Dolomites (Dolomiti) Italy
The Dolomites ski region provides one of the largest and most delicious ski networks in the world. Named after the incredible limestone rock that is found naturally in these spectacular mountains, the Dolomites offer a unique ski holiday experience that every skier should experience at least once in their lives. The Dolomiti Superski offers 12 Bellissima ski areas connected by 450 ski lifts all under the one lift pass.
The Dolomiti Superski area takes great delight in offering a true Italian foodie experience, as you combine an impressive high alpine environment, beautiful rifugios, history and great skiing with tasty local al dente pasta washed down with your choice of local vino, espresso, bombardino or calimero. It’s la dolce vita (the sweet life) in the Dolomites!
Pros & Cons for the Dolomites Ski Region
Pros
- Huge ski region with a lifetime of exploration.
- Indescribably spectacular mountain scenery.
- Incredible range of on-piste trails.
- Off-piste routes & couloirs unique in the ski world.
- High quality & efficient interconnected lift system
- The most amazing ‘fun slopes’ in the world.
- Good value lift pass comparative to the number of lifts & terrain that it covers.
- Integral part of the Sella Ronda ski circuit & Dolomiti Superski area.
- Abundant lively après ski & restaurant options.
- World’s best on-mountain ski-in ski-out accommodation in the many rifugi.
- Diverse village accommodation options, with luggage transfer services to facilitate multi-resort ski safaris – woohoo!
- Beautiful local cities (Bolzano, Bressanone, Brunico) with ooodles of history (for a break from the slopes)!
Cons
- A gargantuan ski region that does get busy in some areas.
- Decreasing natural snowfalls can limit off-piste freeride terrain - timing can be key!
- Some resorts have limited advanced terrain (but several have exceptionally good black runs on-piste).
- Accommodation can be hard to get in some popular villages & may be relatively expensive.
- Not terribly snowboard friendly (but it does depend on the ski resort area).
- Aside from Kronplatz & 3-Peaks, public transport to the ski resort villages can often be convoluted.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- With so many villages & rifugi, it can be difficult to decide where to stay (nice problem to have!).
- The lower valleys may, or may not, have natural snow in them.
- Piste trails spread across a huge distance, so it is possible to end the day far from your accommodation or even (gulp) get lost - plan ahead, know when to turn around & be able to follow maps & signs.
- The Dolomites include Italy’s most popular ski area – Val Gardena.
Skiing & Snowboarding the Dolomiti
Italy’s Dolomites have numerous ski resorts, but it is the 12 Dolomiti Superski resorts that rightly or wrongly attract most of the attention. The Dolomiti Superski offers more than 1,200km of “guaranteed” pistes ranging between 950m and 3,269m in elevation & up to 12km long. The terrain includes high alpine glaciers on the Marmolada; kilometres of perfect piste trails especially good for families, beginners and intermediates; masses of interesting fun-slopes and terrain parks; plus, when the snow is deep, excellent off-piste bowl, chute & even tree skiing. The best way to experience this skiing area is with the “Dolomiti Superski” Pass which accesses all the ski slopes & lifts that are spread across the Dolomites Superski network.
See the Dolomiti Superski area resorts map.
The Dolomiti doesn’t receive as much fresh powder as Austria or Switzerland, but it is one of the snow sure ski areas in the world for on-piste skiing. There are over 4700 snow making machines covering an eye-watering 1,160km (97%) of piste runs across the resorts. And what it doesn’t have in the deep snow stakes; it makes up for with beauty. The Dolomites is so beautiful that it has been classified as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
The 12 main ski resorts across the Dolomites ski region are: classy Cortina d’Ampezzo; impressive Kronplatz; the fine food & terrain of Alta Badia; the expansive & popular Val Gardena; diverse Val di Fassa; the area's highest ski resort Arabba-Marmolada; beautiful 3 Peaks Dolomites (Drei Zinnen a.k.a Sesto); Valle di Fiemme - Obereggen; San Martino di Castrozza - Passo Rolle; the Eisacktal (Valle Isarco) resorts of Brixen - Plose & Gitschberg-Jochtal; Alpe Lusia - San Pellegrino; and gorgeous, quiet Civetta (our personal favourite!).
The Dolomites is famous for two ski major on-piste ski tours. The Sella Ronda is a busy 36km loop that goes across four of the ski valleys (Alta Badia, Val Gardena, Val di Fassa and Arabba-Marmolada), whilst the Great War Ski Tour (Giro della Grande Guerra) packs in historical landmarks, lots of ski slopes, and even a horse drawn “ski lift” over a surprisingly arduous 80km. The Sella Ronda can be particularly packed with skiers, so once done, avoid it for the rest of your stay! Don’t be too disappointed if you don’t complete the Great War Ski Tour in one day, lots of skiers don’t. You just gotta know when to call a taxi to avoid getting stuck too far from home!
For off-piste freeriders, when the snowpack is deep, the Dolomites is home to numerous unique ski routes. The northern flanks of the Marmolada glacier, the couloirs of Tofana, Faloria, Cristallo & Lagazuoi at Cortina, plus the many descents off the Sella massif from Saas Pordoi or over Piz Boe, are unlike anything you will ever experience anywhere else. One just needs to be flexible and follow the snow. Much of the more interesting freeride terrain & couloirs are hidden from view & often require local knowledge and/or climbing skills (via ferrata/crampons etc) to access. If in doubt, get a guide. See our Dolomites Ski Lessons & Guiding page for options.
The interlinked nature of the ski areas & connectivity with local buses makes the Dolomites perfect for a multi-resort ski safari. If confident & able to plan it, we suggest trying to do your own. If wanting some company & the ease of an experienced local guide, book into one of the carefree tours listed at the bottom of the page.
For more information on skiing & snowboarding the Dolomiti Superski region, see the Dolomites Ski Resorts page.
Where are the Dolomites Italy?
The main Dolomites (Dolomiti) ski region is close to Austria in the north east of Italy, starting about 100km south of Innsbruck. The major city of Bolzano has excellent transport connections & is close to all Dolomites ski areas.
As with most European ski areas, the Dolomites are relatively easy to travel to but with some notable exceptions (i.e. Civetta). For all international travellers the best gateway airports to the Dolomites are Munich (MUC), Venice Marco Polo (VCE), or at a stretch, Milan Malpensa (MXP) airport. For flights originating in the UK, Europe or Scandinavia, Innsbruck (INN) airport in Austria is an excellent starting point, particularly if renting a car.
Transfer services are available to take you directly to the major Dolomites ski resorts. Car hire is available at all the airports, however the Powderhounds recommend taking the train & bus from the airports to at least a major local city near the Dolomites, if not the entire way to the relevant ski resort. For those that just cannot abide public transport or are travelling in larger groups, the most efficient mode of travel is a private transfer. Search & book all transfers to any Dolomites destination.
The Italian train operators Trenitalia & SAD can efficiently get you to the Dolomites from Milan or Venice (via Verona). From Verona one can approach the Dolomites either via the Venezia S.Lucia – Calalzo di Cadore line, or the Fortezza-Dobbiaco railway line north of Bolzano. Two ski resorts (3 Peaks & Kronplatz) are directly accessible by train on the line north of Bolzano (Bozen). Two other ski resorts are awfully close to the train near beautiful Bressanone (Plose & Gitschberg Jochtal). Bus transfer services are available for the main resorts & local public buses or taxis will get you to the rest.
Train links from Munich & Innsbruck to the Dolomites via the Brenner Pass are excellent to the major northern Dolomites cities of Bolzano, Bressanone & Brunico. Search & book train tickets to Bolzano, Bressanone & Brunico.
For more information on the best ways to get there, see the Travel to the Dolomites page.
Where to Stay on a Dolomites Ski Holiday
An Dolomites ski holiday in Italy offers a superb cultural & winter experience. Schussing the slopes & ski touring the mountains, valleys & villages is only part of the fun. Away from the slopes (or just next to them as the case may be!) there is an emphasis on enjoying long lunches, vino, panoramic views, over-nights in mountain rifugi, multi-course dinners & hanging out with the fabulously friendly locals.
See the full list of Dolomites ski accommodation.
As to where to stay when skiing the Dolomites? It will largely depend on what one is seeking & perhaps even one’s budget amongst other things. There are numerous hamlets, villages & towns to suit all purposes but the choices are nearly unlimited: Alba, Alleghe, Arabba, Bolzano, Bressanone, Brunico, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Campitello, Canazei, Corvara, Colfosco, Dobbiaco, Malga Ciapela, Ortisei, Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella, Pozza di Fassa, San Cassiano, Selva, Sesto or some lone rifugio high on a peak – the list goes on & on & on.
See the individual ski resort pages via the links for ideas on the best places to stay. Or even better, see our Dolomites Accommodation Info page for a full summation of our favourite villages, rifugios & cities and the reasons why!
Why Ski or Snowboard in the Dolomites?
Whilst the region does not boast the highest mountains or the largest number of glaciers, the Dolomites does offer some of the world's most spectacular & unique alpine environments, tonnes of sunshine, fabulous food & an awesome light show off the pale mountain backdrop throughout the day. The ski terrain on-piste is perfectly suited for families, intermediate skiers & snowboarders, lift assisted ski touring & other pleasures such as the local Trentino, Venetian and South Tyrolean cuisine & warm welcoming village atmospheres.
The interlinked Dolomiti Superski pass, Sella Ronda, Great War Circuit plus the massive investment in snow making capabilities demonstrates the passion and ingenious use of technology and cross-region co-operation to provide an excellent skiing & culinary experience to benefit both the tourists & the locals.
And just because you may know a little Italian language, be prepared to hear the local “Ladin” dialect and German. The main language spoken varies from valley to valley, adding to the sense of adventure. If you meet their passion with your passion for their mountains & culinary delights, you should be fine!!
Review
The Powderhounds have visited the Dolomites on multiple occasions, most recently in 2019. We enjoyed its natural wonders, delectable food, fun après ski & incredible piste trails. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read the latest inciteful & droll postulations!
See how the Dolomites & its ski resorts compare to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
Follow Powderhounds Europe on Facebook or Instagram to see where we are currently skiing.
