 Poster: A snowHead
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Hoping to get a week's skiing in mid-March 2022. I'll probably be going on my own, and have an eye on several Italian resorts - Madonna, Folgarida and Canazei. To be honest, I'll be more than happy to get away anywhere!
I'm a lower-middling intermediate (happy on blues, reds and easier, pisted blacks), who likes a bit of travel when skiing. I'm not fussed about ski in/ski out (though it's always a bonus).
I'll also probably sign-up for a half-day of ski school - a good way of getting to know a ski area - so a ski school that speaks OK English would be good.
Any thoughts on the suggested resorts?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@dobby, you helped me out on our La Thuile trip, so I know you've tried that one! Have you tried The Via Lattea area (Sauze, Sestriere etc). Great for intermediates.
I don't think you could go far wrong with any of the better known Italian resorts/areas to be honest. If I were to go on my own I'd probably try Kronplatz for a bit of a change.
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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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Cervinia would be a good option or Sestriere also
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Champoluc in aosta, go via inghams , hotel de champoluc, ski to door, lots of ski guiding for off piste if needed, plenty of mountain bars...no great apres ski though, but we keep meeting solo skiers when we go there, always end up skiing with some of them
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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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all IMHO,
your level sounds similar to mine
Folgarida - not stayed but from seems very family and school trip based (think burger bars on the piste), can ski to MdC & Pinzolo. Have driven through the town a couple of times, didn't seem to be much there but I could have missed it.
Madonna - been 3 times, good range of intermediate pistes, lovely little town, some bars but not a party town. Positions itself as a bit more upmarket, the kind of place where you'll see a Ferrari in the Piazza! Not too expensive though, (think espresso & pasta on the piste). Plenty to keep you busy as you can ski to the two adjoining areas so you get that feeling of travelling. Our traditional last run of the day was ca 5k, a 1000m vertical, with only one short lift, all on blues/reds and hardly a soul in sight. A couple of pistes bring you right into town. Have been in March and was fine, a bit slushy late in the day but no problems. Used ski school nazionale every time, they are great. I've had the same instructor every time as he is just right for me (the worlds most patient man!).
Canazei - been once, nice town, seemed more lively than Madonna in the evening, on the Sella Ronda so massive amount of intermediate skiing (500km without needing to get on a bus) you could go out for the day and not ski the same piste twice, we used the Gondolas to get up and down as the main run into town from SR area can be a nightmare late in the day. Went in March, snow was fine but some heavily used areas on the SR got bumpy surprisingly early (heavy traffic and sunny area). Didn't take lessons but you won't have problems finding an English speaking instructor in that part of Italy.
One thing, see the threads on travel to Italy via Austria. Some TOs go to all these resorts via Innsbruck others via Verona. Personally I'd not transit through another country to avoid any Covid related hassle but everyone is different and it seems to be ok at the moment.
Based on my limited knowledge I personally wouldn't bother with Folgarida unless it was much cheaper than MdC and I wanted to save some money. The other two I'd go back to tomorrow, in fact we're going hopefully to MdC in 2 weeks and then SR area the week after.
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Out of the two, Madonnal and Folgarida I'd go with Madonna having skied there several times and stayed in Folgarida once (courtesy of Wayneo)
Folgarida is farly small one horse town, very low key and the quality of hotels didn't strike me as very high.
Madonna is a fully functioning town all year round so has a more lively feel, if a little upmarket. Think cafes instead of rowdy bars.
The pistes are expasive and there is plenty to go at, a nice set of easy reds and blues high up on some warmer days and a slope called Diretisimo straight out of a gondola down to the village which isn't for the feint hearted.
We're in the dolomites (fingers crossed) at the end of Jan and Tignes in Feb. If the latter fails I'll no doubt switch our group to Madonna.
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I’d agree with the summation by homers double.
From personal experience, I’d say the hotels in Folgarida are perfectly adequate. Many are within a comfortable walk of the uplift. Some hotels provide a shuttle to the lift, if a gentle uphill walk in the morning is not preferred.
The Eta Beta bar/club, by the main gondola, can be fun.
Folgarida is less expensive than Madonna!
I don’t recall there being excessive school group numbers on the two occasions I’ve stayed there (as suggested earlier in the thread).
The piste side bars and restaurants seemed reasonable. The food was good.
The area ski pass (Folgarida/Marilleva/Madonna) provides a great sense of travel and variety. Plenty of cruisey blues and reds, the latter of which are not overly challenging, with some real roller coaster options. If it’s busy, the main piste connecting Folgarida to the Madonna area can sometimes be challenging, but not excruciating. The chairlift back can sometimes have a bit of a queue - don’t leave it too late if it’s busy!
If I didn’t live in Austria, the Brenta Dolomites would remain an area I’d definitely consider returning to.
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