I am slowly working my way through the European ski bucket list. There is a year or so I have left before family starts, so working my way down the ski list.
I am planning a 4 day ski trip in Feb or Mar 2020. Last couple of years we did Val Di, Chamonix, Cortina, Alta Badia/Sella Ronda and St Anton.
The last 2 I probably liked the most. St Anton was just awsome, it had everything - lots of good piste, decent/cute town and easy transfer. Sella Ronda was beautiful and Italian food was awsome.
Left of my list are Zermatt/Cervinia, Three Valleys, Kitz.
I would love to so Zermatt, but with the current state or the GBP its prohibitively expensive. So there is Cervinia which I hope retains the charm (food and scenery of Dolomites). The alternative would be Kitz but the fear is low altitude.
Three Valleys would be great but I figured need at least a week to do it justice.
We would go in Feb or March, please let me know any thoughts on the destinations.
Thanks,
George
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@pred02, 4 days costs around 80% of the cost of a full week. February is high season so 4-day requests for accommodation might not attract much success.
From your list I know Kitzbühel well and I have been to Cervinia.
Kitzbühel is a large town with a world-renowned reputation. The ski area is large and diverse with very good snow-making and piste preparation. Do not fear the low altitude of the town, the ski areas are above this, up to 2000m, and the eastern side of the Alps has a much lower snowline and generally colder temperatures.
Cervinia is a small town at high altitude. The ski area is large and predominantly easy. It's all above the treeline so great if the weather is fine, but very bleak if not. Zermatt has a much better variety of skiing and some below the treeline. However the link between the two takes a while, and is often closed due to poor weather. Much cheaper (and arguably better) to eat and drink on the Italian side.
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?
Cervinia is no alternative to Zermatt! No atmosphere, no ‘real’ Matterhorn view. And high risk of limited access to Zermatt due to weather. (and in general the skiing around Z/C cannot keep up with St.Anton etc)
3V: you appear to like atmosphere (St.Anton, Dolomites). 3V is very low on atmosphere!
@pred02,
You sem to suggest Val Gardena in your title but not in your post as a possibility?
I've never been to Kitz so can't really comment.
3V is obviously a massive area that you need time to do justice , the other point here is when you go. You have indicated Feb/March . Most of feb and 1st week of march is French holidays where the resorts can become very crowded often unpleasantly so. Later in March should be fine.
Ive stayed in Zermatt and only skied Cervinia from there. Personally I think the better skiing and better scenery are in Zermatt , the links are at very high altitude sometimes close and the time taken to fully explore Zermatt from Cervinia if you don't already know it would in my view mean that you are not really seeing much of Zermatt.
From my skiing of Cervinia I don't really think it is comparable to the Dolomites other than being in Italy.
In short all three places will probably be great most good ski resorts are but I don't think you will necessarily be seeing 3v a their best in French school holidays or Zermatt at its best from Cervinia.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks all for the quick reply and suggestions. The reason why we are looking at 4 days is we are limited by no of days to take off this year as also need to do a honeymoon.
Yes I did not mention Val Gardena - would also explore the option and skiing another resort on the Sella Ronda if that is a good option. Those mountains are a little bit more difficult to get to for a short stay, but we did enjoy our time skiing Cortina/Alta Badia very much.
Point well taken on Cervina - if we want Zermatt then we should ski from Zermatt, will do the overall cost of the trip to figure out where.
Are there any other resorts that I am missing in the bucket list?
@pred02, consider Serfaus/Fiss/Ladis. Brilliant resort not much frequented by Brits for some reason. Also consider the Saalbach circus, which has everything you could wish for...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@pred02, If I was going back to Dolomites I might try Val di Fassa rather than Val Gardena if I had already been to Alta Badia as it is a wee bit further away so seeing them from a different angle. A lovely area (though this year I am going to Val Gardena having done Val DI Fassa.)
Or you could try the Brenta Dolomites if you like Italy and want something different , I've never been but reports of Maddona di Campiglio are good.
Courmayeur is not at all extensive though La Thuile is very easily reached for an away day without wasting time even on a short trip. It is very attractive and Italian and very easily reached from Turin or Geneva airport.
If you enjoyed St Anton , Ischgl is similar in many ways with outstanding snow sure extensive piste skiing but 4 day accommodation can be difficult to get.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I'm doing Kitzbuhel for my short trip this year as accommodation was viable whereas other Austrian resorts it was very difficult for the short week. Everything about it looks good but I can't confirm until after Feb!
Quite like Cervinia for short break (Good food and a couple of nice bars in the evening, that's was where I was for 3 days last season, but I wouldn't go there to aim to do Zermatt, you really need to be in Zermatt to experience Zermatt).
Val Gardena I've only done for a week whereas I have done Corvara for a short break, personally wouldn't go back to Corvara, think the town is a bit boring.
Meribel is great for a short break IMO. Central in the 3 vallees and I don't think you need to ski everywhere to really do it. Plenty of accommodation option on the likes of Airbnb.
Other options are into Turin or Milan and go to the milkyway (Sauz D'Oulx or Sestrierre). Nice short transfer time from Turin.
Have a check on accommodation options first before booking flights as Feb can be quite hard to get short break accommodation sometimes...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@pred02, like you, I think St Anton and Alta Badia are fab. Last year @Steilhang and others suggested Serfaus to me and I'm going back there again this year, it totally belongs in this conversation as well. I go to all these places in mid/late March....no people, cheaper, spring snow of course. Zermatt, 3V and Kitzbühel are all fantastic, as worthy of your consideration as the others. I can't pick a winner except....you! Though you did mention cost. In my experience, that shades this east...AUT and ITA seem cheaper to me overall but I'm a Yank, others will have a better handle on this part.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
After St Anton most other places will seem tame.
Kitzbühel is a good option, like many of the similar resorts nearby the lower slopes can get very soft especially in March (though it has few low south facing slopes unlike Brixen or Saalbach). It does have some reasonably high skiing at Pass Thurn (it is due to "open" this weekend using snow stored over the summer) but cannot be compared to places (like St Anton) that have pistes up to nearly 3000m. There is a wide range of skiing from gentle blues to some fairly steep blacks (I have a soft spot for the Ochsalm black piste, its is an old fashioned run through the trees but no snow making so needs good snow to open). The off piste does not come close to St Anton but there is more than other neighbouring resorts. If you can go in February there is a good chance that the long ski routes will be open but March is likely to better for lounging around on terraces. Apres is a bit more restrained than some places (if apres is a big thing for you then Saalbach Hinterglemm is a better option), there are a good number of 5 star hotels and the clientele to go with them. Transfer from Munich or Salzburg is pretty easy
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Kitzbuehel.
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.
@pred02, I might be able to help you with short break accommodation, if you're considering Saalbach. PM me if so.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I thought Cervinia was great until I went to Val Gardena- scenery, service, food, toilets etc all much better in Dolomites.
We’ve been to Val Gardena 4 times and still found areas/ runs that were new. It’s a great location for days out in different directions. Generally avoid the Sella Ronda as busiest. So even though you’ve done Dolomites before sure you’d find plenty of new stuff to do for 4 days
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Saalbach or zell am see is better than kitzbuhel imo - zell is 90 min on 5he train from Salzburg too.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
The group prefers to do Italy this year, so having been to Cortina, Alta Badia, Kronplatz (20 years ago) and briefly Val Di Fassa what resort would you recommend for a group of couples?
We are mix of skiers, from beginners to advanced, like to have a drink on the mountain but not too crazy more looking for nice restaurants and scenery.
What village on the circuit do you recommend in terms of recommendation. We stayed in st Cassiano last time which was ok but we were splitting our time between Cortina and Alta Badia.
Thanks
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've done two short breaks to Madesimo, Lombardy.
Couple of hours straightforward drive from either of the Milan airports. There are transfers too if you don't want to drive.
Plenty of reasonably priced accommodation within a very short walking distance of the lifts. Some ski-in, ski-out.
Look on booking.com
Food and drink is wonderfully Italian - quality and prices.
Lift tickets are great value.
Skiing is awesome. More than enough to keep you happy for 3-4 days.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 31-10-19 10:46; edited 2 times in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Sexten (Sesto) - Drei Zinnen (Tre Cime)
Madonna di Campiglio
And although not Italy, you should consider staying in Lech. Same skipass as St.Anton, yet another -even better- world.
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?
pred02 wrote:
The group prefers to do Italy this year, so having been to Cortina, Alta Badia, Kronplatz (20 years ago) and briefly Val Di Fassa what resort would you recommend for a group of couples?
We are mix of skiers, from beginners to advanced, like to have a drink on the mountain but not too crazy more looking for nice restaurants and scenery.
What village on the circuit do you recommend in terms of recommendation. We stayed in st Cassiano last time which was ok but we were splitting our time between Cortina and Alta Badia.
Thanks
What do you mean by 'on the circuit'? On the Sella Ronda?
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 31-10-19 15:23; edited 1 time in total
For four days I think Val G would be a little tricky, although if you mean a total of 6 days with four days skiing then I'd recommend it. But you'll be spending 7 hours traveling minimum, even if you go thru Innsbruck. But perfect for your requirements. Either Selva or Sta. Cristina would work, though I also think it would be hard to get less than a week mimimum.
I like the look of Madesimo and if MikePow recommends it, that's a plus.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:
What do you mean by 'on the circuit'? On the Sella Ronda?
Yes - on the Sella Ronda.
Quote:
Same skipass as St.Anton, yet another -even better- world.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
