Cruising the Alps:
Sports Facilities
Alta Badia
The Alta Badia ski area
The Alta Badia ski area comprises the Corvara, Colfosco, La Villa, San Cassiano
and Pedraces resorts. All of these resorts are linked and are very close
to each other. The scenery is magnificent, one of the best in the Dolomites.
It was one of the first areas to offer the possibility of skiing from one
ski territory to another. All of the trails meet at the Col Alto, but one
can also ski at the foot of the Sella, the Lagazuoi, the Piz Sorega, the
Sasso Croce. When the sun sets the mountains become bright red, offering
a unique scenery. All of the villages are made up of renovated or new
chalets built in the same style. It is an area for people looking for sports and quiet,
relaxed living, which is part of its charm, since just a half hour away there is trendy
Cortina, queen of the Dolomites.
See our itinerary at
Land of the
Breathtaking View: Lagazuoi
The slopes
The Gran Risa and La Villa runs --both black: technically demanding --
are where Alberto Tomba (and before
him Stenmark and Thoeni) made the winners' podium more than once. It is a
fantastic, fast, technical and panoramic slope. In fact, each December Alta
Badia hosts the World Cup Men's Giant and Super Giant slaloms on the extremely
steep Gran Risa slope (36% avg., 53% max. gradient). The spacious and wide
slope which runs from the Roby to the Biok ski-lift, and continues on down
to San Cassiano, is just as suggestive. All of the ski slopes are sunny and have
fast and modern ski-lifts.
Sella Ronda
In the space of one long day, one can ski the whole Sella Ronda circuit,
covering the four mountain passes of: Gardena, Sella, Pordoi
and Campolongo. One skies through the famous "city of rocks" at
the foot of the
Sassolungo, on the Col Rodella, the Porta Vescovo trails and on the meadows
of Premaion. The entire loop is about 23 km long; an intense day for a well-talented skier.
See our itinerary
for Ski Lovers Only: Sella Ronda
Horseback riding on fresh snow
The horseback rides organized by the beautiful Hotel Armentarola in San
Cassiano (see Hotels) and by the Hotel Sport Teresa in Pedraces are truly special.
One can gallop among the "masi"
(centuries-old barns, typical of the Alto Adige region) and along the frozen
Rio Gardena river. The rocky background of the Conturines and Piz Sorega
mountains, burnt red by the sun's setting rays, accompany you throughout
the ride, while the typical onion shaped belfries of the Alto Adige villages
act as beacons.
Break-points
"Speck" (cured, smoked ham) sandwiches, "canederli"
(dumplings) accompanied by the excellent "grappe" (eau-de-vie)
of the Trentino, are among the delicious things one can taste in the Alta
Badia alpine shelters. The sunny shelter located at 2003 meters, at arrival
of the Piz Sorega chair-lift, which one can catch in San Cassiano, has a
lovely panorama. The Col Alto shelter, at 1980 meters, has an incredible
view on the Marmolada, the Sella mountain group and on all of the Val Badia.
  
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