Catherine, October 2024

The popularity of the Italian Dolomites has boomed in the last few winters with many British skiers discovering the joy of this wonderful ski region for the first time. The reasons to visit are numerous: breathtaking scenery, expansive ski areas, exquisite food, bags of traditional charm and outstanding hospitality. 

With every destination comes a new set of vocabulary and you might have heard terms like the ‘Sella Ronda’ and ‘Dolomiti Superski’ bandied about. Perhaps you’re wondering what these mean or maybe you’re just looking for some more information about this superb region. If so, read on...

How to Get There

All our featured resorts are in the North East of Italy in the regions of Trentino Alto Adige and Veneto. This area is well served with direct flights to Innsbruck, Venice Marco Polo, Verona and Milan Bergamo from the UK.

Signposting the Sella Ronda and Dolomiti Superski, image: wisthaler.com

image: wisthaler.com

What is the Sella Ronda?

The Sella Ronda is a 40km ski circuit round the stunning Sella Massif. It’s on every skier’s bucket list and is well worth doing for the scenery alone. Depending on your ability, the circuit will take up to a whole day to complete so make sure you plan ahead and leave enough time to catch the last lift back to your accommodation! The Sella Ronda circuit also acts an important connection between a number of world-class resorts to create a linked ski area with a whopping 529km of pistes to explore.

Stay anywhere with access to the Sella Ronda circuit and you’ll be in one of the biggest ski areas in the world. Our featured resorts on the Sella Ronda are Selva di Val Gardena, San Cassiano and Corvara.

View from Seceda, Selva di Val Gardena © DOLOMITES Val Gardena

© DOLOMITES Val Gardena

What is the Dolomiti Superski area?

This is a collection of 12 ski areas all covered by the same lift pass. The lift pass gives access to over 1200kn of pistes but not all the ski areas are linked by ski lifts or public transport. If you stay in Selva di Val Gardena, San Cassiano or Corvara you’ll need a Dolomiti Superski lift pass to access all the lifts in the linked ski area.

I’ll need to learn some Italian before I travel, right?

Not necessarily. Visit Cortina d’Ampezzo, Madonna di Campiglio or Pinzolo and the culture is decidely Italian. However, in the South Tyrol region, many people speak German or the local dialect of Ladin as their first language. It’s the perfect melting pot of language and customs and makes for a rich cultural experience.

Madonna di Campiglio, Italy

The resort centre, Madonna di Campiglio

Is the area good for non-skiers?

Absolutely. The ski areas and villages have developed organically over time and retain their traditional charm. Cortina d’Ampezzo is an ideal choice for non-skiers with an extensive historic centre offering plenty of opportunities for shopping and people watching. It’s also very easy to combine a trip to Cortina with a city break in Venice. Similarly, Madonna di Campiglio has a charming centre and great café culture and works perfectly for a twin centre trip to Verona as well.

If this has whet your appetite for a trip to the Italian Dolomites, please contact our Ski Specialists on 0131 243 8097 or Enquire Online. and we’ll be happy to advise on the best destination for your requirements. Wherever you go, a warm welcome awaits!

 

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