 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Everyone. Been a reader of this forum for about a year now but never commented thus far!
Me and the other half are off to MdC in January and I was wondering if anyone on here has spent time there before? Just looking for a few tips, places to eat at etc. We are staying near the bottom of the pradalago lift.
Just a few weeks away now and we cannot wait!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Thank you! Will be steering clear of those 
We are so excited for this trip, we only do 1 holiday as year so it's worth spending the cash for the experience!
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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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Calimero, bombardino or thick hot chocolate at the top of the 5 Largi.
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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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From a 2011 (  ) trip report….
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Madonna is not a cheap place to eat and drink at. It is very charming and quite smart, nestled in the shadow of the Spinale mountain. The Antico Focolare was very pleasant – try and sit in the timber-framed area should you visit. Service was superb, matched by the food. The wine (a Montepulchiano 2007 on this occasion) was outstanding at 22€. All in all, 3 courses, wine, cheese, coffee and a brandy was 122€ between us. Worth spoiling yourself IMO.
Mountain eating/refreshments: plenty to choose from, some expensive (for the area), some not. So, I’ll pick my place of the week, already mentioned in an earlier text report. The Refugio Orti. Warm welcome, roaring log fireplace, tasty food and inexpensive. Because the place is halfway down a black run with a seriously steep early section (you can watch people slide down from the terrace if you so desire), it doesn’t seem to get too packed. One can take the lift there from Marilleva and ski off via a blue if so desired. Far better to ski from the top of Dos de la Pesa and reward yourself after that steep section!
I don't think we had one disappointing vin brulle - all delicious and 3-3.5€. The Rif Stopani at the top of Passo Groste above Madonna serves superb hot chocolate and rum, but is on the more expensive side (worth it). |
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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For a good lunch Ristorante Cascina Zeledria, it's a little way off the piste, if conditions are good they piste down to it, if not they run a land rover shuttle. Excellent.
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If they are still open post-Covid, Bar Dolimiti (Via Degli Sfulmini) in town..is wroth popping into for some civilised apres-ski. Great beers, friendly staff and excellent free tapas/snacks
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Do an up the mountain evening at whichever restaurant picks up close to your accommodation. You get a snow cat up the piste, meal at the restaurant and a lift back down.
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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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Thanks all - really looking forward to this trip
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thank you for the warm welcome and I'll do my best with the pictures of the trip
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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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@Mcaff,
we've been skiing there four times and are back in late Jan so have a bit of experience, however we don't lunch much on the mountain. We've been as a couple but also in a mixed ability group and everyone loved it. There are 7 of us this year everyone from beginner to pretty damn good.
Bottom of Pradalago is a decent location, easy stroll into town and handy for Pradalago, Miramonti and Cinque Laghi lifts.
Food
+1 for Cascina Zeledria if you want a good lunch, don't miss the left turn off the main piste.
popular and always busy is Chalet Fiat at the top of Spinale which has self service, cafe and a proper restaurant - great views (they also open at least one evening a week)
in town we had good pizza at the crazy wolf last year and this September a great eve meal at El Volt (had ok pizza at Pappagallo e ok eve meal at Le Roi - wouldn't go back to either)
We tend to visit the following for mid am/pm snacks - Rifugio Viviani, we use the bar underneath but there's a self service above (nr top Fortini lift), Rifugio Boch quite lively and popular (on the way down from Groste), Dos del Sabion at Pinzolo - worth going just for the views but we had a decent lunch sat inside, also one on the red coming back from Marilleva/Folgardia.
I don't know the name but there is a lovely little Rifugio in the middle of a wood on the Red into Folgarida.
Bars - there are a few, it's a get-changed-and-go-out type of resort vs come-off-the-piste-and-stay-out
Almost everywhere has the excellent hot chocolate, if you can't see the machine stirring the melted chocolate behind the counter just leave and go somewhere else!
skiing
it's not a massive area so do go over to Pinzolo and Marilleva/Folgarida, you can spend a full day at either but we often pop over for a few hrs and come back before the rush as the reds can get quite messy and cut up later in the day (the Pinzolo gondola takes abut 15 mins and you often see people having a picnic on it). The run down to Marilleva through the trees is a good one.
If it's warm or there is little snow the black into Pinzolo will suffer so is best avoided.
FYI you can drop someone off at ski school and get to either end of the ski area (Pinzolo or Folgarida) and return before the end of the lesson at 1pm.
There are a few steep blacks but most are straightforward for a decent intermediate.
Windy days - every week we've had a windy day. If it's forecast keep an eye on their website which shows the lift status and either stay in the central madonna ski area or drive to another resort. We got stuck in Folgarida once and the bus back was a problem (infrequent and a scrum to get on leaving people stranded) another time we drove over to Passo Tonale and that was open most of the day as the valleys point in different directions.
The trickiest part of the resort is putting together the runs/lifts around town as they form a horseshoe and there are various little cut throughs and turnings so just keep your eyes open for the first few days or you might find yourself on the wrong side of town. Also the ski buses aren't as easy to use as other resorts.
There is an little supermarket in the middle of town also handy for souvenirs and cheap clothes if you forget something, most of the other clothing etc shops are higher end so plenty of options if you want to treat yourself. The best supermarket for food etc is a COOP at the Colarin side of town, maybe 15 mins walk from the centre in the 'wrong' direction for you.
Ski school - we use "Scuola Italiana Sci Nazionale Des Alpes" for both private lessons and group. They've always been great.
Ski hire - the shops have changed hands over the years, last year we used the Olympiconio at Palu, this is opposite side of town to you, really good gear and they run a minibus so cover the whole town. We've also used the place under the ski school mentioned above and that was good. The only one we wouldn't use again was at the bottom of Spinale but that was a few years ago so it might be better now.
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I'm off to Folgarida with crystal on 14th Jan, can't wait. Thanks for the useful tips everyone. Looking forward to many bombardinos and hot chocolates!
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You know it makes sense.
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+ 1 to pop over to Pinzolo, often overlooked from MDC, because of the 15 minute lift, which doesn't gain any altitude
What Pinzolo does offer is quite pistes
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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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Thanks for taking the time to write this! It sounds like we are going to be spoilt for choice. If you are going for your fifth visit it must be a great place.
| richb67 wrote: |
@Mcaff,
we've been skiing there four times and are back in late Jan so have a bit of experience, however we don't lunch much on the mountain. We've been as a couple but also in a mixed ability group and everyone loved it. There are 7 of us this year everyone from beginner to pretty damn good.
Bottom of Pradalago is a decent location, easy stroll into town and handy for Pradalago, Miramonti and Cinque Laghi lifts.
Food
+1 for Cascina Zeledria if you want a good lunch, don't miss the left turn off the main piste.
popular and always busy is Chalet Fiat at the top of Spinale which has self service, cafe and a proper restaurant - great views (they also open at least one evening a week)
in town we had good pizza at the crazy wolf last year and this September a great eve meal at El Volt (had ok pizza at Pappagallo e ok eve meal at Le Roi - wouldn't go back to either)
We tend to visit the following for mid am/pm snacks - Rifugio Viviani, we use the bar underneath but there's a self service above (nr top Fortini lift), Rifugio Boch quite lively and popular (on the way down from Groste), Dos del Sabion at Pinzolo - worth going just for the views but we had a decent lunch sat inside, also one on the red coming back from Marilleva/Folgardia.
I don't know the name but there is a lovely little Rifugio in the middle of a wood on the Red into Folgarida.
Bars - there are a few, it's a get-changed-and-go-out type of resort vs come-off-the-piste-and-stay-out
Almost everywhere has the excellent hot chocolate, if you can't see the machine stirring the melted chocolate behind the counter just leave and go somewhere else!
skiing
it's not a massive area so do go over to Pinzolo and Marilleva/Folgarida, you can spend a full day at either but we often pop over for a few hrs and come back before the rush as the reds can get quite messy and cut up later in the day (the Pinzolo gondola takes abut 15 mins and you often see people having a picnic on it). The run down to Marilleva through the trees is a good one.
If it's warm or there is little snow the black into Pinzolo will suffer so is best avoided.
FYI you can drop someone off at ski school and get to either end of the ski area (Pinzolo or Folgarida) and return before the end of the lesson at 1pm.
There are a few steep blacks but most are straightforward for a decent intermediate.
Windy days - every week we've had a windy day. If it's forecast keep an eye on their website which shows the lift status and either stay in the central madonna ski area or drive to another resort. We got stuck in Folgarida once and the bus back was a problem (infrequent and a scrum to get on leaving people stranded) another time we drove over to Passo Tonale and that was open most of the day as the valleys point in different directions.
The trickiest part of the resort is putting together the runs/lifts around town as they form a horseshoe and there are various little cut throughs and turnings so just keep your eyes open for the first few days or you might find yourself on the wrong side of town. Also the ski buses aren't as easy to use as other resorts.
There is an little supermarket in the middle of town also handy for souvenirs and cheap clothes if you forget something, most of the other clothing etc shops are higher end so plenty of options if you want to treat yourself. The best supermarket for food etc is a COOP at the Colarin side of town, maybe 15 mins walk from the centre in the 'wrong' direction for you.
Ski school - we use "Scuola Italiana Sci Nazionale Des Alpes" for both private lessons and group. They've always been great.
Ski hire - the shops have changed hands over the years, last year we used the Olympiconio at Palu, this is opposite side of town to you, really good gear and they run a minibus so cover the whole town. We've also used the place under the ski school mentioned above and that was good. The only one we wouldn't use again was at the bottom of Spinale but that was a few years ago so it might be better now. |
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FAQ
