It is almost time for this year’s ski season! With ski openings starting in early December, now is the ideal time to book your next ski trip. If you are deciding on coming to ski in Italy, you must visit Alta Badia resort! It does not matter whether you are a complete beginner, a casual every-year skier, or a professional, Alta Badia fits all levels. Why not visit Alta Badia this year?
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Why go skiing in Italy?
The northern part of Italy has a large skiing culture. The two large mountain ranges of the Italian Alps and the Dolomites are ideal for ski slopes and people from all over Europe come here to ski. Skiing in Italy is not just about the sport but the entire experience – enjoy the sport, the views, the good food and finish with the apres ski!
ALTA BADIA
Alta Badia is a ski resort in the Dolomites and my forever favourite ski resort in Italy. Perhaps due to all the memories linked to the place – it is where I learned how to ski after all! We used to visit Alta Badia each year in February during School holidays and still do up to today, for over 15 years.
Alta Badia is best reached by car – in case you don’t have one, here is a budget-friendly shuttle bus service from Venice Mestre.
Why Alta Badia?
Alta Badia is especially beginner and family-friendly. The 130km of slopes range from easy to difficult but don’t worry – if you are a complete beginner there is always an easy way to go down the hill. After all, most of the slopes in Alta Badia are easy.
Alta Badia features countless snow parks, children’s parks, and mountain cottages where you can get a warm drink or lunch. When skiing in Alta Badia, you must stop by Piz Arlara, our number one cottage.
Alta Badia (left) and Piz Arlara (right)
Where to stay in Alta Badia?
There are 5 larger towns you can stay in Alta Badia, all connected to the ski slope system:
- La Villa,
- San Cassiano,
- Badia,
- Corvara and
- Colfosco.
An ideal stay in Alta Badia would be for 4 to 5 days, this way you have enough time to do all the slopes and also enjoy the food, the accommodation, and other activities.
ACTIVITIES TO DO IN ALTA BADIA BESIDES SKIING
- Ice skating in Badia by Hotel Lech de Sompunt
- Excursion on horse-drawn sleigh in La Villa
- Sledding in San Cassiano
- Cross-country skiing in Armentarola
Sellaronda mountain
1. La Villa
I recommend staying in La Villa for intermediaries as the only way to reach the slope system is through Gran Risa (the famous World Cup ski slope). There is a blue slope that goes down to the valley but it is not open if there is not enough snow. In such cases, you’re forced to take the red slope, which is quite steep, or the cable car, which could trigger anxiety to some going downwards. The plus of La Villa is that you can reach the slopes on foot from almost every accommodation.
Apartments and hotels I recommend and stayed at in La Villa:
- La Ütia
- Hotel Christiania – beautiful hotel right by the slopes in the city center
- Hotel Cristallo – a luxury option with wellness
2. San Cassiano
San Cassiano is perfect for families – a picturesque small town where we always used to stay with my family. The location is ideal if you are a beginner as the slopes nearby are all easy. The downside is the distance of some apartments to the slopes – not to worry though, there is free parking by the slopes and even a free bus that drives to the bottom stop of the cable cars.
Top accommodation options in San Cassiano:
- Ciasa Costadedoi – our “skiing home” each February for more than 5 years, today brand new and renovated
- Garni Irsara – between San Cassiano and La Villa; we stayed there for two years in a row. Today, the residence is completely renovated!
- Lagacio’ Mountain Residence
- Dolomites Hotel La Fradora – Wellness & Relax – for all those who wish to relax after skiing
Slopes above San Cassiano
3. Badia
Badia is another family-friendly destination. It’s perfect for small kids as there’s a children’s park right in town (see photo). The plus of Badia is definitely in cheaper accommodation as the town is further out of the slope system. The downside, well, is being further out of the slope system. You need about 30 minutes and ride two slopes to reach La Villa. I would recommend the location for intermediaries.
Slopes in Badia
For the past few years, we preferred staying in Badia. This is the apartment we stayed at and loved it. The owner recently completely rebuilt the building: Residence Lersc
We loved the proximity to the slopes, the grocery store below the apartment as well as discounts offered by the host – a 10% discount on Skipass and the nearby pizzeria.
View from our apartment in Badia
4. Corvara
Corvara is the largest town and the best, location-wise. With a central location, you can quickly hop to one or the other side of the resort and choose different slopes every day. Corvara is appropriate for everyone and any kind of ski knowledge. The plus of Corvara is definitely its location. The minus, however, is the higher prices of accommodations that come with the location.
- Hotel Sassongher – 5 star luxury hotel
- Residence Villa Trieste – best-rated apartments in Corvara
5. Colfosco
Just minutes away from Corvara is the nearby hilly town of Colfosco. If you are one of those who love to put skis on in front of the apartment and simply start skiing, Colfosco is for you. Most of the accommodations are located directly on the slopes. The downside of Colfosco – you’re a bit further away from the rest of the slopes, on the edge of the resort. If you’re an experienced skier, that is no issue. However, if you are a beginner, you lose some valuable time to reach the easiest slopes. Perhaps San Cassiano is better for you.
I can recommend the following apartments in Colfosco:
- Lüch de Costa – holiday apartments with one of the best ratings
- Pension Garden – lovely hotel just meters from the slopes
ALTA BADIA
In case you would like to ski in a larger area than just in Alta Badia, you should purchase a Dolomiti Superski Pass that allows you to go beyond just Alta Badia and ski in 12 different ski resorts, all connected with one another with 120 km of slopes and over 450 lifts.
For information on the prices of Alta Badia or Dolomiti Superski passes, you can turn to Dolomiti Superski’s official website.
In conclusion
Alta Badia is perfect for enjoying a couple of days of skiing and other snow activities. I hope this blog post helped you decide. I wish Alta Badia stays in great memories to all those of you who decide to spend your winter vacation here.
Have you been to Alta Badia before? Did you like it? Let me know in the comment section.
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Hi, it's Neja
I am an expat from Slovenia,
living in Milan since 2021 and writing a travel blog for all of you who are curious about life in Italy or traveling in Europe.
Follow me on my journey and learn everything about Italy and the European destinations.
