Looking for a great ski holiday this year? One that can allow hardcore skiers to indulge in scenic terrain from wide open bowls to gladed trails, while non- or sometime skiers have plenty of other activities to enjoy? Bolzano, in the heart of the Dolomite mountains of Italy, is the perfect spot for you. Located within a 2 hour or so drive from Venice to the south, and Austria and Germany to the north, with its own small airport, it is an easy destination to get to. Its ideal location in the heart of the magnificent Dolomite mountains make it a perfect base for ski holiday. Here are 5 reasons to Ski Bolzano, especially for mixed groups:
1. World-Class Winter Sports
For your daily ski or snowboard fix, there are 42 ski areas within an hour drive of Bolzano, including Val Gardena, Selva -Sella Ronda and Meran. Another 35 are within 1.5 hours, including ski areas in Austria like Innsbruck. Area passes are available which allow you to choose a different ski area each day; a local guide do the driving and can help you select the best resort destination of the day, based on the weather conditions and snowfall patterns for that year. Enjoy groomed skiing one day, glacier skiing another, and an introduction to backcountry yet another.
2. Apres Ski
Returning to Bolzano in the evenings, you have a wide choice of apres ski activities and restaurants. It is the shopping destination of the region, with porticoed shopping areas providing protection from the weather. You will find many local handicrafts available, as well as the latest in fashion. Wonderful restaurants, from very traditional establishments to more modern tables offer dining options for all tastes.
3. Cultural Exhibits
The city itself offers a wide range of cultural activities and museums to visit to keep you busy on a rest day. From Otzi the Iceman at the South Tyrol Museaum of Archaeology, to a medieval castle at Castel Runkelstein, there is something for everyone. For true mountaineers, a visit to one of the locales of the Messner Mountain Museum is a must-see. A museum project started by Italian mountaineer and extreme climber Reinhold Messner, this is perfect for the hard-core extreme outdoors members of the group.
4. Day Excursions
For those non-skiers, or anyone who has earned a well-deserved rest day, many excursions to various nearby cities are possible. Visit Juliets balcony and the ancient Arena in Verona, the Duomo and the museum and frescoes in the Castello del Buonconsiglio of Trento, or the Old Town of Innsbruck. A local guide can set you up with a private tour of these cities to make the best use of your time.
5. Wine
Throughout the Adige valley, vineyards cling to the sides of the mountains, where they experience cool breezes from the Alps to the north intermixing with warm, drying air from Lake Garda to the south. The result of this interplay of air produces some of the most well-structured, aromatic whites in the world, as well as some powerful reds. Some not to be missed: Terlaner, a white blend from vineyards just northwest of Bolzano, Schiava or Vernatsch, a lighter bodied red that pairs perfectly with the local smoked meats, Lagrein, a more full-bodied, nicely tannic big red, with the Muri-Gries monastary in Bolzano worth a tasting stop, as they specialize in this varietal.
The region of Alto Adige has long been a destination for outdoor lovers, but for those discerning snowsport enthusiasts who insist upon great food and wine to close each ski day, Alto Adige boasts more Michelin star restaurants than any other region in Italy. And to quote David Lynch and Joseph Bastianich in their guide to the regional wines of Italy, Vino Italiano, For those who love both the outdoors and wines, Trentino-Alto Adige is hard to beat. Great food and wine in the heart of the Dolomites, surrounded by countless ski resorts – a combination hard to beat!
