Madonna di Campiglio

Madonna di Campiglio, Italy

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Madonna di Campiglio

One of Italy's most famous resorts, with a surprisingly low number of foreign visitors. It is a very pleasant town with excellent shopping and après ski. The slopes above are varied, extensive and mostly tree-lined.

Summary

The Italian ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio is in the Italian Dolomites at an altitude of 1,550m5,085ft, with 150km93 miles of marked runs.

Madonna di Campiglio is part of the Skirama Dolomiti Adamello-Brenta area with access to 380km236 miles of downhill skiing, with 319 marked pistes, served by a total of 150 ski lifts. In addition to the skiing in Madonna di Campiglio itself (150km93 miles of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Skirama Dolomiti Adamello-Brenta ski resorts of Folgaria - Lavarone - Fiorentini, Folgarida / Marilleva, Monte Bondone, Paganella Ski, Passo Tonale, Pejo, Pinzolo and Ponte di Legno. Madonna di Campiglio is directly linked by Ski Lift to the ski areas of Folgarida and Marilleva.

The ski resort itself is at 1,550m5,085ft, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible. With ski lifts as high as 2,600m8,530ft, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.

Ski Area Stats

Madonna di Campiglio Overview

Madonna di Campiglio is one of the world's classic ski centres and one of Italy's most famous ranking with Cortina, Courmayeur and San Martino. Considering its long history in winter sports it has the benefit of an extensive and hugely enjoyable ski area with access lifts coming right down in to the town - both unusual assets compared to many of the other famous ski resorts of long standing. The resort's altitude gives it better snowsure conditions than many traditional winter sports centres.

Recent investment has meant that almost all the key trails are served by modern lifts, and supported by snow making. As well as the lift-linked terrain joined to two other resorts, a further four are included in the area pass bringing a total of 300km (187 miles) of trails served by 100 lifts, less than a third of those surface tows - a very high percentage of chairs and cabin lifts by Europoean standards.

Madonna di Campiglio is a very chic resort staging the kind of grand balls and polo-on-ice tournaments for which St Moritz is famous. It feels good to be there because the town is pleasant to be in and the surrounding scenery of the Rendena Valley with pink Dolomitic rock above, ascending in sheer cliffs and precipices above the forest is spectacular and beautiful.

The area has a long history, but had been in a period of decline for around 150 years when skiing first began here in the 1930s, the resort really taking off by the '50s. Most of the local population are now employed in the tourism industry. Unusually for a top European resort the vast majority of Madonna's clientele are domestic - Italians.

 Notable Ski Runs

The longest possible descent in Madonna di Campiglio is 4km2 miles long.

Skiing

Madonna's excellent ski area extends over 150km (93 miles) with fully integrated lift links via Monte Vig over to the two purpose-built centres of Marilleva and Folgarida in the Val di Sole. It's wonderful terrain for intermediate skiers who will find long cruising trails through the forest and a great sense of travelling as you move from one end of the ski area to the other. This is perhaps enhanced because, whichever route you take, you will emerge from above the tree-line, then descend back in to the trees to reach the base of the next lift, before coming out again on several occasions.

It should not be forgotten that, along with the lift-linked skiing, as much terrain again is accessible on the area pass, this takes in Madonna's near neighbour, the lovely village of Pinzolo which has its own medium sized ski area below Doss del Sabion, complete with modern lifts and a long-term plan to make a link over the few kilometres that separate it from Madonna's skiing. On the other side the Val de Sole the resorts of Passo Tonale (with its high altitude, year round, glacier skiing), and the slightly more distant slopes of Pejo, above the old village famous for its thermal springs, are also included, as is Monte Bondone.

Back in Madonna beginners signing up with the 150 instructor-strong ski school are most likely to be collected from their hotels or the ski school office and be taken on a mini bus up to the gentle nursery slopes of Campo Carlo Magno, away from the busy main slopes. From these beginnings it's easy to start touring the whole area by the end of your first week.

For experts the main challenges include the Canal Miramonti run down from Monte Spinale and the famous 3 Tre run - the site of the annual World Cup race. Off-piste guiding are available on request.

There are a variety of pistes to suit all levels of skier ability, from Beginner to Expert.

Snowboarding

Madonna di Campiglio was one of the first winter resorts to believe in the future of snowboarding and to invest in facilities, playing host to the most prestigious international meetings in Trentino.

The Passo Grosté boasts a half pipe built a few seasons ago, as well as a piste for boarder cross. As a reward for this commitment to the sport, the resort hosted the 2001 FIS World Championships. Lift-linked Folgarida is a past host of the Snowboarding World Cup. Off-piste guiding are available on request.

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Aprés Ski

Madonna has a reputation for its après ski that rivals that for its actual skiing. 'People Watching' begins as soon as the lifts close and many of the resort's more wealthy clientelle appear togged up to the nines already to parade in fur coats with dogs that seem smaller than any canine species previously known to mankind.

In most places around the resort the bars and restaurants retain quiet sophistication until the small hours, when the legendary nightclubs really start to buzz, some staying open through to the time when the lifts re-open in the morning if you're visiting at a busy holiday weekend.

Among the less pretentious and more lively bars are the Cliffhanger and later the Des Alpes discotheque. Further up-market are the Cantina Suisse which is popular for cocktails until 7pm and then has live music until midnight. The well heeled may then head off to the Zangola, 3km (two miles) from the resort centre (it lays on transportation) which is famous for its wild nights.