Italy's Top Skiing Destinations
Bormio
Bormio is traditionally the Italian resort that British skiers went to
in the old days. It went off the boil after the 1985 World Championships, but
with extended snowmaking there seems to be a revival of interest in this
medieval spa town, which is part old world and part charmless suburb. Bormio's
lift ticket also covers two other traditional British favourites, Santa Caterins
and Livigno, as well as Valdisotto and and Valdidentro. The skiing, which
strangely boasts 20 Lifts but only 19 runs, is ideal for families and
intermediates extensive, but not very difficult, with a significant vertical
drop of 5,856ft (the longest run, Cima Bianca, a blue, is almost 10 miles). A
two-stage cable car takes skiers to the slopes of Monte Vallecetta (9,872ft)
From here there are several options down to Bormio 2000.
Cervinia
Most skiers know Cervinia as a day excursion across the Swiss border
from Zermatt, but it is a destination resort in its own right, with good,
uncomplicated high altitude cruising, and mountain restaurants serving
appetising if pricey fare. Cervinia also has good views of the "wrong"
side of the Matterhorn. Once known as Breuil, traditionally Zermatt's rival as a
climbing centre, it was revamped by Mussolini, taking its new name from Mont
Cervin, the alternative name for the Matterhorn. According to The Good Skiing
Guide, Cervinia was "once the showpiece of Italian ski resorts, a gleaming
contemporary development where cable cars swept skiers to unprecedented heights
and Italy's elite flocked to enjoy the novelty. Then they moved on, while
Cervinia's lift system lapsed into disrepair." There are signs of a
comeback. The resort has been given a facelift, and a huge new cable-car was
recently installed carrying 140 skiers to Plateau Rosa, the summer skiing area
and link with Zermatt. (The links are not always open and can be very cold.)
From Plateau Rosa the main run down is the celebrated Ventina, a 5 mile descent
which the whole family can ski.
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a selfindulgent ski resort like Zermatt, Kitzbühel,
Megeve or Aspen where you can pamper yourself without ever needing to go near a
pair of skis. That is reflected on the mountain: even when Cortina is packed
with winter tourists, parading down the Corso Italia precinct in their fur coats
and jewellery, there are rarely (unlike Zermatt and Kitzbühel) queues on the
slopes. With wonderful scenery, a cosmopolitan and picturesque town centre and
excellent skiing for beginners and intermediates, it is a true international
winter sports resort although since hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics it has not
been at the forefront of international skiing. There is one more similarity with
Zermatt: the skiing (up to almost 10,000ft) is spread out in three dffferent
areas in the mountains, and travelling between them all is inconvenient. It is
best to stay in one or another, although you can at least get from Faloria, one
of the most popular family areas, to Staunies (good steep skiing above Monte
Cristallo) on skis. The nearest area to the town centre is Tofana/Socrepes. The
third section of the cable car does not reach the ski slopes but provides a
haven for sightseers and sunbathers. Cortina is close to but not fully linked
with the Sella Ronda circuit of ski areas which makes an enjoyable and extremely
scenic daylong tour. The link can be made via one of Cortina's small satellites,
Passo Falzarego, along a 7 mile red run down to Armentarola near San Cassiano.
Courmayeur
For some skiers, Courmayeur is a delightful bijou resort with fun
skiing and temptingly good mountain restaurants. For others the attraction is
the challenge of the Italian side of Mont Blanc. Courmayeur, with a climbing
history inextricably entwined with that of Chamonix, combines both images
successfully. The main route to Courmayeur's skiing is in the resort's giant
cable car to Plan Checrouit (5,600ft) where skis and boots can be stored. The
short but challenging Checrouit runs - in a sizeable bowl - form the heart of
Courmayeur's skiing. That area links with Val Veny, where the wooded,
north-facing slopes tend to hold their snow better, and the runs are longer and
more challenging. Another area, Cresta d'Arp has some good off-piste. This is
good practice for Courmayeur's real challenge, the elderly three-stage cable
cars that take you from outlying Entreves to Punta Helbronner (11,378ft). From
here there are dramatic views around the Mont Blanc massif and all kinds of
exciting options, all of which require the services of a guide. The obvious
descent is the Italian version of the Vallee Blanche, returning by bus from
Chamonix. The Toula Glacier back to Entreves is another popular itinerary, and
there are several steep chutes and gulleys below the cablecar.
Selva
Selva, also known as Wolkenstein, is the best known resort in an area
of the Dolomites which has had something of a split personality ever since it
became embroiled in bitter fighting when Italy entered the war against Austria
in 1915, splitting the Tyrol. Towns that were part of the Austrian sud-Tyrol,
acquired two names - one Italian, one German. Today, with its man-made snow
system, Selva, in the Val Gardena, features early in the World Cup circuit. It
is more famous, however, as the starting point in the Sella Ronda. This is a
gentle, enjoyable jaunt on skis through or around as many as a dozen resorts in
the four valleys surrounding the Gruppo Sella, a huge mountain surrounded by
ancient pass routes linking dozens of old villages. The tour provides a scenic
day out rather than a skiing challenge. The limestone Dolomites differ from the
Alps: the monoliths tower above the ski fields, turning a dramatic shade of pink
as the sun begins to set. Selva is also part of the vast Dolomiti Superski
region which covers 38 resorts served by 464 lifts, all of which can be used on
one lift pass. Most of the skiing traverses the contours of the Dolomites, but a
few severe runs take a more vertical path and should only be skied with a guide.
