Kitzbühel or Ortisei - Val Gardena ?

A snowHead

Post Edit: Initially the choice was between St. Anton and Ortisei, but now that St. Anton is replaced by Kitzbühel, some of the posts below are null and void Smile

, apologies for the confusion.

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Hello all,

While the lucky few still enjoy what's left on the pistes, we are left to plan for next year at best Very Happy

It's a bit early Smile

, but I've done quite a bit of research, and for the week of Feb 4 - 11, 2017 , we are down to two alternatives for our "earmarked" ski holiday. It would be great if you could advise which one you would pick and why, given the bit of criteria we have. The two alternatives are: St. Anton am Arlberg and Ortisei in Val Gardena.

We are intermediate on-piste skiers in our 40's, so it's more for enjoyment than the sporting side of things. My wife also likes to takes time off to do the local artisan/antique shops, shopping in general, etc. And she definitely prefers that it's a charming resort town with a lively pedestrian zone.

- France is out of question because that week is the first week of French school holidays, and what's worse, the Paris region will be on holiday. (Otherwise we love Megeve.)

- Switzerland is also out of question this year as we would like to see a little more life in the resort town. We were in Gstaad last year, and yes it was like a chocolate box, but there was no life after 6:30pm. We are not necessarily looking for Austrian-style apres ski, but a little more life in the town would be appreciated. Don't want to do Zermatt or Wengen again either.

- Kitzbühel is out of question because of the low altitude (can't risk it, and I find rain at resort level utterly depressing), and won't do Lech as we did it two years ago, and I don't think my wife will find Ischgl cute; otherwise it's fantastic intermediate skiing there.

I've been so St. Anton many times (when I was single Very Happy

) and know what it's like. I do remember both Mooserwirt and Krazy Kanguruh fondly Smile

Yet I also do recall the packed pistes, catering more to the advanced than the intermediate. Furthermore, St. Anton is a fun, lively sporting village with limited shopping (it's mostly skiing gear) and non-skier oriented offerings, as you know.

I would love to do the Dolomites but would like to make the right choice for us. Ortisei seems to tick all the boxes (not Cortina, funnily) ; and being a bigger town seems to have many offerings.

If it were a boys' skiing vacation would go to Selva, but for Missus I need to find a balance. Furthermore, it seems like being off of the Sella Ronda does seem to be an advantage, avoiding the crowds when you want.

Ortisei does seem to have a town life of its own, and has a cute pedestrian center. Does it have some boutiques, shops etc for my wife ?

We would welcome your pick, your rationale or any alternative you might point out...

Thanks/Merci/Danke!

A snowHead

Intermediate on piste cruising and antique shops doesn't sound a lot like St Anton to me. Unless you're over in Lech a lot of the time.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Reading your post I thought madonna di campiglio would be a good option. Intermediate skiing, good food, small town feel with shops. Others may be better able to comment on the latter!

Ortisei seems a nice town but not that well connected to the ski areas. Cant ski down from the tame seiser alm and other side is south facing with limited skiing low down.

Agreed that lech, that youve been to, is the better arlberg option.

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Thanks to all!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Given your two choices - Ortisei definitely for on-piste skiing. It has easy access to Alp de Suisi, you can take the lifts up to Col Raiser (warning - the cable car gets big queues) and ski to St Christina which links in to the Sella Ronda - or just take a bus to St Christina or Selva for variety.
I would go to St Anton for more challenging skiing, itineraries, off piste etc, and wild après.

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@Odysseus, Obergurgl, and a day trip to Innsbruck for your wife?

Cruisy reds isn't St Anton, although it does have a museum and antique shop.

After all it is free

We were in Ortisei for lunch last summer. Must say I was disappointed. Expected more of the village. More shops, prettier. It also worked a bit kitschy to us
(of course winter will be more lively, but still)
It can definitely not keep up with e.g. Zermatt for atmosphere and shops.
But must agree that the comparison Ortisei-St.Anton sounds strange to me: St.Anton being very challenging, and Dolomites very easy skiing.
Would think chances your wife will not like the St.Anton skiing are high.

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@Odysseus, In Ortisei I can highly recommend the Vinotheque LaCercia in the pedestrianised main street. They have a great selection of very reasonably priced wines and also do very tasty tapas style snacks.

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@Alastair Pink, I actually read your various posts about Ortisei on the forum, I guess you're the one of the best people to ask the question: How's "life after skiing" in Ortisei? I hope the town's at least a bit lively once the skiing's done...

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@Odysseus, Apart from the Vinotheque La Cercia I can't really comment as I was staying in an apartment with friends and we tended not to go out much in the evening. Sorry.

Definitely not St Anton.

I was just thinking Kitzbühel would be perfect, then you said it's out.

TBH I'd still say Kitzbühel. The altitude is extremely unlikely to be an issue, and it will almost certainly have more snow than the Dolomites (which tend to be much drier than the Alps).

What about Serfaus-Fiss? Not sure what the villages are like in terms of shopping, but Landeck is close by (not that Landeck is exactly charming), particularly if you stay closer to Ladis.

Or maybe Courmayeur or Pila? Both very close to Aosta which is lovely, and (though I can't work out the website) I think you can buy a pass for the whole Val d'Aosta area, so could ski them both (and presumably other resorts) too.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I do agree with @clarky999,
In februari snow is not an issue in Kitzbühel, and Kitzbühel is a very nice small city and has very good intermediate skiing. And you would be very unlucky to have rain in februari.
For what you are looking for, Kitz might very well be your best option. By far.

A snowHead

@clarky999 @Langerzug, I've always wanted to go to Kitzbühel; but the low altltude has prevented me from long-term planning. It has always been one of my "occasion" alternatives for my shorter unplanned 5 day ski trips, but somehow eventually lent its way to another resort each time.

On another note, Kitz is at 760m and Ortisei is at 1235m. Nearly 500 meters of altitide difference. Kitz runs are between 800 to 2000 meters, whereas Ortisei runs are 1005m to 3270m.

Granted the Dolomiti get less snow in the beginning of the season, but I remember how people were forecasting a very high chance of rain at the Hahnenkamm Race at the end of this January... Don't really know if that materialized though.

When a resort is all dry or rainy, it really depresses me Smile

and at 760, Kitz is statistically much more likely to strike that pose than Ortisei I guess. You've been there, so I'm sure u know better than me....

@clarky999, I went to Courmayeur on a corporate retreat and my beloved colleagues! memory has contaminated the place Very Happy

A snowHead

@Odysseus, remember altitude isn't really relevant to anything but temperature at that specific place (and has 0 effect on snowfall other than in the same location); as Kitz and the Dollies are on the other side of the main alpine ridge to each other a föhn event at either could easily see a 15° difference in temperature, in which altitude would be irrelevant. Granted this season has been truly catastrophic for natural snow in the Dolomites (can't have been much more than metre throughout the whole season?), but it's also been way worse than normal in Austria - and Kitz still has a lot more snow at the base than Ortesei (according to Bergfex).

FWIW I went to Westendorf (next door and linked to Kitz) 6 years in a row in February from 2001 to 2007 or something, and never had an issue with snow or rain.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Take a look at the snowstatistics.
Without artificial snow, Ortisei would not be a skiresort anymore.
Kitzbühel would. Kitz gets a lot of snow, Ortisei very little.
Kitz is in Northern Alps, Ortisei in Southern Alps/Dolomites: higher temperatures, stronger sun

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@clarky999 @Langerzug well I'd really love to believe that Kitz' low altitude is not a problem, but there are so many reviews everywhere complaining of the snow conditions even in high season Puzzled

I would guess that it's quite hard to see Kitzbühel town covered in snow, would you agree ?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Been reading through Kitzbühel pages now, very tempted, and St. Anton is out now, wish I could edit the topic title Toofy Grin

so it's Kitzbühel vs Ortisei; with nobody rooting for the latter wink

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@Odysseus, you can edit the title wink

Try and edit your first post and you can also change the title.

You're right that you might not get that many days a season with lots of snow in the village in Kitz, but you could say that for a lot of place, inc the Dolomites. Even St Anton tbh - Stuben and Lech get more, but that's down to location at least as much as the altitude.

But it really depends on the season. You could probably find reviews of bad snow pretty much anywhere in the northern Alps for the same dates as those you've read of Kitz (again apart from maybe the Arlberg, which is in it's own little NW bubble and picks up more than its fair share of storms).

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

The Dolomite's have very good snow making facilities and rock free pistes. 15 cms natural snow and sub zero night temps is enough. They are ACE at snow management.

After all it is free

You mentioned you didnt want to do switzerland or ischgl for varying reasons, but does this mean samnaun is out? Part of ischgls ski area but famed for its shopping. Not sure what the apres is like. Im sure most people on here have like me just been for lunch.

Ive never had an issue with kitz snow in 3 visits between late jan and early march. We prefer kirchberg round the corner - less shopping!

@Odysseus, FWIW I had a weekend in Kitz in March, I've not been there for 25 odd years. I thought the skiing was great, lifts all very modern, heated seats, covers etc. Some good hard itineraries, long blacks, reds and blues and we were lucky with some fresh snow and first into one itinerary after overnight snow!

Village was very nice for walking around at night as well. Plenty of expensive shops (didn't go into any of them, not my kind of thing).

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@clarky999, Truly appreciated, done as you advised Very Happy

And per Serfaus - more catering to families I believe, which somehow scares us off. And also suggests how lively it can be as a village post skiing time Smile

@s397cyg, Pls correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Samnaun is "famous" for its duty-free shopping, and those in the know suggest that they are overpriced. Haven't been to town either.

Even though Kitz might be blessed with a better micro-climate for snow as compared to the Dolomiti, it seems to get many more complaints about snow quality in the real traveller reviews (not the Telegraph etc.).

On a lighter note, without getting too much into personal preferences that do not necessarily effect the "quality of skiing to be had on the slopes", I feel a skiing resort looks way more charming with snow. And chances of that happening are slim for Kitzbühel as I see it, even as compared to Ortisei. I know my wife won't like that Very Happy

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

@Odysseus,

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Kitzbuhel a good shout, skied there many times and never had poor snow, plenty to do in town too.....but cheap it ain't! Great reds through the trees, and above tree line stuff up at Jochberg/ Pass Thurn. Must go back soon. Can't afford the shops though, tad too glitzy for me too😜

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Odysseus, most ski resorts should have great snow conditions in early February so no need to restrict anywhere in Europe. That said I wouldn't be choosing Kitzbuhel for late season as suggested above but rather a trip in January or February as the conditions will usually be better. Both Kitzbuhel or Ortisei would be good choices at that time I'd have thought. What about Cortina or Klosters/Davos if you've got the money to spend?!

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@Markymark29, stick to Kirchberg. That's what I do.

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@Millom, Thanks for the tips but we did Gstaad this year, and would rather not do Switzerland again soon; it's great to see some life in the ski village. W/r/t Cortina, what I figured is that Ortisei is more beautiful as a town than Cortina, bigger (hence more things to do), better situated in the Dolomiti (both not on Sella Ronda, but very easy to get there from Ortisei) . And Cortina looked a bit "aging" to me to be honest. Frequent visitors know much better than me of course.

After all it is free

Cortina is larger than Ortisei and I think just as nice. I wouldn't describe Ortisei as beautiful. In the Dolomites it's the mountains that generally give the wow not the towns or villages (Merano an exception). Access to Sella Ronda easier as you say from Val Gardena but WW Tour and Hidden Valley maybe easier from Cortina. There is great scenery everywhere particularly around Sella Ronda, Cortina, and San Martino.

@Millom, Great tip, thank you. Just discovered that population-wise indeed Cortina is bigger, but it seems to me that Cortina is more "spread out", with only one lift access from town. Just a Google Streetmaps stroll through both towns made me think Ortisei is more "Tyrolian" and a bit more manicured, whereas Cortina is more "Italian". But I guess the evening "passegiata" in the latter is unbeatable Very Happy

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@odysseus I didnt realise you meant she bought things! Cant imagine any of these places are cheap.

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Kitzbühel or Ortisei - Val Gardena ?

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