 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey Snowheads, I need your collective wisdom please.
I want to do a short break/long weekend in March with my husband. We'd love to stay in a self-catering chalet in the Dolomites, but keeping the costs down as much as possible.
The crucial thing is, he doesn't ski so there need to be some activities we can both do - but ideally a small ski area with a few runs where I can do a couple of hours on some days. I'd like to avoid large resorts as the pass will be a waste of money and I'll be skiing alone.
Spectacular views are a key thing as well, so some lifts he can use on foot would be good.
Any ideas? Is it possible to do four or five nights?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think it might be tough but I'd love to hear some ideas as we're thinking of doing the same sort of thing (after having a week there already earlier in January we'd love to go back for a short break in March).
We were looking at our total spend and although the flights were cheap the rest of it all added up. The passes aren't cheap, even for the local areas, and the ski hire etc always seems to be more expensive than other parts of Europe.
I was sorry to read about your experience in Borovets. I've always found the Dolomites a great place to visit with beautiful scenery but cheap it isn't.
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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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Easily possible to do it for 4 or 5 nights.
Look for flights to Verona, Bergamo or Venice, rent a car and drive up.
Views are spectacular everywhere, plenty of cable cars around that will take foot passengers, but just driving around will get you to spectacular places. If your husband was driving you could probably ski and meet up for lunch quite easily.
Looks to stay off the Sella Ronda circuit to make things a bit cheaper, e.g. San Cassiano.
There are lots of self catering apartments all over the area, I've used the tourist office websites before and they were good, obviously AirBnB etc might be useful too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@olderscot, thanks, hopefully we can find something!
@sah, thank you!
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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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@HoneyBunny, most of the bigger villages/towns, which have non-ski activities, also tend to be popular bases for skiing, therefore not cheapest.
Canazei and nearby places might be better value than most. A decent number of apartments there too. AirBnB a good place to start. Local tourist offices usually very helpful.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@PeakyB, cheers, I'm enjoying the research. Are all the gondolas useable by foot passengers? My husband would love to go up and take photos then I could meet him for lunch and ski down.
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@HoneyBunny, the general rule is that pedestrians can use gondolas and cable cars. Can't guarantee for all of them, as there are many! I think once you have a shortlist of possible places, best check with closest tourist office. Usually very good response to questions in English by email, if information not readily on website.
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Lol at the dumb Aussie who has been to Europe once for a 3 week period giving advice but........
my research suggests that accomodation in Val Di Fassa is more reasonably priced than the other main areas.
Also I found the price of ski rental and food and drink in the Dolomites to be slightly cheaper than the Ziller valley in Austria and definitely cheaper than France.*
*Small sample.
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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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OK, so after much research..... I gave up!
Thanks for all your help, but in the end we couldn't quite find what we wanted. The choice was just too huge and we couldn't figure out where to stay to suit us both. Also, husband wasn't keen on doing loads of driving.
So - we've booked four nights in a lakeside apartment in Zell am See in mid-March (pre-Brexit!!). Plenty of gondolas to take up the mountain for a non-skier, lovely lake views - and we can do a day out to the glacier together. Also, as I've been there before for a week, I won't mind doing a few runs on my own because I've skied them already.
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| HoneyBunny wrote: |
OK, so after much research..... I gave up!
Thanks for all your help, but in the end we couldn't quite find what we wanted. The choice was just too huge and we couldn't figure out where to stay to suit us both. Also, husband wasn't keen on doing loads of driving.
So - we've booked four nights in a lakeside apartment in Zell am See in mid-March (pre-Brexit!!). Plenty of gondolas to take up the mountain for a non-skier, lovely lake views - and we can do a day out to the glacier together. Also, as I've been there before for a week, I won't mind doing a few runs on my own because I've skied them already. |
Sounds like a good plan actually. It's a nice place to stay, and if it's warm and local slopes are mush you can head up to Kaprun.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@HoneyBunny, for future reference. Villa Argentina in Cortina is a good one 1/2 way up the hill. Plenty of walks about there.
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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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@GlasgowCyclops, seconding what's said here.
This hotel is slope side, cheap as chips, and at a level in the resort where you can do bikes through the trees. The paths through the trees link up with half a dozen of the refugios slope side so really easy to meet up for lunch etc without a lift pass and without having to meet at the bottom.
Cortinas is a lovely town too, and theres ice hockey. What more can you want -)
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@GlasgowCyclops, @PaulC1984, cheers guys, will bear that in mind for next time - hopefully some useful advice for others too!
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You know it makes sense.
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There would have been some good spots in the Dolomites, but Zell am See is a good call, a proper little town, lovely views, great for a non-skier. You can also do a train transfer from Salzburg, so no need for driving.
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