In what seems to something out of Star Trek scene, is making it’s an appearance at Alta Badia. It is the Alpine Capsule, designed by Studio Ross Lovegrove of London, which will be installed on Piz la Ila (Alta Badia), at 2100 metres altitude.
Continue reading ‘A spaced out hi-tech ecological “refuge” makes an appearance at Alta Badia’
Archive for the 'Ski Italy' Category
Livigno has a special offer this winter – a free ski pass for those who book direct with participating hotels (for a minimum 4 nights) or apartments (minimum 7 nights), will get their lift pass paid by their host.
The offer is valid for the season with a Christmas Holiday blackout.
In addition children aged up to seven years old ski for free all season, thanks to the resort’s “Baby Free” offer. Children born after 1st January 2001 qualify for the free lift pass, valid on the whole ski area, with the purchase of the same tickets by the adults who accompany them.
In addition a family of four (2 parents and 2 children), with the children born between 1995 and 2000, are entitled to a free ticket, if they buy 3 lift passes (minimum 6 days) at full price. This offer is valid for the whole winter season, except the peak holiday period between from 24th December 2008 to 6th January 2009.
Finally, Livigno also has a “Saturday special” when a Saturday pass will cost only 28 Euro on Saturdays, from 10th January to 28th March 2009.
Livigno is one of the largest and highest ski areas in the region, actually based on three original villages spread out along three miles of road. Excellent intermediate skiing, and very close to St Moritz, also famous for being duty free, due to its historical remoteness. There are over 200 shops, mostly selling alcohol, cigarettes and perfume.
A detailed analysis of 111 Alpine ski resorts carried by the Italian Touring Club Study Centre has voted Italy’s Alta Badia region, home to five ski villages including Corvara, the best.
The study included all of the main winter sports stations in the Alps, making the first place reached by Alta Badia, even more prestigious.
To reach its result, the Club looked at 16 different criteria, placing quality at the centre of its analysis.
Alta Badia enjoys a considerable advantage in the ‘geographical situation and mountain setting/’ category as it is set in the heart of the Dolomites which are widely regarded as amongst the most beautiful mountains in the world.
The climate and the quality of accommodation, the ski tows, the skiing area and the variety of the slopes were also examined. The inter-valley connections were judged to be excellent in Alta Badia, with the connection between five villages and the chance of reaching more than 520km of lift-connected slopes in the valleys around the Sella Group.
In addition snow-surety was also analyzed and again Alta Badia scored highly with 90% snow making coverage.
The study also considered summer access in to the peaks, the presence of mountain paths, woods and picturesque destinations for excursions, the relationship between beds in second houses and hotel beds, other activities available, distance from major cities and metropolitan areas, guest reception on arrival and the overall image of the resort.
In total Alta Badia scored 68 out of 80 points, 7 points ahead of the resorts placed in joint second in the table, Zermatt and Val Gardena.
Mark Hunter
The ski region has four major ski resorts, the Claviere, the Cesana-Sansicario, the Sauze d’Oulx, and the Sestriere. The Claviere ski resort is ideal for families in which the parents are teaching the young ones how to ski.
Romantic couples that enjoy the private rustic settings prefer the Cesana-Sansicario ski resort. Groups of people who loved a lively après ski would go to the Sauze d’Oulx ski resort. The serious skiers, however, who demand challenging pistes as well as comfortable amenities, the ski resort of Sestriere is the superior choice. The Sestriere was built in the 1930s. As innovations and improvements are implemented every year, the Sestriere is always a new ski resort.
Continue reading ‘Sestriere Ski Resort, Ski City in the Milky Way’
More than a dozen of the world’s top resorts have now opened for the winter – in most cases thanks to heavy snowfall which has brought several feet (60cm+) of fresh snow to some resorts in the Alps, as well as big falls in the Pyrenees and at least a foot (30cm) to most.
Continue reading ‘World’s biggest ski resorts kick off season’
Excited by the early media coverage and tour operator promotions for the coming winter and can’t wait to get on the snow? Well the good news is that snow is already blanketing the Alps and www.skiinfo.com has reported more than 20 European ski resorts are ALREADY OPEN for winter 2008-9. The Skiinfo powder alarm service has been alerting skiers and boarders by email to falls of up to 70cm through October, with more heavy snow over the past few days which is currently continuing to fall.
Continue reading ‘November powder at your ski tips! Where to get the fluffy stuff’
The international web ski forecaster skiinfo has reported large snow dumps across most european resorts with Austria getting most of the snow.
More than 70 cm (28 inches) of snow in the past few days have given an early head start to dozens of European ski resorts with exceptional powder conditions. For the rest of the continent’s leading resorts, it means a big boost in anticipation of the coming winter.
Continue reading ‘Snow dump kickstarts 2008 ski season in Europe’