 Poster: A snowHead
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Younger daughter is going with school to Sauze. As our family trip in December wasn't great, I'm wondering about sneaking off with the 16YO daughter at half term, 18-25 Feb, for a cheap second week. (Wife gets no say in this as she's going to Rome and Florence for a Girls Week tomorrow)
Cheapest flights to the Alps from Lisbon seem to be MXP or MUC - in Carnival/Fasching week. I'd like a change from France and can't afford Switzerland (and I don't forgive Zurich airport for stripping fifty quid from my mobile five minutes after landing, last October). If we want to have fun I think we need 100km for the week, and more challenging reds than cruisey blues (see how fast I change my mind once at the top looking down, or massaging my thighs at the bottom...) I don't seem to be able to get to Dolomiti despite all the recommendations here and from my Italian colleagues, so it looks like Aosta area or probably SkiWelt for the Austrian side. I don't like hiring cars - always seem to get stung for a paint chip somewhere - so group transfers or even train would be nice. I was going for Champoluc but reading a bit more makes it sound a bit cruisey, now I'm leaning towards SkiWelt.
1. Have I missed obvious places? Cervinia seems a bit Exclusive, or did I misunderstand? Am I wrong to dismiss Aosta area so quickly?
2. I'm getting late to book accommodation, according to Booking.com. Though I recall with Austria one should go direct to their site? I've yet to discuss with daughter if we can sleep in the same room for a week without killing each other (I snore, she talks in her sleep). If that's out, it's easy - she's not going and I'll go in a cheaper week 
3. Is either resort likely to be more or less crowded that week, or on certain days that week? In my usual Andorra it's crowded until Tuesday then empty from Wed onwards.
4. Any particular village in SkiWelt is better for us? Forget dancing apres, but we'll wander round shops and get a nice bite to eat in the evening, even if our main meal is usually lunchtime.
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sounds like Livigno would suit you but it is a long transfer from MXP.
It was a long time ago but I don't remember Cervinia as exclusive.
Anywhere in Ski Welt except Soll, Ellmau is nice as is Scheffau. If you were taking the family I would say Westendorf as well. You can get a train from MUC to Kufstein and then bus/taxi.
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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 is not at all exclusive.
I hire cars more than 15 times a year. I have never been charged for damage that I did not cause. If cost is important to you consider staying outside a ski resort and driving to the lifts each day. Lots of cheap options that way.
It is hard to tell what you really want, and what you view as challenging. But I would say Monterosa has mostly quite easy slopes, with a few challenges around. Especially if you go off piste.
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Zillertal is an option from Munich, easy train journey via Jenbach. You have the option of several areas along the valley, there are train/skibus links so you can visit several areas in a week. I expect Mayrhofen will be mad busy that week but Hochfugen/Kaltenbach is excellent, it has a lot of daytrippers from Munich so might be a bit quieter midweek.
Same as skiwelt, the place to find accommodation is the local tourist website, www.zillertal.at/en/
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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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@Orange200, train connections from Munich airport are not ideal, you have to get the s bahn into town and get a train from there. If you go to SkiWelt best get a train to Kufstein then bus or taxi . Ski Welt would suit you fine. My experience is that Fasching does not cause huge queues it is busier (especially on the Tuesday) but not crazily so. Yes accommodation is better through the local tourist office site. If you are keen on the Dolomites then it is fairly easy from Munich, there are trains every two hours get off at either Franzensfeste or Bözen for a local train to Waidbruck. For SkiWelt I think Brixen is the best placed village as it allows fairly easy access to KItzbühel (make sure you get the right ski pass) though the piste down to the north of the village is always poor.
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@Orange200, We did the reverse trip from Munich in May.  That puts Ski Amade in the same sort of category as Ski Welt. The train transfer is a bit longer via Salzburg, but then it's relatively easy to get to Radstadt and free buses to your destination. You might want to have a look at flying to Salzburg (via FRA), a bit longer in the air but less train time. Plenty of affordable options on the Flachau Tourist site for that week. https://www.flachau.com/winter
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From Milan have a look at some slightly smaller resorts: Madesimo, Bormio, Livigno. Livigno is a long drive from anywhere though. The bigger ones are: Monte Rosa, Cervinia, La Thuile, Via Latea (then you can haunt your daughter LOL). My research hasn’t made me think Cervinia is exclusive at all but I don’t think it’s easy by public transport. Madesimo has some good TRs on here. Small but lots of easily accessible off piste.
From Munich: it’s a long time since I went to SkiWelt but my vague recollection is of nothing especially steep and more blues than reds. Westendorf wasn’t even connected then though, it was many years ago. Think Fieberbrunn, Kitzbuhel or somewhere up the valley heading towards Mayrhofen all sound better options. Probably easier public transport unless I’m missing something about Malpensa’s great transport links.
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| Orange200 wrote: |
Younger daughter is going with school to Sauze. As our family trip in December wasn't great, I'm wondering about sneaking off with the 16YO daughter at half term, 18-25 Feb, for a cheap second week. (Wife gets no say in this as she's going to Rome and Florence for a Girls Week tomorrow)
Cheapest flights to the Alps from Lisbon seem to be MXP or MUC - in Carnival/Fasching week. I'd like a change from France and can't afford Switzerland (and I don't forgive Zurich airport for stripping fifty quid from my mobile five minutes after landing, last October). If we want to have fun I think we need 100km for the week, and more challenging reds than cruisey blues (see how fast I change my mind once at the top looking down, or massaging my thighs at the bottom...) I don't seem to be able to get to Dolomiti despite all the recommendations here and from my Italian colleagues, so it looks like Aosta area or probably SkiWelt for the Austrian side. I don't like hiring cars - always seem to get stung for a paint chip somewhere - so group transfers or even train would be nice. I was going for Champoluc but reading a bit more makes it sound a bit cruisey, now I'm leaning towards SkiWelt.
1. Have I missed obvious places? Cervinia seems a bit Exclusive, or did I misunderstand? Am I wrong to dismiss Aosta area so quickly?
2. I'm getting late to book accommodation, according to Booking.com. Though I recall with Austria one should go direct to their site? I've yet to discuss with daughter if we can sleep in the same room for a week without killing each other (I snore, she talks in her sleep). If that's out, it's easy - she's not going and I'll go in a cheaper week
3. Is either resort likely to be more or less crowded that week, or on certain days that week? In my usual Andorra it's crowded until Tuesday then empty from Wed onwards.
4. Any particular village in SkiWelt is better for us? Forget dancing apres, but we'll wander round shops and get a nice bite to eat in the evening, even if our main meal is usually lunchtime.
Thanks! |
A taxi now works out cheaper than car hire - certainly based on my experience twice last year and pre-booking two trips this year. Not cheap, and in large part due to soaring car hire prices.
I’ve got the Tirol Lodge booked in Ellmau in 3 weeks. The location seems to be superb (it’s even been reported that the home run to its doors is a good one as it’s NW facing). Booking.com seem to do good prices there if you are in their genius scheme and book via mobile app - have already booked it for next Jan
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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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Is Bergamo an option for flights? Being east of Milan it makes xfers to some of the more eastern areas a bit shorter than from MXP. MDC and Passo Tonale within 2.5 hours and can probably get to Val Di fassa or Canazei in about 3.5 hours.
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The train from Milan isn't bad for Aosta - once you're in Milan itself - a couple of hours with a change at Turin - and it is possible to get a bus up from Chatillon St Vincent (the bus stops at the train station as well as the bus station up the road) to Cervinia. Definitely didn't notice anything exclusive feeling about Cervinia!
Just a thought looking at the map - might be possible to go from Milan Malpensa by taxi to one of the stations on the way, rather than go in to Milan - for instance there are direct trains from Novara (30 mins south of MXP) to Chivasso where you can change for Chatillon.
I'd go to the SkiWelt though given the choice.  With a pass for Kitz as well (or you can get the odd day add on) you can't go wrong. Westendorf is a nice place to stay with some budget accommodation.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Very many thanks all. I think my comments on Cervinia were based on a few isolated factors and I added one plus one to equal five. But yes, I'm now looking at SkiWelt (plenty of reds on the map) and so far Westendorf. I hear the Kitzbuhl comments but for my first visit I think trying to use the existing pass within a week would already be a challenge.
Daughter seems OK with sharing a room, though the accom section on the site implies there are some apartments with two rooms at reasonable prices.
Trying now to understand their "distance to lift", eg search for Wdf, get an apartment listed in Brixen, and it says "distance to lift 8km" implying that's measuring back to Wdf again!
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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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@Orange200, Cervinia fits the bill if the other areas don’t come through.
I first went there and took a nephew ( struggling with things in life, and so to help get back up and going again) just two of us and committed to a week tuition on a board, me being a skier. Very late booking, the day before travel , and such a brilliant week. Easy travel via turin and tour operator transfer. Ideally placed, little hotel in village main Street with walk out onto snow. Friendly chilled atmosphere, great food, exceptional tuition from Italian ski school, with plenty to ski. Just a brilliant week all round.
Well worth your consideration.
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@Orange200, SkiWelt can probably keep you occupied for a week but a day or two in Kitzbühel is very worthwhile and the pass does not cost much more. This is probably more relevant if you stay in Westendorf as it is easier to get to Kitzbühel than it is to Ellmau. Brixen is quite spread out so some of the places will be a fair way from the lifts (the lift station is not in the centre of the village) though the ski bus service is very good 8km does sound a lot though.
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