 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey all....i went to book my flights last nite to turin from dublin was going to go to sauze d'oulx but flight had sold out by then...would any of you know the best (and preferably closest) place to go snowboarding near milan bergamo airport ? Really appreciate any suggestions places to stay resorts etc....thank you in advance peoples 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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charlieduff, you can find a list of resorts here.
They are listed in order of travelling time from Bergamo, you might want to skip the nearest ones, they are day-trip resorts for Italian city-dwellers, not suitable for a week's holiday. What's to stop you going to Sauze anyway? It's just a bit longer transfer than from Turin. (about 2.5hrs according to this list, as it's located next to the listed resort of San Sicario)
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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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As luigi says the nearby ones are to small for a week.
You need to define 'best' as no two resorts are the same - most nightlife, great for beginners, prettiest village, board in /out, most off-piste, KM's of runs, most blue/red/black runs etc..
In terms of Italian resorts I've only been to cervinia, but loved it on a board, more than enough (witht the link to Zermatt) to keep you busy for a week.
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Foppolo is probably the nearest resort I would consider for a holiday, but you would probably be better off travelling a bit more to a bigger ski area. According to the list, practically every resort in Italy is within 3 hrs drive.
A company called Terravision do bus transfers to Val Gardena and Alta Badia resorts such as Selva and Corvara, if you don't want to hire a car.
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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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we go to claviere and went via bergamo a couple of years ago. heavy fog turned the journey into a 4.5hr crawl along the motorway. last year we went to claviere via malpensa and our hire-minibus broke down turning it into a 5 hour journey!!! next time we go up that way, we'll be flying to turin, even if it costs an extra £60.
Having done the trip, i'd suggest looking somewhere directly north of Bergamo. My brother went to Madonna a couple of years ago and that was a long transfer as well.
All i'm saying is that, although those transfer times are all listed on that site, the transfer gods may frown upon your choice and condemn you to the same misery we've had when transferring from Milan to the sauze area.
Hope you have better luck than us!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wouldn't choose Foppolo, it's only good for a couple of days and there is zero nightlife.
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shoogly, I guess those transfer times are assuming good conditions & no hold-ups. But that's asking a lot, in winter and driving past Milan. Maybe better to head north or northeast.
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You also have lots of ski areas 2 hours drive from Milan...Here are some suggestions: Breuil-Cervinia is a part of Aosta Valley with access to 129 individual pistes, slopes that are gentle and extensive, sunny and snow sure. The ski resort is above 1500 meters so skiing/snowboarding bact to the resort usually is possible.Link with Zermatt in Switzerland provides some spectacular views and good lunches. Or Pila with 70 km pistes nobody comes here, except school parties and locals, and the accommodation is cheap. In other words, this is a great place for a bargain-basement three-day break. Pila is high, cold and north-facing, and has good snow-making facilities too.Just don't expect any nightlife. La Thuile with 149 km of pistes, Colere with 25 km of pistes, or Champoluc. Within 2,5 hours drive from Milano you can also ride at Courmayeur - lively old town on the Italian side of Mont Blanc, with dramatic scenery and some good snowboarding/skiing. Good mix of convenience, terrain and nightlife. 
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Why not just alter your holiday dates a little bit so that you cna still fly into Turin? We've driven from Bergamo in summer to Serre Chevalier, but getting stuck in a major traffic jam around Milan is not much fun.
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Aosta valley gets my vote as angel_ski, points out.
I'd still prefer a slightly longer transfer time then ever having to use Turin airport again.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| luigi wrote: |
charlieduff, you can find a list of resorts here.
They are listed in order of travelling time from Bergamo, you might want to skip the nearest ones, they are day-trip resorts for Italian city-dwellers, not suitable for a week's holiday. What's to stop you going to Sauze anyway? It's just a bit longer transfer than from Turin. (about 2.5hrs according to this list, as it's located next to the listed resort of San Sicario) |
For some reason, they don't list all of the resorts at particular ranges, even when they are otherwise on the site.
For instance, Andalo should be in the 2 hour list http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/Italy/Andalo.html
And they have Ponte di Legno listed, but not the larger Passo Tonale which is virtually next door 
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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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Hey all thanks loads for your replys i will look into all of it....as for snowboarding what i looking for will be somewhat of nightlife,good runs for intermediates with good km of runs and plenty of lifts....not much to ask ay  we will be going for 4nites thurs to a monday if anyone also knows of any accomm that does short stays ? Thanks loads again peoples for your responces...
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charlieduff,
Been to Passo Tonale twice. High, snow sure, small glacier, High speed lifts, hardly a drag in sight and pretty cheap. Also linked to Ponte di Ligno which has some nice tree lined runs. Approx 2 hrs from Bergamo
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You know it makes sense.
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papasmurf, whats wrong with Turin airport?
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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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Christopher, it has greatly improved recently, (think they upgraded it for the Olympics)m but used to be a real nightmare, which probably puts a lot of people off. It's a while since I used it myself, but found it no better or worse than any other.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Turin airport is a nightmare of badly layed out slowness. I didn't notice any change from before during and after the olympics. What really needs improving is the baggage reclaim and the check in. Though its not as bad as Verona..maybe its an Italian thing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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papasmurf,
It is an Italian thing. No rush
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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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We have driven to Verbier from Bergamo - hire car right at airport and fairly good journey (sorry, can't remember distance but it was easy enough).
If you are on tight budget there is only one cheap place to stay - the bunker or summerhouse but prepare to rough it a bit. It is an odd place, with bunks but a leisure centre with pool, sauna etc. You can book on a night by night basis. There is a website here -
http://www.thebunker.ch/
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papasmurf, johnboy, la dolce vita, enjoy it!
Slowness is seen as a virtue, annoying for travellers who want to be on their way.
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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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Helen Beaumont, It is just I've used in the past 5 years pre Olympics 7 times. Never had a problem, with it. Don't understand what the issue with it is.
Baggage reclaim was efficient this July and last December, both at peak times. I had my bags within 15minutes from leaving the plane.
At times you queue for a bit at passport control, but it is normally quick moving.
It is in a good location and easy to find from the motorway (unlike Marseille for example).
I don't think it is a bad airport at all.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Slow is fine, disorganised and crowded thronging mass of queues isn't. (though granted on no charter change over days it may be different)
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| papasmurf wrote: |
| Slow is fine, disorganised and crowded thronging mass of queues isn't. (though granted on no charter change over days it may be different) |
We had exactly the same at passport control in Bergamo last month.
Possibly exacerbated by the fact our flight was 15 minutes early, so the previous one had not cleared passport control when ours was disgorged into their midst.
But it may just be an Italian thing 
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alex_heney, Bergamo was a nightmare when I flew out of there on a Sunday evening last February. Far too little room at the gates for the 3 or 4 fights worth of passengers waiting there.
Edit I was going to change it to flights but fights is probably more appropriate 
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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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Colin B, Bergamo is much worse than Turin. It is like a cold war relic with proper sheds to wait for the planes.
However Im not complaining it provides cheap flights to Northern Italy.
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Christopher, I have used it many times and haven't had any problems with it, but I do know of others who have. LIke you I have had no trouble with baggage reclaim, but it is often a different matter when a lot of charter flights arrive together. IMO though, it is far better than the Geneva charter sheds.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Colin B, Coming home last month, we had no problem, apart from the (Ryanair) flight being an hour late departing.
It was only the passport control on arrival that was any sort of problem for us. Although if we had been through there before, we would probably not have waited for the shuttle bus to the car hire carpark. We'll know about that next time
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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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We stayed in Carona really nice town .Hotel Locanda di cantu was excellent standard and three mins walk to the lift. Carona , Foppolo and San Simone are linked ;
Carona and Foppolo are linked by life/ski to each other. San Simone has a ten min bus connection from/to Fopppolo.
Carona really nice place to stay.
Foppolo - architecture isnt the nicest
San Simoe small quite place, snow there was fantastic when we were there.
I'd say there is more than enuf to keep u occupied for 4-5 days between the three resorts.
The best thing abut the place is it approx 70 mins drive from Bergamo
If u buy your lift passes thru the hotels u get a discounted rate
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Hi
Only 2 hours from Bergamo is Madesimo, high altitude village and no drag lifts,excellent snow park and great boarding in the Val d Lei. Alternatively just over 2-3 hours from Bergamo is Chiesa Valmalenco holders 2007 -2008 & 2009 FIS world cup snowboarding finals. transfers available with mtbus from Bergamo to both resorts .
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