 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking for somewhere with some nice cruisey blues, only a few t-bars (I hate them!!), sheltered tree line skiing, cheap not posh, not too long a transfer, ski in/out on blue runs, decent snow record for Jan/feb time. Not fussed about night life. Trying to keep costs down and understand Italy is reasonably priced. Cheers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You could try Folgarida ..small resort .part of the Madona di Campiglio ski area and a reasonable transfer from Verona ..train and a local bus ...
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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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Madesimo. Around 2 hour easy drive from Bergamo. I was there end of last season as a nervous beginner. Ended week skiing reds and even black. But plenty of easy blues available. Don't remember seeing any single drag lift, even baby slope had chairlift. Ski pass was €155 for 5 days, but probably low season pricing. Ski locker only €20! Never cared about ski in/out, but plenty of apartments close to slope, so might be possible.
Overall, bargain prices for decent skiing and really recommended if you are not looking for extensive ski area.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| strmin wrote: |
Madesimo. Around 2 hour easy drive from Bergamo. I was there end of last season as a nervous beginner. Ended week skiing reds and even black. But plenty of easy blues available. Don't remember seeing any single drag lift, even baby slope had chairlift. Ski pass was €155 for 5 days, but probably low season pricing. Ski locker only €20! Never cared about ski in/out, but plenty of apartments close to slope, so might be possible.
Overall, bargain prices for decent skiing and really recommended if you are not looking for extensive ski area. |
+1
San Martino di Castrozza fits the bill too
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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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Many thanks. I Should say we’ll probably be doing a package holiday so will be constrained by where they go. Cheers will look at suggestions so far
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| DaveD wrote: |
| You could try Folgarida ..small resort .part of the Madona di Campiglio ski area and a reasonable transfer from Verona ..train and a local bus ... |
Last few years Folgarida has sadly gotten very busy and imo perhaps not the best choice for a nervous intermediate. Lovely resort but we took it off our destinations for coaching holidays 
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Alta Badia has perfect skiing for you. Lots of affordable options for lodging. Massive snowmaking keeps the pistes covered.
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Useful resource for checking & comparing resorts and stats.
https://www.bergfex.com/italien/
Has lift maps, webcam links, pics and videos and gives a breakdown of proportions of blue, red & black in each resort
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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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Kronplatz could be a good choice for you, Crystal has a couple of hotels at a really good price
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Agree Kronplatz has perfect easy terrain, and no t-bars (and not one but two cool museums at the summit). But also: mostly gondolas, and some folks don't like the skis-on-and-off thing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oooh I like the look of kronplatz. I also do like a museum. I’m fine with gondolas, bit of a faff, but that’s skiing for you!!
Helpful link Luigi thanks.
I understand Alta badia is made up of 6 different villages. Is there one that is more suited to me than the rest? I also love the displays that reps in some resorts do. Anywhere do this in a place that fits the criteria?
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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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@bambionskiis, you said cheap not posh. I stay in San Cassiano, which some find posh, as there's a fancy hotel with a Michelin 3-star. But my single room with half board (nice typical bkfst and 5 course dinner) is €110/night, which would seem to meet your criteria. And there's a bus between AB and Kronplatz, so you could sample the one you don't stay at. Almost no nightlife, but a small grocery store and a bakery with gelato, perfect for me!
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| bambionskiis wrote: |
Oooh I like the look of kronplatz. I also do like a museum. I’m fine with gondolas, bit of a faff, but that’s skiing for you!!
Helpful link Luigi thanks.
I understand Alta badia is made up of 6 different villages. Is there one that is more suited to me than the rest? I also love the displays that reps in some resorts do. Anywhere do this in a place that fits the criteria? |
+1 for Alta Badia but it isn't the cheapest. Any of the villages would be fine they essentially border the same Alta badia area but if you really want ski-in/out you'll be limited in some of them. Colfosco might be a cost efficient choice as the piste runs through the middle of the village. Corvara has a few but is more expensive (there are two piste running into the town), la Villa usually requires a walk or bus, san cassiano will likely involve a walk.
I'm also going to throw in Madonna di Campiglio, there are few ski in/out and others that provide a free mini bus shuttle service. There are three gondola base stations in the town and an area outside that has some hotels almost next to the beginners area.
Do you want to literally ski to the door or are you willing to walk 50-100 m ?
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You know it makes sense.
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@Scooter in Seattle, that’s a reasonable budget, thanks for the suggestion. Sounds a good compromise. Seeing that description of nightlife though made me realise I’d like 2 or 3 bars though for a change of an evening.
@richb67, that’s a great brief for each place thanks, really helpful. I do like to ski to door but that sort of distance is no problem.
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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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@bambionskiis
San Cassiano, Alta Badia, Italian Dolomites
This might suit, have stayed here on many occassions. Situated directly on the piste (truly ski in/out) on the junction of a blue and red run approx 100 metres above the main gondola.
Extensive range of blue and easy red runs throughout the area with stunning scenery at every turn. Can be booked on a B&B basis and the owners speak an array of different languages including English
Village centre only 10 minutes away and they also have a "bear museum"
Nearest airports are Innsbruck (approx 1.5hr transfer) and Venice (Marco Polo) approx 3hr transfer
https://www.frohsinn.it/en/
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Poster: A snowHead
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@nahdendee, that looks lovely thank you. I notice it’s only b and b. Is there much availability nearby for evening meals?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@bambionskiis, San Cassiano is not loaded with dining options, but there's at least one excellent choice: the family restaurant that shares a kitchen with the Michelin 3 star at the Hotel Rosa Alpina. Much more affordable and no Italian suit required.
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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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I actually thought the Rosa Alpina was the worst VFM meal I had in San Cassiano and rated La Sieia (much closer to Frohsinn) the best of the 4 meals out we had in the village. TBF this was more due to the price of a bottle of wine rather than the food. There might be a second bar somewhere but I didn’t find it! I wasn’t looking for any night life due to the age of the children.
There is a supermarket and a deli but it’s a small village. I’ve got to spam you with trip reports. I’ve done ones with loads of photos for San Cassiano, La Villa and Madonna as I’ve been to all 3 fairly recently.
Honestly, there are way more easy blues in Alta Badia than Madonna/Folgarida. You can go all over the plateau area (between Armentarola, San Cassiano, La Villa, Corvara, all the way to Passo Campolungo) plus around Colfosco, up Edelweiss valley but not far towards Selva. The only button lift is the one out of Armentarola, serving the childrens race course and skiers coming from the Hidden Valley and the only village not on a blue is La Villa.
In Madonna or Folgarida you have to do reds to get around, for area accessible on blues, they aren’t comparable. The only area I’ve seen that looks like it has a similar contiguous area of easy runs is Espace Diamant. There may be others but I’ve not found them. I wouldn’t discount La Villa if you wouldn’t mind taking the gondola down and could see improving enough to do the easy reds down the Badia Valley. It’s supposed to be the cheapest village (in Alta Badia).
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| bambionskiis wrote: |
| @nahdendee, that looks lovely thank you. I notice it’s only b and b. Is there much availability nearby for evening meals? |
@bambionskiis
Not sure about eating out as always booked b&b and had our main meal on slopes just before ending skiing for the day, with just a snack in the evenings
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Passo Tonale
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| Yellow Snow wrote: |
| Passo Tonale |
Don’t think it’s got much tree line skiing.
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@what...snow, no taking the gondola down wouldn’t bother me and thanks for the la villa suggestion. Crystal don’t go there but I’ll look for other operators. Have had a read through your travel reports - many thanks, really informative.
@nahdendee, I’d actually not thought of doing that as we always have our main meal at night but that’s worth a thought.
@Yellow Snow, thanks I’ll have a look at that too but noted on tree line skiing. That wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for me
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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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@bambionskiis, What accommodation choices do you get with TOs? San Cassiano is possibly the best for easy local skiing (La Villa v similar but the gondola doesn’t have seats) but all have access to a much bigger area of blues than anywhere else and about the best scenery! There are lots of fairly small family-run hotels in all the villages and for b&b’s/apartments the Alta Badia website is good. The only TO ski holiday I’ve done in the last decade was to Ruka, Finland (no direct flights otherwise). That has lots of easy blues but a few T-bars and quite short runs. Otherwise, the accommodation options have always looked miles better DIY and the flight options are better from here (may not be such a big deal for you). As you can see, we’ve sometimes gone extra days to include a city break, which have all been great.
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| geoffknight wrote: |
| Yellow Snow wrote: |
| Passo Tonale |
Don’t think it’s got much tree line skiing. |
No....you're right, didnt read that bit until now - the trees are in other sections
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@bambionskiis, if you DIY to Alta Badia just be aware that public transfer links aren't great so transfers can be a pain and most people will hire a car. There are options but it's not straightforward (e.g. you can get the Cortina Express to Cortina and then taxi, private transfer etc).
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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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@bambionskiis, Have a look at Pila also Crystal go there, it’s close to Turin, it’s a smallish area and the reds are generally tough blues, I’ve never stayed there but have done a few day trips from Courmayuer, which is also worth a look if your ok having to get one of two gondolas up to the ski base, on the Aosta passes you can ski in Other areas for 1or 2 days or even unlimited, so you could do a day at Pila 40mins and LaThuile 15mins there’s easy buses between them. Courmayuer is a lovely proper town with some good value restaurants, and there’s some good value deals atm. If you do I can give you more 8nfo on places to eat and best runs etc.
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We only do TO holidays, terrified of driving on icy roads , public transport feels daunting when carrying 4 pair skis , boots helmets. Last Jan went to S Cassiano after reading What Snow Tr. used inghams and based ourselves at La Stua hotel great food , decent spa and I think you would love it. Slopes are ideal for what u are looking for. Also been twice in Ortisei with Crystal used Genziana and Luna Hotel , both very good but if we go back I would pick Luna over the other. Alpe di suisi slopes are marked red on the map but are so so so easy and again I think you would have lovely time there. Ortisei has a spa and an ice ring for the kids. Kronplats is very affordable with Crystal , I celebrated my 50th there and went really posh at the Excelsior true ski in out. Husband really hated having to take his skis off all the time because of the gondolas but I didn’t mind and I would happily return as the slopes are perfect for me, long blues , wide and not too crowded. I saw Federica Brignone and Michaela Shiffrin compete (she won) Federica was truly nice to all the kids that waited for her at the end of the GS . Finally don’t dismiss cortina. You need to take busses to move around but the ski on the area not used by the World Cup, sorry forgot the name, is brilliant. Lots of blues, empty slopes and all perfectly groomed. Used inghams and stayed at barisetti, food was very good. Kid totally loved the ice hockey game, there was a mini fight at end which made the game even more memorable  . Val di Fassa is very affordable with both TO but I don’t think the slopes are right for what you are looking for. I would also Dismiss Arabba or Selva.
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You know it makes sense.
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| bambionskiis wrote: |
| Looking for somewhere with some nice cruisey blues, only a few t-bars (I hate them!!), sheltered tree line skiing, cheap not posh, not too long a transfer, ski in/out on blue runs, decent snow record for Jan/feb time. Not fussed about night life. Trying to keep costs down and understand Italy is reasonably priced. Cheers. |
Not Italy I know but covers all of your other criteria
We went to Arinsal, Andorra with Crystal last December for £350 pp HB right by the gondola
Great skiing, quiet slopes, beautiful views, excellent value for money.
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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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@bambionskiis,
Passo Tonale.
Snow sure (town is @ 1800m) Confidence inspiring pistes. Mainly blues and not too tough reds. Very reasonably priced. Very few t-bars. Excellent and cheap instruction.
It is around 2h30 from verona though, although if you're with a T/O who cares? Crystal go there.
I've stayed in the Mirandola which even at Christmas was pretty much ski in / out onto a blue. It's a converted 12th century monastery with excellent food. Other hotels you might have a 5 minute walk.
It's a great resort for a nervous intermediate looking to progress
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FAQ
