Lifts & Terrain
Ski Valleys of the Dolomiti Superski Network
Cortina d’Ampezzo is the Olympic village with an international feel. It’s exclusive and expensive, and plays host to numerous World Cup competitions each year thanks to its many steep slopes. The Cortina d'Ampezzo ski area includes Auronzo - Misurina and San Vito di Cadore, offering a total of 140km of slopes. Some awesome high rocky points of the Dolomites surround Cortina such as Tofane and Cristallo. These provide some of the best and the most adrenalin pumping black runs in the Dolomites. You can do the “Skitour Olympia” which takes in the peaks from the 1956 Winter Olympics and afterwards head back to town to enjoy the upmarket shops and restaurants in the trendy and fashionable Corso Italia pedestrian area.
Kronplatz is the main skiing hub in Val Pusteria with many traditional huts and Tyrolean eateries scattered along the 105km of slopes to lure you away from skiing. It offers 360 degree panoramic views of the Dolomites. The ‘take it easy’ ski slopes are welcoming, wide and well maintained, and the locals are warm and wonderful, especially if you like après. Whilst overcrowded with Germans, Italians and Brits in peak season, it is now easier to access other resorts like Alta Badia and therefore the Sella Ronda, without too much stress.
Alta Badia provides the traditional Italian alpine experience, offering 130km of pistes with direct access to the famous Sella Ronda network via the World Cup slope of Gran Risa. Alta Badia is fantastic thanks to fast and comfortable ski lift connections, wide and well groomed slopes, and Mediterranean and South Tyrolean eatery experiences. Alta Badia includes the localities of La Villa, San Cassiano, Corvara, Colfosco, Pedraces and La Valle. Beginners and intermediates will enjoy all this region has to offer.
Val Gardena (Gardena Valley) / Alpe di Suisi has some pretty awesome Dolomite peaks to enjoy and was first enjoyed by skiers in 1895. It has grown to become one of the most popular resorts in the region, especially for families and beginners. With more than 175km of runs connected by 83 lifts, Val Gardena also gives snowboarders and skiers direct access to the Sella Ronda network. Val Gardena has three main villages: large Ortisei; long and narrow San Cristina; and the small and intimate Selva Gardena. Val Gardena was honoured recently as the Numero Uno Italian ski resort, based on the ski resort size, standard, and facilities. Locals speak German, Italian and their dialect “Ladin”, and their approach combines the best of these cultures to bring you a passion for life, food, music, and perfection; especially if you go the apple-strudel!
Val di Fassa / Carezza spoils snowboarders and skiers for choice, with 7 ski areas in a Natural World Heritage Park on more than 120km of spacious, speedy and spectacular ski slopes. It also connects directly with the Sella Ronda network. Offering great value for money, Val di Fassa offers a down-to-earth on-piste skiing and riding experience with picturesque Dolomite scenery. Moena is the main town in the valley which offers good accommodation, fabulous Italian food and super smooth café lattes.
Arabba is the main centre of the Livinallongo valley. It offers 62km of skiing, easy access to the Marmolada glacier which is the highest and most scenic view point in the Dolomites, and the 12km long “Bellunese” run. It is also a good starting point for the Sella Ronda.
Alta Pusteria offers 54km of perfectly maintained and managed slopes for beginners and intermediates across 7 small ski areas, the highlight being the 3.9km run on Monte Elmo. The skiing areas are around the 5 small, romantic villages of Sesto, San Candido, Dobbiaco, Villabassa and Braies.
Valle di Fiemme is enchanting. At the west end of the Dolomites, this region is probably better known for its cross country skiing than downhill skiing and snowboarding. The main resorts of the valley are Cavalese, Predazzo and Tesero. They service 109km of runs across five ski areas; Alpe di Ceremis (with 7.5km Olympia run), renowned Ski Centre Latemar with Obereggen (17 lifts, 50 km runs), Bellamonte – Alpe Luisa, Passo Lavazzè - Passo Oclini, and Passo Rolle. Valle di Fiemme is very close to the border of the South Tyrolean part of Austria, and despite many locals speaking more German than Italian, the cuisine of the area is a perfect marriage between the Tyrolean and Trentino cultures.
San Martino di Castrozza is surrounded by wide fields, thick forests, and some classic jagged Dolomiti peaks that form part of the Paneveggio Pale di San Martino Nature Park. San Martino di Castrozza has maintained its historical buildings and local food and wines traditions, and provides close proximity to a pristine ski and snowboard experience across the 22 modern ski lifts and 60km of runs. The large, easily accessible and well groomed Carosello delle Malghe ski area has some of the sunniest and best runs in the Dolomites such as the Tognola Uno (with a thousand-meter drop) run towards Malga Fratazza. After the transfer to the ski bus on the Colverde, swing up to the Cima Rosetta (2,600m) for an awesome panoramic view over a high plateau and mountain peaks. The Colverde run is a little easier, is exposed to the sun all day long and has a lovely 2km red run through the conifer trees lit at night.
Valle Isarco (Eisacktal) has the 9km black-graded “Trametsch” run, which is one of the longest in the Dolomites and has a vertical drop of 1,400m. Valle Isarco though is really for gentle skiers who want to enjoy the traditional Italian village experience as much as the snow. The three ski resorts of Plose-Brixen, Gitschberg-Meransen and Jochtal-Vals offer guaranteed snow and lots of sun, because they are set on the southern side of the valley. They are not far from the medieval town of Bressanone which offers alleyways, up-market hotels and bars, fine Tyrolean restaurants and high end shops that can be enjoyed after the sun goes down.
Trevalli / Moena: The Trevalli (3 valley) Ski Area offers 100km of runs, 3 sensational snowparks and is known for its fun playful attitude. It is located at the very heart of Dolomiti Superski. The three areas are Falcade, bambino friendly San Pellegrino, and modern charming Moena which also enables access with the nearby Val di Fassa and offers some of the most delicious local Ladine delights.
Civetta is the closest resort to Venice in the south east of the Dolomites. It is geared up for families, oozes tradition, and provides breathtaking unspoilt views. The small villages of Alleghe, Selva di Cadore, Zoldo and Palafavera offer romantic warm hotels. There are 25 lifts and 80 km of slopes for skiers of all levels that link the three valleys, as well as night skiing on a 5 km long slope in Valzoldana. Other ski resorts of the Dolomiti Superski area can be easily reached using the free ski-bus service. The Great War Ski Tour starts here and leads to the Dolomites peaks where World War I was fought.
Day Tours
There are two main all day tours you can enjoy in the Dolomites region. Sella Ronda is the most recognized ski route in the heart of the Dolomites. More than 500,000 skiers annually go around this loop either clockwise or counter clockwise for 36kms around the Sella mountain range, taking in four spectacular ski valleys (Alta Badia, Val Gardena, Val di Fassa and Livinallongo). The Sella Ronda route can be easily enjoyed in one day if you start before 10am and get to the last resort before 3:30 pm. Check the weather forecast before going out, as the only downside of this spectacular route is that some lifts may close without notice due to bad weather (but you could do worse than be snowed in at a pretty snow covered Italian ski resort!).
The Great War Ski Tour (Giro della Grande Guerra) is another well known day trip with 80 km of history and nature in a sensational high alpine environment. Starting out from the Civetta on a free ski bus, head to the Fedare refuge at the Giau Pass from where the chair lift goes up to Averau. See old war trenches, frozen waterfalls, experience high mountain passes, mine tunnels, and machine gun posts before finishing with a horse-drawn tow to take you to the slopes of the Badia Valley where you can get to Arabba, Padon and Marmolada. You need to have a Dolomiti Superski ski pass for free use of the ski bus service and leave early to have enough time to do the tour.