Dolomites/Val Gardena region

Have stayed in Arabba. So features I recall:

Beautiful rock formations, many just off your piste.

Sella Ronda makes for an easy day trip, stopping off at a different village for coffee, lunch, etc. And then do it the other way round and it is totally different.

May be a generalisation, but I viewed the Italians as having the worst slope discipline outside of snowboarders. (I said it once, and I think I got away with it!)

But if you have children, Italy is the place to be.

The year we were there was a bad year for Eurosnow, and the Sella was a white artificial strip of sugar.

Made a mental note that the Sella Ronda would make a great summer walking holiday.

Cortina's nice, a bit pricy though

Make sure you ski the Saslong (Mens downhill run) in Val Gardena, it's one of those runs which makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up on end. The rollers which you see the skiers going airborn off on tv are huge and make you glad you're not racing the clock!

The womans downhill (or might be super GS) run in Arabba is also a great run.

i was in santa christina (Val gardena) last year booked my accomodation through www.valgardena.it - put your dates in and it is sent to all hotels, appartments in the resort and all available accomodation will get back to you i had plenty of choice - you can also get a terravision bus from bergamo airport to ortisei, santa christina or selva it stops in the 3 resorts.

This year was in alba di canzei and booked through fassa.com and again plenty of choice for accomodation, would recommend either of these areas the scenery is stunning the sella ronda is a great way to see arraba, covara etc.

Hopefully booking Arabba for March tomorrow so could someone explain to me Sella Ronda, Doloimites and marmalada please.

I stayed in Val Di Fassa but skied over to Marmolada. Its a great trip to do, took all day there and back. Theres the sella ronda circuit which runs around the sella ronda. You can go clockwise or anti-clockwise. I didn't do this as was with a snowboarder and he's lazy! Would love to go back there great for beasting the miles out. At the end of you holiday you can go on the dolomites website and put your pass number in and it tells you the distance you covered and you study each day's progress! Lovely area with beautiful scenery!

If you think of the Sella Ronda as the face of clock, coming off at 2 is the Alta Badia area, at 5 Arabba area leading to Marmolada. 7 Canazei and 10 Selva, Val Gardena and St Cristina.

The circuit can be done in either direction, intermediate skiers will be able to get round in a day, just watch the time when you're off the circuit in one of the linked areas.

I stayed in Canazei, which was a bit of a trek to the more demanding skiing in Arabba or Selva, so if I went back I stay in one of those resorts.

Marmolada is the highest peak in the area at 3350m. I remember it being -25c up there!

You know what I have always wanted do is to ski the camel bumps on the world cup run, ever since Konrad B cocked up on them to gain 2nd best.
" make a note of things I must do "