located in two regions of Italy - and (Belluno province). Dolomiti Superski can offer athletes and winter sports enthusiasts more than 1,220 kilometers of pistes and 470 funiculars, which have a total capacity of 620,000 people per hour!
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The Dolomiti Superski area includes the following most important ski resorts:
Cortina d'Ampezzo - 140 km of pistes, 45 lifts,
Kronplatz - 105 km of slopes, 31 ski lifts,
Alta Badia - 130 km of slopes, 51 ski lifts,
Val Gardena / Alpe di Susi - 175 km of slopes, 83 lifts,
Val di Fassa / Carezza - 120 km, 59 lifts,
Arabba / Marmolada - 62 km of slopes, 27 lifts,
Tre Valley - 100 km of slopes, 23 lifts,
Alta Pusteria - 54 km of slopes, 28 ski lifts,
Val di Fiemme / Obereggen - 107 km of pistes, 45 lifts,
San Martino di Castrozza / Passo Rolle - 60 km of slopes, 24 lifts,
Valle Isarco - 80 km of pistes, 26 ski lifts,
Civetta - 80 km of slopes, 25 lifts.
Holidays in the Dolomites. Photo dolomitisuperski.com
These resorts - there are about 40 of them in total - are scattered over a huge area among the Dolomites. There are resorts that are very close to each other - like Arabba, Val di Fassa, Alta Badia and Val Gardena, adjacent to the Sella massif, others are independent ski areas and traveling between them is only possible by car or bus.
Each of the Dolomiti Superski ski resorts is interesting in its own way: there are small stations where mainly only Italians ski, but there are also those where prestigious international competitions are held, villages offering tourists a quiet family holiday, and towns with noisy nightlife and après-ski leisure activities.
Arabba and the church in the Dolomites. Photo by Thinkstock
History of the Dolomiti Superski ski area
The Dolomiti Superski Alliance was formed in 1974. In the beginning it included Cortina d'Ampezzo, Val Gardena/Alpe di Susi, Kronplatz, Alta Badia, Arabba, Val di Fassa and Carezza. At the end of 1974, the total length of pistes offered to skiers by the resort was about 740 kilometers; The ski areas were served by 250 funiculars. One year later, Alta Pusteria joined the ski alliance, and a year later - Val di Fiemme / Obereggen and San Martino di Castrozza, so the total length of ski slopes approached 930 kilometers, and there were 347 cable lifts.
In 1979, Bressanone and several resort villages of the Valle Isarco valley entered the zone - so the length of the descents exceeded 1000 km. The last members of the Dolomite alliance were the Tre Valli region, in 1984, and Civetta, in 1994.
Funicular in the Dolomites. Photo by Thinkstock
The most important ski areas of the Dolomiti Superski alliance
Cortina d'Ampezzo
This most famous mountain resort in Italy, located in the heart of the Dolomites, is called the “Queen of the Dolomites”. Surrounded by magnificent mountains, the valley is always full of sun, Cortina is the only Italian resort that is included in the prestigious group of the best Alpine resorts "Best of the Alps". The first Italian alpine skiing competitions were held here in 1902.
Cortina d'Ampezzo is located in the province of Belluno, in the north, just 44 km from the Austrian border.
Cortina d'Ampezzo. Photo by Thinkstock
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a kind of winter Saint-Tropez, where instead of yachts, owners show off luxury cars. This is a place for the elite. Luxury and wealth reign here. Here, beauties walk along the snow-covered streets in fur coats from Fendi and shoes from Sergio Rossi, accompanied by gallant companions in suits from Valentino and Armani. In expensive restaurants, multimillion-dollar deals are concluded, luxurious celebrations are held, and the latest business and fashion news are discussed.
Cortina has a wonderful microclimate: there is always a lot of sun, and the Dolomites mountain ranges protect the town from the cold wind.
Situated in the wide and sunny Ampezzo Valley, the resort has three main ski areas and is part of the Dolomiti Superski system. Cortina is a very nice town, indirectly confirmed by the fact that two out of every three Italian tourists who come to Cortina do not even ski. If you want to watch rich Italians take to the Alpine stage, there's no better place.
Dawn on the slopes near Cortina d'Ampezzo. Photo by Thinkstock
By the way, this is where the filming of the movie “Cliff Climber” with Sylvester Stallone took place.
If you want to ride, then you can always go for a whole day on a circumnavigation of the Sella Ronda, which we will discuss below.
Cortina d'Ampezzo can be called the sunny valley of the Dolomites, because the sun shines here for at least 7 hours every day. Seventy hotels offer their services for those who want to ski or just relax. Snow cannons keep the snow cover in perfect condition throughout the season Cortina d'Ampezzo has more than 70 restaurants and bars, 300 shops, and a cinema. For lovers of active recreation: 130 km of cross-country ski trails, 70 km of cross-country trails, indoor tennis court, swimming pools, Olympic jumping hill, Olympic Ice Palace. Extreme sports: bobsleigh, snow rafting, canyoning.
Slopes, pistes, lifts: Cortina d'Ampezzo in numbers
Height difference: 1224 - 2939 m
Total number of lifts: 54
Funicular: 5
Cabin: 0
Chairlifts: 27
Tow bars: 19
Educational: 3
Total length of trails: 140 km
Light: 46 km
Medium: 87 km
Heavy: 7 km
Snow cannon in the Dolomites. Photo by Thinkstock
How to get to Cortina D'Ampezzo?
By plane
Airports closest to the resort:
Dolomiti Bus:
Calalzo Di Cadore - Cortina D'Ampezzo
Venice - Cortina D'Ampezzo
Mestre - Cortina D'Ampezzo
Treviso - Cortina D'Ampezzo
Cortina Express - transfers to Cortina D'Ampezzo:
from Treviso airport
from Venice airport
from Venice-Mestre railway station
Val Di Fassa - Carezza
The Val di Fassa valley, lying in the heart of the Dolomites at an altitude of 1440-2550 m above sea level, in the northeast of the region, 175 km from, today attracts the traveler as much as in time immemorial. They say that the Fassa Valley was once the home of good spirits - the Selvans. The inhabitants of the valley have preserved their folklore and the ancient Ladin language. Surrounded by the Cattinaccio, Sassolungo and Marmelada mountain ranges, Fassa offers unforgettable mountain walks and in winter turns into a realm of skiing and skating. After skiing, Campitello di Fassa, Canazei, Mazzin di Fassa, Alba and other villages open the doors of their bars, pizzerias, saunas, disco clubs, and cinemas to you.
Val di Fassa. Photo by Thinkstock
If you try to describe the resort in a few words, then the most suitable words would be: “huge”, “picturesque”, “colorful”, “diverse”.
It is unlikely that a week of skiing will be enough to cover all the slopes that can be accessed directly from Val di Fassa. If you suddenly get bored with the twin towns of Campitello and Canazei, you can take a car or ski bus to the towns of Vigo di Fassa, Mazzin or Moena, as well as to the town of Predazzo, which borders the Val di Fiemme valley. Each place has its own lift system, its own ski areas with their own features, attractions and dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of kilometers of varied trails.
The length of the Fassa Valley, which continues the Fiemme Valley, is about 20 kilometers, the area is located at an altitude of approximately 1500 meters above sea level. The steep slopes of Val di Fassa are covered with dense coniferous trees, and the Avisio River flows along its bottom.
Beautiful nature, along with local architecture, which is slightly different from the classic Alpine style, as well as the behavior and language of the local population give the resort a unique flavor that is unique to this place.
There are 9 ski resorts in Val di Fassa: Moena, Soraga, Vigo di Fassa, Pozza di Fassa, Pera, Mazzin, Campitello, Canazei and Alba. There are about 300 hotels here that can accommodate more than 50,000 guests.
Saslong. Photo by Thinkstock
Everything here is beautiful, elegant, but a little noisy and disorderly. There are always a lot of people on the streets, it seems that people came to have fun, and not to ski. Moreover, cities do not die out in the evening, probably because there are no problems with evening entertainment; bars, pizzerias, restaurants and discos are found at every turn.
Highest point - 2,951 m
Lowest point - 1,000 m
Height difference - 1,950 m
220 km of trails
20% for beginners
56% medium difficulty
24% difficult
81 lifts
snowboard park
How to get to Val di Fassa?
By plane
Nearest airports
Bolzano - 50 km.
Verona - 200 km.
Venice, Marco Polo - 210 km.
Treviso - 200 km.
By car
From the North: highway A22 through Innsbruck - Brennero - Bolzano, exit at Bolzano Nord, then follow the SS241 highway through the Passo Castalungo pass (37 km.).
From the South: A22 highway via Verona - Trento - Ora/Egna, exit at Ora/Egna, then follow the SS48 highway through the Passo San Lugano and Val Di Fiemme (45 km).
By bus
Buses run along the route - Vigo Di Fassa; to get to other resorts of Val Di Fassa, you need to change to a Trentino Transporti bus.
Bus schedule on the website www.sad.it.
In addition, the Fly Ski Shuttle runs to the resorts of Val di Fassa from the airports of Verona, Bergamo, Venice, Treviso and Milan.
Val di Fiemme
The resort of Val di Fiemme is the “gateway” to the Dolomites. Resort towns are scattered throughout the wide, sun-drenched valley. The largest among them are Cavalese and Predazzo.
Val di Fiemme, located in the Trentino region, like no other resort in the Dolomites, provides rich opportunities not only for skiing, but also for all other winter sports. Competitions of the highest level took place here: World Cup stages and world championships in disciplines such as cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, and figure skating.
In Val di Fiemme there are three main ski areas: Alpe Cermis (reached by funicular from the town of Cavalese), Bellamonte (this area is connected by a system of trails to the Tre Valle ski area) and the most interesting and varied ski area Ski -Center-Latemar. The latter is easily accessible by a new gondola lift from the town of Predazzo. All ski areas of Val di Fiemme are connected by ski shuttles (ski-buses), so from any resort town it is easy to get to the slopes you like.
On the territory of Val di Fiemme there are about 20 restaurants, 11 bars, a night club, 2 indoor swimming pools, and a sauna. Cavalese is an old medieval town where you can see the Franciscan Monastery, the Church of San Vigilio and other attractions. Predazzo houses the Museum of Geology and Ethnography.
Slopes, pistes, lifts: Val di Fassa in numbers
Resort altitude: 1000 m
Total length of g/l tracks: 100 km
Skiing altitude difference: 1000-2400 m
Number of lifts: 40
Blue (medium): 38 km
Red (difficult): 51 km
Black (very difficult): 11 km
Val di Fiemme. Photo by Thinkstock
How to get to Val di Fiemme?
By plane
Nearest airports
Bolzano - 50 km.
Verona - 160 km.
Venice - 230 km.
Milan - 290 km.
By car
From the North: take the A22 motorway via Innsbruck - Brennero - - Ora/Egna, exit at Ora/Egna, then follow the SS48 highway through the Passo San Lugano to Cavalese (23 km.) and other resorts in Val Di Fiemme.
From the South: take the A22 motorway via - Trento - Ora/Egna.
By bus
SAD buses run on the Ora - Cavalese route; to get to other resorts in Val Di Fiemme you need to change to a Trentino Transporti bus.
Transfer buses run to the ski resorts of Val di Fiemme from the above airports.
Kronplatz or Plan de Corones
An amazingly picturesque area with plenty of offers for winter sports enthusiasts is located in South Tyrol. From the villages of Olang, Reischach and San Vigilio di Marebbe, ski lifts take skiers to the mountain plateau. This region is imbued with the spirit of Tyrol, and sometimes it seems as if you are in neighboring Austria. This is facilitated by the very widespread use of the German language, which is unusual for Italy. And it’s much closer to Innsbruck from here than from some Austrian resorts.
Kronplatz. Photo dolomitisuperski.com
The main skiing area is Mount Kronplatz (2275 m, which became the site of the coronation of Princess Dolassila, which gives it its name), from which “blue-red” trails spread out in all directions. On its northern slopes, opposite Bruneck, there are a couple of very decent “black” slopes, but it is necessary to clarify the current state of the snow: ice or bumps sometimes appear on these slopes, ice sometimes occurs in the first half of the day, and bumps occur towards the end of skiing, so it’s a pleasure may be in question.
Interesting slopes are located in the Val da Ora area: the length of the most difficult of them is about 6.5 km, and the elevation difference is 1170 m. An easier descent, 6 km long, leads to San Vigilio di Marebbe. But the most exciting “black slope” leads to Reischi, you can ride it even in the first half of the day. And the highest ski track runs at an altitude of 1500 - 1650 m and lasts 20 km, since there are many unexpected turns. Snowboarders will also find entertainment on the plateau; there is a 110 m long halfpipe. For cross-country skiers, there are about 200 km of ski trails.
After skiing, guests can enjoy bowling, 49 tennis courts, a cinema, aqua and wellness center "Cron4", fitness centers, indoor swimming pools, ice stadiums, horse riding, mountaineering schools, 5 discos and night bars, many restaurants with national cuisine and small cozy cafes. Unlimited shopping opportunities.
San Vigilio di Marebbe. Plan de Corones. Photo by Thinkstock
Slopes, pistes, lifts: Kronplatz in numbers
Height difference: 838m - 2275m
Total number of lifts: 32
Cabin: 14
Chairlifts: 9
Towbars: 7
educational: 1
Total length of tracks: 90 km
Lungs: 30
Average: 50
Heavy: 10
Route in the Dolomites. Photo by Thinkstock
How to get to Kronplatz?
By plane
Nearest airports
Bolzano - 75 km.
Innsbruck - 105 km.
Verona - 230 km.
Venice - 205 km.
Treviso - 295 km.
Milan Malpensa - 390 km.
By car
From the North: highway A22 via Innsbruck - Brennero - Bressanone, exit at Bressanone/Alta Pusteria, then follow the SS49 highway to Brunico (30 km) or other resorts of Kronplatz.
From the East: after crossing the Austrian-Italian border, take the SS49 highway to Brunico (39 km) or other resorts of Kronplatz.
From the South: highway A22 via Verona - Bolzano - Bressanone or highway A27 via Venice - Treviso - Belluno. Exit at Cadore/Dolomiti, then take the SS51 to Dobiacco, then take the SS49 to Brunico (25 km) or other Kronplatz resorts.
By bus
SAD buses make regular trips:
Bressanone - Brunico
Fortezza - Brunico
Alta Badia - Brunico
Alta Pusteria - Brunico
Official website of the resort: www.kronplatz.com
Val Gardena
This valley of fabulous beauty, more than 15 kilometers long, is located near (35 km), in the northwestern part of the Dolomites. The 1970 World Alpine Ski Championships brought the Val Gardena resorts to the highest level of sports, and since then World Cup stages have been held here every year.
The Val Gardena ski area consists of three resort villages: Ortisei, located at an altitude of 1,236 m, Santa Cristina - at an altitude of 1,428 m and Selva Gardena - at an altitude of 1,536 m. Together they form the largest resort in the Sella Ronda massif with a total the length of the tracks is 175 km.
Val Gardena. Photo by Thinkstock
Each of the resorts is bustling with cheerful life: bars and restaurants are open, discos are noisy, fashionable boutiques await customers. Val Gardena offers 45 restaurants, 20 bars, 2 night clubs, 50 shops, a bowling alley, a sports center, a swimming pool, and a sauna. The largest disco is called "Umbrella", it is located in front of the Wolkenstein Hotel. Here they dance in their ski boots until the morning. The wine library and B&M Auer's fine Italian Wines and Grappas store are located in Selva.
Santa Cristina hosts the men's downhill World Cup every December.
Val Gardena is historically part of South Tyrol, which until 1918 was part of Austria-Hungary, and after the collapse of this empire became part of Italy. Here the seemingly incongruous is combined: German pedantry and Italian artistry.
The Tyrolean dialect of German, traditional for the Alps, often intersperses with the state Italian, and no less traditional Tyrolean clothing coexists with the latest trends in Italian fashion. They can also serve wine with sausages, sauerkraut and beer, and that goes without saying. The names of streets and towns are still written in two languages, and the indigenous people speak a peculiar dialect that is difficult to understand even for those who know Italian and German.
Slopes, pistes, lifts: Val Gardena in numbers
Resort altitude: 1236 m
Total length of g/l tracks: 175 km
Skiing altitude difference: 1060-2518 m
Number of lifts: 81
Features of g/l tracks
Blue (medium): 50 km
Red (difficult): 100 km
Black (very difficult): 25 km
How to get to Val Gardena?
By plane
Nearest airports
Bolzano - 40 km.
Innsbruck - 110 km.
Verona - 205 km.
Venice - 280 km.
Treviso - 215 km.
Bologna - 300 km.
Milan Malpensa - 365 km.
By car
From the North: take the A22 motorway via Innsbruck - Brennero - Chiusa.
From the South: take the A22 motorway through Verona - Bolzano - Chiusa.
Exit at Chiusa - Val Gardena, from there you can drive to Ortisei in 20 minutes, and then to San Cristina and Selva.
By bus
Routes:
Bolzano - Chiusa - Val Gardena
Bressanone - Chiusa - Val Gardena
There are also shuttles from the above-mentioned airports to the resorts.
Sella Ronda ski route
The Sella Ronda route is a real “must” for skiers holidaying in resorts in the Dolomites. As soon as ski lovers master the routes close to the resorts, every even not very well prepared skier has a desire to go on a trip along the Sella Ronda ski route.
Sella is a mountain range with steep walls up to 800 meters high, reminiscent of an impregnable fort. Sella Ronda is a circular closed route, which can be driven in both directions, as if patrolling the territory ("Ronda" literally translates as "Patrol"). The possibility of traveling along the route in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions arose in the mid-80s of the last century, when the Sella mountain range was surrounded by funiculars. (Passo Gardena (2137), Passo Campolongo (1875), Passo Pordoi (2239) and Passo Sella (2244)).
Sella Ronda massif. Photo by Thinkstock
The total length of Sella Ronda is about 40 kilometers, if you do not deviate from a straight line, it will take the average skier about 5 hours to overcome it, and 3.5 hours for a professional.
Either way, riding along the Sella Ronda is always quite a pleasant walk amidst magnificent scenery. In addition, it is almost impossible to lose your way here - there are so many signs and signs, and if you get hungry along the way, there are dozens of good mountain chalets at your service, popping up here and there along the way.
Family holiday in the Dolomites. Photo by Thinkstock
As for the disadvantages of Sella Ronda, professionals note that the tracks here are monotonous and not very interesting, long sections pass with virtually no turns, and you won’t be able to accelerate much here.
It is possible to start the tour along the route from each resort located near the Sella Mountains.
Ski pass Dolomiti Superski
The universal Dolomiti Superskipass is valid for all 12 main resort areas of the Dolomites. By purchasing a ski pass, you have the right to use all cable cars located in the region and access to all slopes.
Ski pass Photo by Thinkstock
At each resort you can also purchase a "local" ski pass, valid for the lifts at only one resort. It will cost about 10-15% less than the general Dolomiti Superskipass.
Prices for the Dolomiti Superskipass winter 2016
Junior - tariff for young people, people born after November 28, 1999
Senior - tariff for elderly people born before November 28, 1950
Children aged 3-8 years (born after November 28, 2007) can receive a free ski pass if they simultaneously purchase a ski pass of the same validity period for one adult. The offer operates on the principle of “one paid ski pass for an adult - one free ski pass for a child.”
What to try in the Dolomites?
Alto Adige has long been part of the Kingdom of Austria, which is noticeable everywhere - local residents in the Dolomites speak German and a dialect derived from the German language, and in literally every mountain restaurant on the menu you will find goulash, dumplings, dumplings, cream soups, strudels, etc. etc. In general, you feel the same here as in neighboring Austria. However, don't worry. Local chefs are not limited to Austrian cuisine.
Traditional products of Alto Adige. Photo dolomitisuperski.com
At dinner in one of the Dolomites restaurants you will be offered a wide range of appetizers - antipasti, typically Italian, by the way, then - your choice: if you don’t want hot goulash, choose the most aromatic one with boletus, truffles or even apples!, polenta, pasta, gnocchi or ravioli . The main course is game, fish, rabbit or traditional Ladin cuisine such as pearl barley soup, kapoons (something like cabbage rolls), pies with honey and nuts.
Note that the polenta in the Dolomites is simply excellent. This is not an ordinary corn porridge, as many people think, but a full-fledged dish with meat, anchovies, porcini mushrooms or hundreds of other fillings.
Lunch break. Photo dolomitisuperski.com
Be sure to try "speck" and cheeses, and you can warm up with a glass, which is also excellent here.
Among the wines in Alto Adige, it is worth trying Blauburgunder, Soave, Graufernatsch, Lagrain, Teroldego, Marzemino, Gewürztraminer, Weissburgunder, Goldmuskateler and Chardonnay.
