Madonna di Campiglio Ski Resort Italy
Madonna di Campiglio ski resort sits snugly in a valley below the spectacular Brenta Dolomites in Trentino, Italy. A refined town, there are a few of the fur clad set promenading on the local streets putting the town on a par with Cortina & Courmayeur.
The resort stretches for over 18km north to south from the Val di Sole to Val Redena & has multiple gondola lifts accessing 150km of piste trails in combination with Folgarida Marilleva and Pinzolo ski resorts.
Pros & Cons for Madonna di Campiglio Ski Resort
Pros
- Fabulous family friendly snow holiday destination.
- Snow sure, higher snowfalls than the true Dolomites.
- Pedestrian friendly village with excellent access to multiple lifts.
- Exceptionally good piste trails for all abilities on varied terrain aspects.
- Generally modern comfortable ski lifts.
- Tree skiing available.
- Beautiful views over the Brenta Dolomites.
- Fabulous range & extent of non-ski activities.
- Interesting mountain huts.
- Village in splendid surrounds.
Cons
- Day parking in the village difficult to navigate.
- Limited alpine off piste freeride terrain.
- Accommodation in the village books out quickly.
- Several long flat traverses & old slow lifts in critical locations.
- Some pistes are extremely busy & get skied off quickly – particularly trails from Marilleva to Madonna.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective)
- Linked with Folgarida Marilleva & Pinzolo.
- Ritzy high-end reputation (but in fact is no more so than many other ski resorts).
Skiing & Snowboarding Terrain
Whilst the surrounding peaks may look intimidating, the reality of Madonna di Campiglio is that nearly half the ski trails are at beginner level, with the longest a healthy 8km. That's not to say there is little for advanced skiers & snowboarders. Some gloriously fast and steep trails plunge into the valley to perfectly complement the easier terrain.
See the Madonna di Campiglio ski trail map here.
For powder seekers, there are also some lovely off-piste trees & high alpine bowls to explore for the adventurous (i.e. the Powderhounds!). The broad powder fields of the alpine area around Passo Groste are low angle enough for anyone wanting to learn to ski powder. Further steeper bowls & trees prevail. Backcountry possibilities in the Brenta are many & make for spectacular explorations.
See the Madonna di Campiglio Skiing & Snowboarding page for more information.
Interlinked with Folgarida Marilleva & Pinzolo
Madonna is the meat and Folgarida Marilleva & Pinzolo the sandwich in the Ski Area Campiglio Dolomiti di Brenta which interlinks the three resorts by ski lift, piste & pass.
See the Brenta Dolomites ski trail map here.
Where is Madonna di Campiglio Italy?
The Brenta Dolomites are a jagged prominence to the east of the lovely village of Madonna di Campiglio and stand as a barrier to the nearest city, Trento. Trento is 30km south west of Madonna as the crow flies, but over 72km by road.
Gateway international airports are at Venice Marco Polo (VCE) (272km & 3.5hr by road) & Milan Malpensa (MXP) (258km & over 4hr drive). Verona (VRN) & Innsbruck (INN) airports are an option for UK & European based skiers. The Powderhounds usually recommend taking the train & bus from the airports to any ski resort, but Madonna is not easy to get to, so a private transfer from Trento or Bolzano may be the most efficient mode of travel if one doesn’t have a car.
Search & book all airport transfers here.
Travel to Madonna by train is possible, but time consuming. Two train stations have integrated gondola ski lifts to the adjacent Folgarida Marilleva ski resort. The train line starts in the city of Trento which is on the main train line between Verona & Innsbruck.
Madonna di Campiglio Accommodation
Soaking in the sun and views on a lounger at the Cinque Laghi or on Monte Spinale (spritz in hand!), then ripping back down into the beautiful town at warp factor 10 is a fun way to experience Madonna di Campiglio. And so is staying in the town itself. Once you park the car (potential saga), wandering the town is pure pleasure & a gondola up to the ski hill will not be far away - there are 5 extending from the town (and a sixth one not too distant!).
See all Madonna di Campiglio ski accommodation here.
However, if you can’t afford Madonna (the town, not the entertainer!) or it is fully booked out, the best alternatives are Campo Carlo Magno (above Madonna) and Pinzolo (down the Val Rendena). Next best is Folgarida and then the Val di Sole towns of Mezzana & the like. Price goes down proportionate to the distance from Madonna di Campiglio. Even though it is totally 'ski in', avoid the temptation to stay at Marilleva (enough said!).
See all Folgarida ski accommodation here.
Ski Rentals & Lessons
Ski rentals are available in prime locations near the ski lift bases. Search & book Madonna di Campiglio ski or snowboard rentals here.
Review
The Powderhounds visited Madonna di Campiglio in 2019 & had a great time ripping up the amazing piste trails. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read about our last visit.
See how Madonna di Campiglio compares to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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