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New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Ski free: Italy's Dolomite mountains come alive in summer
You don't need to be royalty or the owner of a pimped-out palanquin to get a chair lift. In the Dolomites, your chariot awaits. This scenic mountain range near the Boot's border with Austria is serviced by nearly 500 elevated public transportation options that put luxury car services to shame. They range from two-person 'coffin-style' cable cars to deluxe 12-seater gondolas that connect a sprawling network of towns. Better yet, it's all accessible via one lift ticket. And while most decamp to the Dolomites in the winter to take advantage of Dolomiti Superski's 12 ski resorts — a few of which will host the 2026 Winter Olympics — nearly 150 lifts open in the summer months of June, July and August. Provided you're not afraid of heights, they allow easy transport from town to town. The Alta Badia region alone is home to six alpine villages in a stretch of just 10 miles. Advertisement 4 Hop off at the Las Vegas Lodge in Alta Badia. Las Vegas Lodge Locals certainly aren't acrophobes. They've been experimenting with using lifts to access the Italian Alps on their doorsteps since before WWII. In fact, Italy's first official chairlift opened here in 1946. The wooden and iron single-seater featured repurposed parts stolen from tanks that survived the war. Today's lifts are far more modern. The roofs of their stations are a quilted patchwork of solar panels providing enough green energy to ferry up to 3,500 passengers per hour at speeds of up to 16 feet per second. Advertisement While rental cars do exist in the Dolomites, they should be called redundant cars. Why mess with trying to find parking in towns with more lift stations than stoplights? Plus, unless you have a helicopter at your disposal, many accommodations are only accessible via cable car. 4 A network of 500 cable cars and gondolas moves you from hither to thither. Alta Badia â Alex Moling Take the historic mountain inn Alpine Hut Pralongià: it's perched at 7,076 feet above sea level and there's really only one way to get there (and you guessed it). Rates start at $177 per person, per night and include half-board. You'll also need to get high to chow down in these parts. You can expect lots of Ladin dishes, since, while the Dolomites are technically in Italy, many locals speak Ladin (a 2,000-year-old Rhaeto-Romanic language). Their diet is heavy in barley soup, dumplings and wild game. At Alpine Hut Pralongià, it's not uncommon for guests to dine on roe deer and wild boar harvested by the hut's owners who describe themselves as avid hunters. Advertisement Guests at Agriturismo Lüch da Pastrogn, a traditional four-story farmhouse with rooms from $43 per person/night, enjoy organic milk, cheese and eggs sourced from the on-site cows and chickens. As soon as the snow melts, livestock graze on the same slopes skiers whiz down during the winter. Many of the farmers, who also run hotels, live under the lifts and operate them between feedings. 4 The best vistas are always found on foot. Alta Badia â Alex Moling For an even more elevated experience, consider Hotel Cristallo where the 602-square-foot Cristallo suite features a private spa complete with an infrared sauna. Rates in June start around $380 per person, per night. You'll also be perfectly perched at Las Vegas Lodge (rates from $155 per person, per night) where the sunrise buffet breakfast — served at 6,726 feet above sea level — is a destination in and of itself. In the winter, its guests arrive via snowcat. In summer, they rely on the Piz Sorega gondola. Advertisement Of course, if you have decent quads and calves (and not much luggage), you can always hike up. The Dolomites were designated a UNESCO World Heritage in 1992 because of their 'intrinsic beauty' derived from a 'variety of spectacular vertical forms such as pinnacles, spires and towers.' 4 Hiking the steep terrain? These snoopy bovine won't mind, just making sure your calves aren't theirs. Alta Badia â Freddy Planinschek Today, you'll find more than 6,200 miles of well-marked trails leading to an array of attractions. Courtesy of Mother Nature you have Lago di Sorapiss, a high alpine lake the color of Listerine due to the pristine glacier that feeds it. In the man-made department, you'll find mountain-top cultured spots like the Messner Mountain Museum, designed by the late, great architect Zaha Hadid. Although part of it is subterranean, it's situated on a cloud-scraping plateau accessible via a four-hour hike or 10-minute cable car ride. Cycling to the summit is also an option. In the summer, village rental shops swap out their skis for impressive fleets of wheels. You can also take advantage of Alta Badia's unique bike-share program featuring mountain e-bikes found at six high-altitude stations. Each station is equipped with a charger; some mountain lodges have them, too. Bikes ride for free on most lifts with a paying rider. So how much does your chairlift chariot cost? A daily pass — giving you access to all 140-plus lifts open in the summer — is just $70. Stay for a week and pay around $40 per day. And no need to tip your lift operator. A good old-fashioned 'grazie' will do.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
The best way to experience Alpine culture? Eat—and drink—it
Harsh temperatures and unpredictable high-altitude soil have strengthened the roots of the Alps, and the farmers living there are as resilient as the food they grow. Here, people have survived the unimaginable: In 1916, more than 200 Austro-Hungarian World War I soldiers lived at 12,000 feet for a year inside Italy's Marmolada Glacier, in a city of ice tunnels they dug by hand, rationing bread and meat, and, when they could get it, a soft sweet bundt cake called gugelhupf to ease their pain. Those hidden ice trenches are now the site of another slow battle: Climate change is expected to melt the glacier completely by 2040. Through thick and thin — traversing dangerous mountain passes in winter storms, avalanches, and in the face of climate change — lives in the Alps have depended on hearty Alpine sustenance food and drink. They ate to keep going. It was the fresh mountain air, water, and hearty food that also led to the birth of recreational skiing in Davos, Switzerland, after wealthy British visitors came to heal from tuberculosis in the late 1800s, convincing farmers to keep their inns open for winter skiing. (Related: Ski across the Dolomites — home of the 2026 Olympics.) And for 2,000 years, the people here have occupied cabins built by their ancestors, baking bread to last an entire year without a single preservative. They found the strength to survive in traditional straightforward dishes from potatoes, corn, vegetables, cured and smoked meats, aged cheeses, berries, and foraged ancient grains and herbs like mountain pine, and juniper. 'Since the Middle Ages, in the Alps, craftsmen, tradesmen, and salesmen traveled by foot for apprenticeships stopping in huts, where they would stay and eat hearty mountain food,' says Sigrid Pilchler, of the Austrian Tourist Office, adding St. Christoph Arlberg Hospiz Hotel, which is now a luxury hotel, was one of the first (it's currently closed for renovations until 2026). Today, Alpine regions are defined by generational recipes, and food and drink is the source of pride. The best way to experience Alpine culture is hut-to-hut, eating cheesy dumplings, chunks of fatty speck bacon — cured in Tyrolean basements since the 1500s — fondue, of course, and schnaps (spelled with one p, not two). Centuries later, 30,000 people are thriving in the remote Alta Badia valleys of the Italian Dolomites, practicing customs like traditional bread baking. In one of the last two commercial kitchens of Ladin families still baking Schüttelbrot, I mixed sticky spelt, barley malt, and rye flours with hearty herbs, caraway seeds, beer yeast, and sourdough, for digestion and protein. The smell of fennel reminds me, despite the area's Austrian, German, and Ladin influences, that I'm still in Italy. Baker Nikolas Seppi placed his aromatic dough on a wooden paddle, spinning it outward, loosening, flattening, and drying the loaf from the inside out until it resembles a thin pita. Schüttelbrot, translating to 'shake bread,' is all natural, no preservatives. 'Just store it in a bag on the counter,' Seppi tells me, finally breaking the crunchy bread into pieces with his fist to eat with speck and aged alpine mountain cheese. 'It will last an entire year.' Seppi's baking class is part of Nos Ladins, which invites visitors and locals to carry on ancient practices against the odds of modernization. In the shadows of popular Dolomiti Superski resorts, you can also learn farming, foraging, weaving, mountaineering, and the Ladin language. You can also visit Nikolas Seppi and his family at Panificio Seppi bakery in the village of Corvara, home to Italy's first chairlift. In the après-ski capital of the world, I watched three rowdy men in turtlenecks and ski boots chase a shot of schnaps with a chunk of fatty bacon. Here in St. Anton's old wooden alpine Sennhütte distillery, traditional schnaps with 40 percent alcohol are not for the faint of heart. The distilled fruit and herbal liqueur digestif is everywhere. Tyrol is home to more schnaps distilleries (around 4,000) per capita than any other region in the world. Many Austrian families still mash and distill their own schnaps from backyard apple, pear, and cherry trees, with water from the snow. The 'Krautinger' turnip schnaps from Wildschönau has been made since the 1700s, when an empress gave 51 farmers the exclusive rights to produce it. Only 16 farmers are still allowed to make it. (Austrian law once outlined specific standards for schnaps production, like limited labeling.) That day, instead of bacon, I chased my pine schnaps with a dessert called kaiserschmarrn, a shredded egg-forward pancake topped with icing sugar from the owner's family recipe. Churches blend into valley landscapes between the dramatic pink rock spires of Northern Italy, and inside warming huts, dumplings take center stage. Here, there's a castle church called Hocheppan that dates back to the 12th century; inside you'll find a fresco that features a woman eating a dumpling. The earliest recipe, called knödel in German and Austrian, was written in the 15th century, and every September "Knödelfest' still celebrates dumplings in medieval Sterzing, Italy. Rolled from stale bread, polenta, or potato with milk and sometimes egg, the dough balls are paired with Alpine regional flavors like spinach, beetroot, chive, speck, and cheese, then served in soup, with brown butter, or with a side of sauerkraut. The dumplings at Älpele, in Lech, Austria, are worth the trek. The only way to get to this 300-year-old traditional wooden hut is by foot, snowshoe, horse-drawn carriage, or snowcat. Apple strudel was the dish of Viennese nobles, and it's still considered the national food of Austria, along with Wiener schnitzel and tafelspitz. Now, showcased behind glass counters in most ski huts, when you'd expect cannoli or pizzelli, you'll also find elastic layers of pastry dough hugging fresh apples, raisins, lemon juice, cinnamon, and pignoli nuts. In the upper Val Badia region of the Dolomites, La Perla hotel was founded by Ernesto and Anni Costa. Its one-Michelin-starred restaurant, La Stüa de Michil, serves locally sourced innovations rooted in tradition, including apple strudel — but only when it's in season. While the earliest reference describing fondue was in Homer's Iliad back in 800 to 725 BC, both the rural Alpine highlands and the French-speaking Rhone-Alpes region near Geneva take credit for modern fondue as we know it — without scrambled eggs. When winter food supply waned, Swiss farm families gathered round the fire dipping stale bread in melted cheese rinds and whatever wine was left. It didn't take long to name fondue the national Swiss dish in 1930, and it went on to become a symbol of Swiss unity after World War II, with fondue sets sent to military regiments. By the 1960s, fondue had made its way around the globe. (The "Cheese King of Gstaad" shares his secrets to the perfect Swiss fondue.) The Montana Stube in Davos, Switzerland, is still serving fondue a century after the restaurant was used as a sanatorium to heal the British from tuberculosis. Back then, it was all alpine pastures. Today, a 500-year-old Austrian farm is still standing mid-mountain in Oberlech. The Alter Goldener Berg is a traditional hut among the four restaurants of the opulent ski-in-ski-out Hotel Goldener Berg, and it's also where I soaked up history and the best fondue I've tasted yet. A yeasted bundt cake known as gugelhupf was rationed to Austro-Hungarian soldiers fighting a slow, strategic battle inside the Italian Dolomites' Marmolada Glacier. The complex tunnels they dug deep within the area's highest mountain, called the 'Queen of the Dolomites,' became their barracks, chapels, sanatoriums, and yes, kitchens, for eating this ring-shaped coffee cake. Head for the ski slopes of Asitz Mountain, in Leogang, Austria, for the traditional bundt cake from the kitchen of the Forsthofgut Naturhotel, a fifth-generation hotel and restaurant oasis since 1617. This contemporary nature hideaway offers sweeping alpine views and sprawling gardens, with alpaca trekking in the summer. Anna Fiorentino is a journalist of 20 years who lives in Portland, Maine. Her science, outdoors, and travel stories have also appeared in National Geographic science, AFAR, Outside, Smithsonian Magazine, BBC, Boston Magazine, and Boston Globe Magazine. It recently earned her 2024 NATJA awards for her National Geographic story, "A Tsunami Could Wipe this Norwegian Town off the Map. Why Isn't Everyone Leaving?" and for her BBC story on skiing in Maine under the eclipse, in addition to past awards for her climate change coverage. Anna also writes and edits articles and reports for leading research institutes. Follow her on Instagram.
National Geographic
05-03-2025
- National Geographic
The best way to experience Alpine culture? Eat—and drink—it
Harsh temperatures and unpredictable high-altitude soil have strengthened the roots of the Alps, and the farmers living there are as resilient as the food they grow. Here, people have survived the unimaginable: In 1916, more than 200 Austro-Hungarian World War I soldiers lived at 12,000 feet for a year inside Italy's Marmolada Glacier, in a city of ice tunnels they dug by hand, rationing bread and meat, and, when they could get it, a soft sweet bundt cake called gugelhupf to ease their pain. Those hidden ice trenches are now the site of another slow battle: Climate change is expected to melt the glacier completely by 2040. Through thick and thin — traversing dangerous mountain passes in winter storms, avalanches, and in the face of climate change — lives in the Alps have depended on hearty Alpine sustenance food and drink. They ate to keep going. It was the fresh mountain air, water, and hearty food that also led to the birth of recreational skiing in Davos, Switzerland, after wealthy British visitors came to heal from tuberculosis in the late 1800s, convincing farmers to keep their inns open for winter skiing. (Related: Ski across the Dolomites — home of the 2026 Olympics.) And for 2,000 years, the people here have occupied cabins built by their ancestors, baking bread to last an entire year without a single preservative. They found the strength to survive in traditional straightforward dishes from potatoes, corn, vegetables, cured and smoked meats, aged cheeses, berries, and foraged ancient grains and herbs like mountain pine, and juniper. 'Since the Middle Ages, in the Alps, craftsmen, tradesmen, and salesmen traveled by foot for apprenticeships stopping in huts, where they would stay and eat hearty mountain food,' says Sigrid Pilchler, of the Austrian Tourist Office, adding St. Christoph Arlberg Hospiz Hotel, which is now a luxury hotel, was one of the first (it's currently closed for renovations until 2026). Today, Alpine regions are defined by generational recipes, and food and drink is the source of pride. The best way to experience Alpine culture is hut-to-hut, eating cheesy dumplings, chunks of fatty speck bacon — cured in Tyrolean basements since the 1500s — fondue, of course, and schnaps (spelled with one p, not two). Schüttelbrot bread Schüttelbrot, translating to 'shake bread,' is all natural, and is thin, like pita bread. Photograph by Frieder Blickle, laif/Redux Centuries later, 30,000 people are thriving in the remote Alta Badia valleys of the Italian Dolomites, practicing customs like traditional bread baking. In one of the last two commercial kitchens of Ladin families still baking Schüttelbrot, I mixed sticky spelt, barley malt, and rye flours with hearty herbs, caraway seeds, beer yeast, and sourdough, for digestion and protein. The smell of fennel reminds me, despite the area's Austrian, German, and Ladin influences, that I'm still in Italy. Baker Nikolas Seppi placed his aromatic dough on a wooden paddle, spinning it outward, loosening, flattening, and drying the loaf from the inside out until it resembles a thin pita. Schüttelbrot, translating to 'shake bread,' is all natural, no preservatives. 'Just store it in a bag on the counter,' Seppi tells me, finally breaking the crunchy bread into pieces with his fist to eat with speck and aged alpine mountain cheese. 'It will last an entire year.' Seppi's baking class is part of Nos Ladins, which invites visitors and locals to carry on ancient practices against the odds of modernization. In the shadows of popular Dolomiti Superski resorts, you can also learn farming, foraging, weaving, mountaineering, and the Ladin language. You can also visit Nikolas Seppi and his family at Panificio Seppi bakery in the village of Corvara, home to Italy's first chairlift. Schnaps Tyrol is home to more schnaps distilleries per capita than any other region in the world. Photograph by Franziska Gilli, laif/Redux In the après-ski capital of the world, I watched three rowdy men in turtlenecks and ski boots chase a shot of schnaps with a chunk of fatty bacon. Here in St. Anton's old wooden alpine Sennhütte distillery, traditional schnaps with 40 percent alcohol are not for the faint of heart. The distilled fruit and herbal liqueur digestif is everywhere. Tyrol is home to more schnaps distilleries (around 4,000) per capita than any other region in the world. Many Austrian families still mash and distill their own schnaps from backyard apple, pear, and cherry trees, with water from the snow. The 'Krautinger' turnip schnaps from Wildschönau has been made since the 1700s, when an empress gave 51 farmers the exclusive rights to produce it. Only 16 farmers are still allowed to make it. (Austrian law once outlined specific standards for schnaps production, like limited labeling.) That day, instead of bacon, I chased my pine schnaps with a dessert called kaiserschmarrn, a shredded egg-forward pancake topped with icing sugar from the owner's family recipe. Dumplings Knödel, or dumplings, are hearty fare that have been around for centuries. The first known recipe dates back to the 15th century. Photograph by Gregor Lengler, laif/Redux Churches blend into valley landscapes between the dramatic pink rock spires of Northern Italy, and inside warming huts, dumplings take center stage. Here, there's a castle church called Hocheppan that dates back to the 12th century; inside you'll find a fresco that features a woman eating a dumpling. The earliest recipe, called knödel in German and Austrian, was written in the 15th century, and every September "Knödelfest' still celebrates dumplings in medieval Sterzing, Italy. Rolled from stale bread, polenta, or potato with milk and sometimes egg, the dough balls are paired with Alpine regional flavors like spinach, beetroot, chive, speck, and cheese, then served in soup, with brown butter, or with a side of sauerkraut. The dumplings at Älpele, in Lech, Austria, are worth the trek. The only way to get to this 300-year-old traditional wooden hut is by foot, snowshoe, horse-drawn carriage, or snowcat. Apple strudel La Stüa de Michil, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant in the Dolomites, is famous for its apple strudel. Photograph by Stefano Politi Markovina, Alamy Stock Photo Apple strudel was the dish of Viennese nobles, and it's still considered the national food of Austria, along with Wiener schnitzel and tafelspitz. Now, showcased behind glass counters in most ski huts, when you'd expect cannoli or pizzelli, you'll also find elastic layers of pastry dough hugging fresh apples, raisins, lemon juice, cinnamon, and pignoli nuts. In the upper Val Badia region of the Dolomites, La Perla hotel was founded by Ernesto and Anni Costa. Its one-Michelin-starred restaurant, La Stüa de Michil, serves locally sourced innovations rooted in tradition, including apple strudel — but only when it's in season. Fondue Fondue has been the national dish of Switzerland since 1930. Photograph by kielcscn, Alamy Stock Photo Today, fondue has become popular around the globe, but it was first created as a way to survive harsh temperatures and waning food supplies. Photograph by Florian Spring, 13PHOTO/Redux While the earliest reference describing fondue was in Homer's Iliad back in 800 to 725 BC, both the rural Alpine highlands and the French-speaking Rhone-Alpes region near Geneva take credit for modern fondue as we know it — without scrambled eggs. When winter food supply waned, Swiss farm families gathered round the fire dipping stale bread in melted cheese rinds and whatever wine was left. It didn't take long to name fondue the national Swiss dish in 1930, and it went on to become a symbol of Swiss unity after World War II, with fondue sets sent to military regiments. By the 1960s, fondue had made its way around the globe. (The "Cheese King of Gstaad" shares his secrets to the perfect Swiss fondue.) The Montana Stube in Davos, Switzerland, is still serving fondue a century after the restaurant was used as a sanatorium to heal the British from tuberculosis. Back then, it was all alpine pastures. Today, a 500-year-old Austrian farm is still standing mid-mountain in Oberlech. The Alter Goldener Berg is a traditional hut among the four restaurants of the opulent ski-in-ski-out Hotel Goldener Berg, and it's also where I soaked up history and the best fondue I've tasted yet. Gugelhupf cake Visit Leogang, Austria, for a taste of the traditional bundt cake known as gugelhupf. Photograph by Eva Z. Genthe, VISUM/Redux A yeasted bundt cake known as gugelhupf was rationed to Austro-Hungarian soldiers fighting a slow, strategic battle inside the Italian Dolomites' Marmolada Glacier. The complex tunnels they dug deep within the area's highest mountain, called the 'Queen of the Dolomites,' became their barracks, chapels, sanatoriums, and yes, kitchens, for eating this ring-shaped coffee cake. Head for ski slopes of Asitz Mountain, in Leogang, Austria, for the traditional bundt cake from the kitchen of the Forsthofgut Naturhotel, a fifth-generation hotel and restaurant oasis since 1617. This contemporary nature hideaway offers sweeping alpine views and sprawling gardens, with alpaca trekking in the summer. Anna Fiorentino is a journalist of 20 years who lives in Portland, Maine. Her science, outdoors, and travel stories have also appeared in National Geographic science, AFAR, Outside, Smithsonian Magazine, BBC, Boston Magazine, and Boston Globe Magazine. It recently earned her 2024 NATJA awards for her National Geographic story, "A Tsunami Could Wipe this Norwegian Town off the Map. Why Isn't Everyone Leaving? " and for her BBC story on skiing in Maine under the eclipse , in addition to past awards for her climate change coverage. Anna also writes and edits articles and reports for leading research institutes. Follow her on Instagram
The Independent
28-02-2025
- The Independent
Where to ski in the Dolomites – and the best hotels to stay in
Having once sat in the shadow of the French Alps – a longtime favourite among British skiers – the Dolomites has surged in popularity as a snowsports destination in recent years thanks to breathtaking scenery, charming chalets and family-run hotels, and a culinary scene that's distinct from anything else you'll find in Europe. With 1,200 km of slopes, the Dolomiti Superski area offers something for everyone – whether that's gentle blues and greens in Corvara, Kronplatz's kid-friendly nursery runs, or tackling the challenging Sellaronda from your base in Arabba. And the scenery is unparalleled. The Dolomites is a Unesco World Heritage site, with jagged peaks towering over sweeping snow-blanketed slopes, alongside picture-perfect villages nestled in the valleys. The moment when the sun hits the mountains at dusk and dawn, turning them a soft rose pink hue, is truly gorgeous. The region is served by a number of airports, including Venice, Verona, and Innsbruck, which require a transfer of around three hours (traffic dependent). The arrival of the SkyAlps airline at the end of 2023 made it even easier to reach the mountains, with direct flights from London Gatwick into Bolzano, which is a very pleasant hour-and-a-half drive from most resorts. Admittedly, the Dolomites is not known to be the most budget-friendly ski region – a daily ski pass is roughly €70 for one resort, rising to around €80 for the full Dolomiti Superski area. But it offers a richness of experience that is distinct from any other ski region in Europe or beyond. The mountains are filled with ancient traditions, myths and legends, many of these relating to the Ladin communities that have inhabited the region for thousands of years. The Ladin language is still spoken throughout the region, while the traditional barley soup, hearty dumplings and ravioli stuffed with spinach are served at village restaurants and mountain huts across the ski resorts. You also won't find any chain hotels here – strict regulation means that accommodation is family-run and free from large corporations. With this comes unique lodgings, whether that's a luxury hotel with a high-end spa, an affordable apartment in the village, or a chic chalet in the mountains There are 12 resorts in the Dolomiti Superski area, and although there isn't a 'bad' one to visit, below are five favourites and a couple of top places to stay in each. Val di Fassa Best for families The size of the ski area and range of runs in Val di Fassa make it the perfect choice for skiers of all ages and abilities. It's particularly good for little ones, with kinderparks and plenty of nursery slopes where you'll find practice lifts and magic carpets, as well as kids clubs and childcare at plenty of hotels. Val di Fassa also has lots of fun activities away from the slopes – including snowshoeing, toboggan runs, snowmobiling and sleigh rides – so is a great option for families or groups with non-skiers. For a fun snowy experience, saddle up for a ride at Charlotte's Horse Riding Centre, with some gorgeous trails up into the mountains on lovely horses and ponies that cater for all skill levels. Where to stay Hotel Ciampedie One of the standout hotels in the Dolomites, Hotel Ciampedie feels wonderfully luxurious while also retaining a traditional Alpine feel, with rooms panelled in old wood, pine or Nordic larch, and beds with thick, cosy duvets. The spa is extensive, including an indoor swimming pool, outdoor hydromassage pool, Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, and multi-sensory rooms, as well as treatments such as holistic massages, facials and body rituals. Children are welcome and there are family rooms with bunk beds. The restaurant is excellent with a well-curated wine list. Hotel Ladinia This is a hotel that really embraces the tradition and myths of the Dolomites with plenty of pine, a traditional Alpine exterior, and Ladin-style furnishings. Room sizes range from single up to family suites so it's a good choice if you're travelling in a group. There's a spa with scented saunas, a Turkish bath and sensory showers, plus a small outdoor hot tub with views of the mountains. Alta Badia Arguably the best resort to immerse yourself in Ladin culture, Alta Badia is known for its excellent cuisine, which you'll find in Alpine mountain huts, Michelin-starred restaurants, and cosy farmhouses and taverns. Maso Runch, a traditional family-run farm, serves possibly the best Ladin food in the region. The restaurant is housed in what was once a living room and a bedroom, and has changed very little since its roots – you really feel like you're eating in a home. It's certainly a good idea to come with an empty stomach and a large appetite (a day on the slopes will help) as the food just keeps coming: pork chops with sauerkraut, homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli, and gulasch with polenta, followed by apple strudel or Linzer cake. Combine the excellent dining opportunities with varied skiing to suit all levels and you have all the ingredients for a perfect group holiday. Alta Badia has some of the best hotels across the Dolomites, including the exquisite Rosa Alpina in the pretty little town of San Cassiano. It's currently being renovated and the eagerly anticipated re-opening under the Aman brand will be later this year. Where to stay Hotel Sassongher A wonderful cosy hotel where you can really feel the influence of the family who has been running it since 1933. Hotel Sassongher feels traditional yet luxurious, with plenty of character and a distinctive Alpine style blending Ladin influences. The rooms are spacious and individually decorated, and many have balconies looking out over the valley. There's a very good restaurant with a lovely view of the mountain – at breakfast, you may spot deer in the snowy meadows. The spa includes a sauna, outdoor Jacuzzi on the rooftop, indoor swimming pool, a fully-equipped gym, and a Wellness Oasis offering treatments and massages. La Majun Four-star La Majun has a more modern feel and is just steps from the slopes. The 800sqm spa is particularly memorable thanks to its beautifully tiled indoor pool facing the mountains, two Finnish saunas, salt steam bath, and a traditional outdoor wooden hot tub. In the winter everything is geared towards a smooth ski experience, with an easily accessible boot room that has boot warmers, afternoon treats for when you get in from the slopes, a ski pass pick-up and delivery service, and a concierge to arrange snowy activities. Cortina d'Ampezzo The host of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Cortina d'Ampezzo offers plenty of challenging terrain to get the adrenaline going. Among the many slopes that will set even advanced skiers' hearts racing is the 7.5km Armentarola, and Forcella Rossa, which has a staggering steepness of 68 per cent. Cortina also offers opportunities for ski mountaineering and freeriding, with hut-to-hut routes, as well as guides who can help you seek out the best powder in the Dolomites. That's not to say it's all hair-raising black runs – there's more than enough to keep intermediate skiers happy, with wide reds and cruisy blues. The town of Cortina itself is very pleasant, with lots of shops for outdoor enthusiasts, including Patagonia, Salewa and La Sportiva, as well as excellent restaurants to refuel after a day on the slopes. Where to stay Hotel de Len You'll notice the distinctive carved wood exterior of this hotel in the centre of Cortina d'Ampezzo. The interior has a chic pared back aesthetic and a number of the rooms have balconies with views across the village, including the bell tower of Cortina, as well as the mountains beyond. The top-floor spa is light and airy, and the hotel also hosts a number of experiences, including pasta-making, wine tasting and yoga, as well as organising snowshoeing, dog sledding and snowmobiling in the winter. Hotel Villa Gaia This sweet little hotel is a ten-minute walk from the centre of town and a short drive or bus ride to the slopes. The rooms are not big, but they are cosy and nicely decorated with lots of wood and simple yet stylish furnishings. Breakfast consists of homemade cakes and other local produce such as eggs and cheese, and in the winter there's a room to leave boots and skis with a ski boot dryer. Val di Fiemme While there are plenty of slopes to keep downhill skiers happy, it's Val di Fiemme's cross-country skiing that really makes the resort stand out, with 150km of trails among beautiful woodland and wide snowy expanses. Val di Fiemme will host cross-country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics – along with Nordic combined and ski jumping, and the Paralympics cross-country and biathlon – but it's also a great place to have your first taste of cross-country skiing. There are plenty of easy tracks with beautiful scenery, as well as snowy paths ideal for snowshoeing or Nordic walking if you're not quite ready to strap on a pair of skis. Where to stay BergHotel Miramonti A popular choice for families, the friendly BergHotel Miramonti has both indoor and outdoor heated pools, as well as a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and well-equipped gym. This is a hotel that takes wellness seriously – the restaurant serves fresh, healthy food, and there are plenty of options for vegetarians, plus a children's menu. Hotel Negritella Simple and affordable, but with plenty of Alpine charm, Hotel Negritella offers everything you could want from a ski hotel. The rooms are cosy, breakfast is hearty and there's a lovely little spa to relieve aching muscles after a day on the slopes. Val Gardena Val Gardena spans the three picture-perfect villages of Selva Val Gardena, Ortisei and Santa Cristina. There are plenty of five-star offerings, with wooden chalet-style hotels boasting gorgeous spas, many of which have outdoor heated pools looking out over the valley to the mountains. It's the ultimate in relaxation. The plentiful wellness offerings and lovely village restaurants make Val Gardena ideal for non-skiers, and there's so much to do away from the slopes, but there's also an excellent range of skiing easily accessible from all three villages. Along with Alta Badia, Val di Fassa and Arabba, Val Gardena is one of the resorts from which you can access the world-famous Sellaronda, a 44km circuit of the Sella massif (23km is skied and the rest covered by lifts) known for its breathtaking scenery. Where to stay Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa The jewel in the crown of Val Gardena, Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa in Ortesi is known for its elegance, excellent service and exquisite cuisine. The Michelin-starred Anna Stuben restaurant alone is worth travelling to the region for, serving a tasting menu in a gorgeous wood-panelled nook accommodating just 12 tables, accompanied by an excellent selection of wines. There's also a spa with a particularly lovely indoor swimming pool with underwater music and a concierge service that will ensure all your ski needs are taken care of. Alpenheim This family-run hotel sits slightly above the village of Ortesi, just a short walk from the shops, restaurants and access to the slopes. Rooms are noticeably large for a mountain hotel (even the 'small' double room is a decent size), while also feeling cosy. The spa here is standout with beautiful views of the snow-covered peaks from the heated indoor/outdoor pool. Service is friendly and the restaurant serves fresh, local dishes, with plenty of options for vegetarians. How to get there During the winter season, SkyAlps operates flights between London Gatwick and Bolzano up to three times a week from €184 each way. Children under two years old travel free of charge. Airlines, including British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air, also serve Venice, Verona and Innsbruck airports, from where you can rent a car or arrange a transfer. The drive can be anywhere from two-and-half to four hours (possibly more in challenging weather or high traffic), but the scenery on the way up to the mountains is stunning.
The Independent
12-02-2025
- The Independent
The Italy mountain resort that finally proves ski breaks can be relaxing too
Sign up to Simon Calder's free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder's Travel email Get Simon Calder's Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy You may well know the type. My family includes several of them; those skiers who revel in breathless tales of bravery down some black run or – even better – a couloir. We're obviously thrilled to hear all about it, no matter how many times, but none of it sounds remotely fun. Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the whole point of skiing is that it should be fun. I can assure you, I am not that person. There is a funny little TikTok doing the rounds that shows the four types of skiers. One is of someone who is gliding serenely down the mountain without making any use of her poles whatsoever. That is me. I love skiing as much as anything in my life, but it is because it allows me to enjoy the quiet calm of the chairlift taking me to the top of a mountain and staying there for as long as possible, to enjoy the transformative effect of standing on snow-capped peaks under a clear blue sky. Skiing is a means to an end, and if I make my way back down with my dignity intact and without injury, I am in a state of pure joy. And so, two thirds of the way through a particularly grey and wet English January, I headed off for a long weekend to Corvara, part of the wider Alta Badia resort in the Dolomites. My first time skiing in Italy, I'm hoping to get above the clouds, drink Aperol spritz and red wine and eat plenty of pasta in an effort to make it through to spring. open image in gallery Corvara A winding drive into the Dolomites' increasingly spectacular rock formations eventually ends at Hotel Sassongher, a five-star retreat that has been run by the same family since 1933. There is no luxury spared for skiers, from its roof-top Jacuzzi, sauna with panoramic views and an indoor pool, to enormous four-poster beds and balconies overlooking the cobble-stoned village and slopes beyond. open image in gallery Hotel Sassongher It's getting dark by the time we've settled in, and we're just in time for an aperitif in the wood-panelled bar, pianist in the corner, with suited staff greeting guests like old friends – which it turns out they are, having repeatedly stayed here over the years. We start the evening with a local Prosecco before heading up a floor to one of the three traditional Ladin stubes, where dinner begins with lobster pasta followed by rack of lamb with artichoke. We enjoy a bottle or two of a local pinot noir and end with tiramisu selected from a long table heaving with elaborate desserts. open image in gallery Hotel Sassongher's restaurant overlooking the mountains We haven't even hit the slopes yet and this break is turning out exactly as I had hoped – basically a gourmet safari through the Dolomites, with skiing filling the gaps between meals. The Alta Badia region makes up one of the largest ski areas in the world and includes the popular Sellaronda circuit, which can be completed in a day and provides a route through the Dolomites' most spectacular scenery. But for those looking for a little more relaxation, Corvara is known for its network of gentle, wide blues while also offering some of the best restaurants on the slopes in the Alps, attracting Michelin-starred chefs and food fanatics from all over the world. open image in gallery A picnic on the slopes by Dream Beyond, which creates luxury, personalised experiences across Italy. (Dream Beyond) The combination means new and intermediate skiers who are more comfortable on some of the easier slopes are still able to reach some of the best restaurants in the area. The region's centuries-old Ladin cuisine is celebrated here. There's 'la panicia', (barley soup), 'turtres' (fried pastries filled with spinach or cabbage) and 'cajincí' (ravioli stuffed with spinach and cottage cheese with melted butter). The slope-side restaurant scene is showcased by the yearly A Taste for Skiing initiative, with this year's lineup including Massimiliano Alajmo, Valeria Piccini and Viviana Varese, whose restaurants have all been awarded Michelin stars, and who are all taking to the slopes to showcase their skills in the many mountain restaurants. After a morning guided around the slopes by instructors from Dream Beyond, which offers personalised itineraries across the whole of Italy, including the Dolomites, and knows all the best spots to eat and ski, we arrive at Piz Arlara. The family-run restaurant is nestled at 2,040m above Corvara with blue runs in and out, and with deck chairs to recline in while overlooking surely one of the Alps' most spectacular views. open image in gallery Enjoying an Aperol spritz before lunch at Piz Arlara Among the dishes it offers are various types of dumplings, spätzle, homemade ravioli, beef goulash and turtres, as well as homemade pasta, ribs and shanks, rösti and polenta from Storo. Ingredients are mostly of regional origin, such as speck, South Tyrolean cured meats and cheeses, and the game is provided by a trusted local hunter. I start with a plate of meat and cheese, Aperol spritz in hand, before the main event of venison pasta matched with another local pinot noir. As the afternoon slips by, the decision is made to head back down by the chairlift just metres away. There are also blue and red route options for those who are still feeling energetic. The late afternoon is spent pretending we still need to recover in the Jacuzzi, watching the mountains turn pink in the sunset. Fortunately, all that extra fresh air has created an appetite by 8pm, and we're expected back in the stube. Tonight's menu includes beef fillet studded with lard. Reasoning that I would have no excuse for ever ordering this anywhere other than high up a mountain, but still with a slight trepidation from a life of too many kale smoothies, I go for it. It's like cutting through butter, with a taste I don't think I'll ever forget. open image in gallery The jacuzzi at Hotel Sassongher We make the most of our final morning skiing in fresh snow that is still gently falling, with the slopes a little quieter after the blue sky and sunshine of the days before. We're refreshed, restored and confident we'll never feel hungry again. However the hotel has no intention of sending us on our way without a proper Sunday lunch. Our final feast is spaghetti with 'tomatoes from Napoli!' and a glass of pinot noir, of course, followed by coffee and a tray of little desserts that one in our party decides are so good she decides to attempt to take hers back to London for her family to experience. Thank you Corvara. You are, to me, everything skiing should be. How to plan your trip Stays at Hotel Sassongher ( start from €280 per night (two sharing) on a half-board basis.
