Alpe di Siusi and Val Gardena: a skier's paradise

As many as 175 kilometres of slopes. Val Gardena is the largest ski resort in South Tyrol. It is part of the Dolomiti Superski circuit and is the ideal site for all skiers.

If you love adrenaline-pumping courses, try the Saslong, the annual venue of Downhill World Cup: its initial short false plane cuts horizontally across the mountain ridge, then turns into a steep slope.

Also try the snow on the Longia, the longest slope in the Dolomites, at 10.5 kilometres. The wide curves, surrounded by an area full of icefalls, rocks and spruce forests, fully meet all expectations.

Once in this area, the Sellaronda circuit is a must: a rather long tour of approximately 26 kilometres, touching four Dolomite passes (Sella, Gardena, Pordoi and Campolongo) and requires good physical preparation. The pros? You will ski all day without ever repeating a slope, all surrounded by a landscape that is breathtaking to say the least.

For the more daring, there is the Alpe di Siusi Snowpark, the largest in Trentino official training site of the Italian national team of freestyle.

You can jump around 70 obstacles made of wood, rails, kickers and boxes, snowboarding and freeskiing. All in the presence of the Sciliar, symbolic mountain of Alto Adige.

Alpe di Siusi is not only fun, but also the perfect stay for those who want to relax and unplug.

Not all ski slopes, in fact, are heart-stopping. There are various circuits suitable for families and beginners.

The gentle slopes of the plateau lend themselves particularly well to snowshoeing in a truly enchanting area. Follow the paths in the Tires al Catinaccio area, take a tour in the traditional Val Ciamin or push yourself to the foot of the Catinaccio, immersed in the silence of nature. You will hear nothing but the sound of snow under your snowshoes.

If, then, you are looking for romance, you can travel in a horse-drawn carriage. Wrapped in a warm, fluffy blanket in winter, protected by a cap that shields you from the sun in summer, you will cross endless meadows, pastures and flowering meadows in fine weather, snowy scenery of enchanting charm when the cold sets in, gliding along on a sledge.

Also well organised are the numerous spa and beauty centre facilities, ready to pamper you with heated indoor and outdoor pools, fitness rooms, sauna, Turkish bath, whirlpool and more.

Also worth a stop are the “Schwoage”, rustic mountain huts. In these enchanting high-altitude huts, you can savour the delicacies of local dishes.

A simple cuisine, made with few ingredients, just as in the Ladin tradition, but genuine and full of flavour.

Among the various specialities, we recommend barley soup, turtres stuffed with sauerkraut or spinach, and furtaies, spiral-shaped fried sweets.