Winter wonderland in one of the largest ski areas in the world.
Although I was born and raised in Italy, I did not do much skiing until I moved to Colorado for college. So I jumped at the occasion to join some old friends for a week of skiing in the Dolomites—a portion of the Italian Alps characterized by their stunning rocky outcrops, sufficiently beautiful to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Credit: Paolo Gaudiano
Dolomiti Superski is a resort encompassing some 12 connected ski areas totaling 1,200 Km (750 miles) of trails served by 460 lifts. While a few of the areas require a bus for the connection, you can literally ski all day without ever doing the same trail twice, while experiencing a wide variety of terrains and stunning views.
Terrain
The area is accessible to all levels, but in general is aimed toward families, and as such there is a preponderance of easy and medium slopes. I was pleasantly surprised by the large number of older skiers—for once, I did not feel like a rarity because of my gray hair.
As with most European areas, the vast majority of the terrain is groomed, and if you like moguls or off-piste this place is not ideal. On the flip side, when the snow is abundant (which this year it was not), if you find places to go off-trail safely, you will likely find lots of untouched powder even a few days after the last snow.
The main attraction of this area is Sella Ronda, a 40 Km loop around the Sella massif, spanning four valleys and offering a variety of stunning views. The loop is great for intermediate skiers, and it’s possible to head off for side detours for more advanced skiing.
Credit: Paolo Gaudiano
Getting there
I flew into Munich, which gave me the best combination of price and relative convenience. Depending on which town you choose, it is somewhere between three and four hours from Munich, about two-three hours from Innsbruck, two-three hours from Verona and three-four hours from Milan. You can also take a train and bus combination if you want to avoid driving, but travel times will be longer.
Lodging
The entire area is dotted with small towns and hundreds of hotels. Most of them offer mezza pensione, which includes breakfast and dinner. Our group was based at Hotel Alpi, a three-star hotel in Campitello Di Fassa that cost €85/night for a single, or €130/night for two. The food, service and amenities were excellent. There are many stores nearby and a Ski Bus that connects all the towns, making it really easy to get around.
Food and Culture
As with most of Italy, part of the experience is the food. One of my favorite things about skiing in Italy is that there are lots of restaurants on the slopes that serve great food and are relatively inexpensive. On the downside, most of these places do not allow bringing and eating your own food. I brought sandwiches every day, and sometimes I just had to find a bench somewhere to eat.
Bottom Line
Skiing in Italy is much cheaper than most of the US. I paid €240 for a 5-day pass giving access to all the areas. Coupled with the inexpensive food and lodging, you’ll pay the same if not less than flying to Utah from the East coast.
Discounts are offered for skiers over 65 (roughly 10 percent off).
Credit: Paolo Gaudiano
So lovely to see the Dolomites again. I skied there when I lived in Zagreb, staying in Alta Badia. It was heavenly skiing. I skied Lagazuoi which was an amazing experience–taking the gondola to the top.
I just got back from there yesterday, its every bit as beautiful as Paolo says . We go at least once every season. I shall look up Paolo’s hotel. Thanks for the recommendation.
We spent a late January week in Selva/Val Gardena with our East coast baed ski club, and I agree with absolutely every word in Paolo’s review. Despite this year’s lack of snow, the slopes were impeccably maintained. We were able to ski all day every day for six days, and we seldom skied the same trail twice. We did the Sella Ronda in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and everyone in our group declared this the best ski vacation ever. You simply cannot beat the prices of skiing in Italy for seniors and non-seniors alike, and the scenery and food just add even more excellence to the overall experience.
Our group flew into Munich and bused up to the resort. We added three days in Venice at the end of our ski week, and our return flights took us from Venice to Munich then back to Newark, NJ. We had a wonderful time in Venice, too! This was the 6th time my husband and I have enjoyed the Dolomiti Superski area, but it won’t be the last. We look forward to returning in 2018!!