 Poster: A snowHead
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We have been thinking about Italy for next Jan if I can find anywhere to compare to the best that Austria has to offer.
We are an experienced skier and boarder who like a large ski aree with chalenging skiing and prefer a pretty village with lively apre atmosphere.
Been to sauze d'oulx but are looking for more, any suggestions for Italy?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Selva/ Wolkenstein would be a good bet
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Madonna di campiglio.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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foxtrotzulu, hardly lively apres...?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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JimboS, Italy is different. France is different. If you want to find a place in Italy that "compares to the best that Austria has to offer" you might be disappointed. It will be better in some ways (the Dolomites have more extensively beautiful mountain scenery than anywhere in France or Austria, for example, the coffee is far better and you can often find better food than most Austrian and French resorts though those croissants filled with jam are a bit gross). But maybe not so much of the "apray" for which Austria is so famous. Sauze d'Oulx is a bit of an exception, maybe. I suspect the beer is more expensive, too. But there are, of course, areas where German is very extensively spoken and where the "look" of the place is very Tirolean.
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OK, no one saying that italy is a must then, looks like we will explore a bit more of Austria.
Been to
Ziller valley
St Anton, Lech ect
Ischgl
Zell am See
Saalbach Hinterglemm
Obertauern
Soll
Kitzbuhel
Stubiatal valley
Kaprun
So thinking about Solden or Schladming any comments on these options or other suggestions
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under a new name, you could be right there.
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I once read about Gressonay, at 9pm you can hear a garage door slam two miles away, it's spot on, not very helpful for the OP.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Italy must be good for skiing, lots on here prefer it to France. Just look at the ESF ski school thread. It must be swarming with Snowheads.
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Don't write off Selva! Pretty lively German style Apres ski in the Luiskeller - although nothing like Ischgl and Saalbach Hinterglemm. Fantastic scenery and a massive ski area. That part of the Dolomites was part of Austro-Hungary until just after Ww1. The valley in which Selva is situated is predominantly Ladin speaking but go to the north and it's predominantly German speaking. Feels a bit like Austria but with great Italian food!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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JimboS, Sefaus / Fiss needs to be added to your Austrian list
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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jbob,
That was Friday night and there was a party on.
Please don't mention the G word to anyone else.
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Go to Italy you wont regret it, really the skiing should be 2nd on an average ski holiday as it's 90% the same wherever you go in the alps weather dependent and no one can predict that, so you are better off choosing based on the food, scenery and people and Italy wins all 3 of those
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You know it makes sense.
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WHAT!!! 'the skiing should be 2nd on an average ski holiday as it's 90% the same wherever you go in the alps' 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Was so impressed by The Monterosa resorts of Champoluc, Gressoney and Alangna we went back a month later. Fantastic skiing, empty slopes in January and the best food and drink in the Alps. BUT no apres to speak of.What makes up for that is the off piste , you`ll never get bored with the sking
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bartezki, i think much of the time geeo, has a point.
For example, although I have enjoyed some truly epic skiing in North America, it is difficult to get me excited about long flights and truly rubbish on mountain food, when the alps are visible from my bedroom.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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geeo, Given I will book a week in advance a destination which I know to have good conditions, then my priorities stand, all though we were considering Italy specifically for the food.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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JimboS, It's def worth trying Italy. On balance I prefer Austria as a destination for a ski 'holiday' as for a weeks holiday it ticks most of my boxes like yours it seems.
Saying that I've skied allot in various Italian resorts-very limited experience of the Dolomites ares though. I instructed in all the Italian resorts in the Aosta valley and I've had some cracking nights out in Aosta, there are drawbacks to choosing this as a location though-Pila easily accessible via a gondola, Pila itself is a nice area you may find it a little limited for a week, it's a good base to get to all the other ski areas in the valley though. Cervinia has some decent apres by Italian standards. What I do like in Italy is if you go in to a bar chances are they have a wonderful array of meats, cheeses, breads, olives etc which are 'free' if you're having a few beers.
Solden seems to tick your boxes minus the pretty village. It's high so allot of the skiing is above the tree line so if you like tree skiing or want some reasurance in bad weather then Schladming (some of the best tree skiing in Europe IMO) is worth investigation further. Ski Amade domain also offers further variety-a few people on these forums seem to frequent/have properties in the area so are better placed than me to comment of the apres in the alternate bases.
I think most people are in agreement that each country that offers skiing offer their ownn slant on the overall package hich appeal more to some and less to others. Some sweeping generalisation but Italian skiing to me is all about well kept pistes and good grub not somewhere I'd be heading if I wanted apres.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ok, not totally written off yet, we have been to Zermatt so was not considering Cervinia right now.
Thanks for all the suggestions, they give me a few pointers to start to investigate further.
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| Quote: |
WHAT!!! 'the skiing should be 2nd on an average ski holiday as it's 90% the same wherever you go in the alps'
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yea it is care to tell me what's different about the snow, hills and pistes in Austria than Italy or France or anywhere else, having a quick look at your post history I would also bet £10 you don't go off piste so for you it's more like 98% the same across the alps for the actual skiing.
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| Quote: |
geeo, Given I will book a week in advance a destination which I know to have good conditions, then my priorities stand, all though we were considering Italy specifically for the food.
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so you have 3 priorities
1. Challenging skiing: well personally I see that on every mountain and have never been to one that doesn't have some challenging skiing, if you only ski on piste then ski off it a bit and it will be a challenge, if you ski off piste then ....
2. Pretty village: nope none of them in Italy!
3. Nightlife: you wont match Austria for that but they cant match the Italians on being lovely 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I was in Arabba for last new year and am off to La Villa on the Sella on 14th Dec. The mountains are beautiful as is the food. A sel;ection of huts are doing food designed by Michellin starred chefs at sensible prices. Was fab last year. The skiing isnt the most demanding with the glacier at Marmolada being the best. High and firm. The rest are cruisy reds and blues. As large areas are tree lined, that can be used to make it more demanding if yu can turn fast enough
The italians are way nicer than the french and arent hard core skiers so the piste isnt that crowded
This will be the 6th time I've been to the Dolomites. As I ski with the kids I know we are all going to get round and there are off piste bits for those who want it.
The villages are small apart from Selva and Corvra.
I think of it as being germany so everything works with italian charm and food !
I've looked at AUstria but my son went there 2 years ago and complained about the smoking in bars, restaurants etc.
As the UK has been smoke free for years, he said you could smell a cig at 100 yards
There isnt the apre like france etc but a decent sized group can make their own ! 
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| Quote: |
There isnt the apre like france etc but a decent sized group can make their own
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 apart from a few places with loads of foreigners France isn't noted for banging apres-ski. Nice meal with bottle of wine followed by an early night is the ideal evening for the majority of people who ski in France (including me). Looking forward to the Dolomites in February though. All those cruisy red and blue runs with well-recommended lunch spots sound perfect to me.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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JimboS, As has been mentioned by others, the Dolomites are must for at least one visit. Until you've been you simply cannot believe how pretty the area is; it's jaw-droppin! Corvara or Selva would be my choice of the best places to stay. Corvara is a bit more up market than Selva and the night life a little more relaxed. With the odd exception there is nothing particularly steep, but the total terrain is vast.
Schladming and Sölden are (IMO) polar opposites. Schladming is pretty town with a relatively quiet nightlife. A lot of the skiing is tree lined, pretty, but reasonably extensive if you use all the valleys in resort. Sölden is a biggish sprawling village that is not very pretty, but the nightlife can be head-bangin. Most of the skiing is above the tree line and whilst it might not be the most attractive place in the world I love it. Virtually every km they claim is real, and if you want a challenge, then try the 3, 3000m peaks in a day. If that doesn't put a smile on your face your doing something wrong 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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ipken,
Good point about the veggie smoke in Austria. My wife just returned from a week in Vienna where it seems smoking in restaurants is still in vogue. We cant't stand that.
Skied Austria and Italy. Both great but Italy for mine. Italy maybe a bit cheaper too?
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Until one has sampled a couple of times the 12-area Dolomites with a total piste length of 1200km one hasn't seen the best Italian skiing can offer yet. Sella Ronda is the world biggest skiing circuit, with a 42km circular loop, formed by linking 4 areas, Selva Gardena, Canazei, Arabba and Alta Badia, together offering 205 chairlifts and 510 km linked piste. This is not something to sniff at even for someone just coming out of the French 3V
Tirol is shared between Austria and Italy. Part of Dolomites is South Tirol so skiing there is not much different from the Austria. Food is similar but Italy is the wrong place to go for loud music and night life.
Resorts in Austrian, Switzerland and Italy are different from the French for being smaller, in higher concentration and more suited for recreational skiing (for regular visits like weekends). Italy Dolomites, Milky Way and Monte Rosa are relatively bigger by linking surrounding skiing areas together. Skiing, snow, scenery and infrastructure in Dolomites are among the best one can find in Europe so don't discount Italy until one has sampled sufficient its facilities.
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You know it makes sense.
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sure, 3 countries with probably over 1000 ski areas is better suited to WEEKENDS.
Some of the drivel you read on here is beyond belief
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| geeo wrote: |
1. Challenging skiing: well personally I see that on every mountain and have never been to one that doesn't have some challenging skiing, |
I don't agree, I am finding it hard to find many resorts with a week's worth of challenging skiing. I must admit though that if you have skins and a good guide, often there is something you wouldn't have suspected otherwise.
The proportion of gentle or medium to challenging skiing does vary quite a bit, though there are a lot somewhere in the middle. Sometimes there are contrasts: La Plagne is almost all very easy skiing, on piste - if there is anything non cruise-y I never saw it. Extremely boring. However it has extensive off piste, much of it gentle, but it includes the amazing, steep North face of Bellcote with a range of descents (and a few other good bits).
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've been watching the deals in Selva and holding off, and have held off a bit too long as the hotels I was interested in have now gone. I normally book last minute and take what comes but this really doesn't work too well if you have a specific destination in mind.
In the end I booked up Wengen yesterday, I know it doesn't really meet my criteria to well but its done now and Italy will still be there next year.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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JimboS, Wengen is pretty. But it's somewhat completely not what you asked for...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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What can I say, my Mrs said "Wengen is nice, lets go there", and after having spent countless hours/days of watching prices go up and down on the TO sites, and seeing deals disappear, I threw in the towel and just booked it. We were up the Jungfrau in the summer and we had said we would go back sometime in the winter, I just didn't expect it to be so soon.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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JimboS, snigger. Not to worry, it's a good place to ski.
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FAQ
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