Sella Ronda: Italy's most beautiful ski circuit
Italy as a winter sports destination is often overshadowed by countries like Austria and France. This continues to surprise us, as Italy boasts incredibly beautiful ski resorts with well-maintained slopes, refined Italian food, and stunning views: the Dolomiti Superski area is not without reason on the UNESCO World Heritage List. And in terms of distance, it is comparable to the French Alps.
Why Italy should be your next group or incentive winter sports destination is the Sella Ronda. In the blog below, we explain why, but first, more about the area: Dolomiti Superski.
The stunning Italian Dolomites
The area including Val Gardena belonged to Austria until 1919 and was annexed by Italy after the First World War. This resulted in a mixture of Italian cuisine with Austrian hospitality and cosiness. An excellent combination that you won't find anywhere else.
The Dolomiti Superski area
Het Dolomiti Superski-gebied omvat maar liefst 12 verschillende skigebieden met elkaar: de grootste skiregio van de wereld. Door de ligging staat deze skiregio bekend als enorm zonnig met maar liefst 300 dagen zon per jaar. In totaal omvat het Dolomiti Superski-gebied 1220 kilometer aan piste waarvan 30% blauw, 60% rood en 10% uitdagend zwart is. Hier kun je met één skipas gebruik van maken. Van de 1220 km piste, is 500 km piste rondom het Sellamassief met elkaar verbonden. Perfect voor een mooie tocht!
The regions covered by Dolomiti Superski are:
- Plan de Corones
- Cortina d'Ampezzo
- Val Gardena
- Alta Badia
- Val di Fassa & Carezza
- Arabba/Marmolada
- Val di Fiemme and Obereggen
- Alta Pusteria
- San Martino di Castrozza
- Eisack Valley
- Little owl
- Three Valleys
The Sella Ronda
The Sella Ronda mentioned earlier is a ski route measuring 26 kilometres, which can be extended to 40 km. When skiing it, you'll travel past a beautiful rock massif: the Sella massif. You'll visit four different locations: Val Gardena, Arabba, Alta Badia and Val di Fasssa & Carezza. You can start at any point and complete the route in two directions. Clockwise (orange route) or anti-clockwise (green route). During the tour, you'll be amazed by the incredible beauty of the mountains and the panoramic views this route has to offer. In addition, there are various Italian (mountain) restaurants along the route. Perfect for a great group tour!
A ski route for everyone
The route is suitable for both beginner and advanced skiers: the route only contains blue and red runs. The orange route, which goes clockwise, has slightly more difficult slopes and is also a bit busier. Therefore, if you are a beginner skier, it is best to opt for the green route. Take your time, but always keep an eye on the time during your trip. The lifts close between 4 pm and 5 pm. If you don't make it back on time, a (pricey) taxi ride will be your only option.
Culinary enjoyment on the slopes
Don't forget during the Sella Ronda to take a break in one of the mountain huts or to top up your tan in the deckchairs if the weather is nice. The restaurants with local cuisine are excellent! Order a delicious pasta, pizza, soup, or a healthy salad. While in Austria dishes are often enjoyed with a glass of beer, in Italy it's more common to order a nice glass of wine. Our favourite restaurants are: Emilio Comici Hut Val Gardena, Ciampac Hut (directly next to the Dantercepies-Val chairlift) and Piz Boè Alpine Lounge (Alta Badia).
Experience the Sella Ronda with goMICE?
With our local contacts, you can be assured that we will translate all your wishes into a suitable programme for your winter sports group trip. In addition to a good mix of activity and relaxation, we can also put together a tailor-made programme of activities that will showcase the Dolomites region even better, if desired! Furthermore, we always ensure an attractive programme and activities for non-skiers so that no one will be bored. From tobogganing, snow hiking, and team-building in the snow to husky tours and an après-ski or a spectacular party in a mountain hut.
Naturally, a winter sports group trip should be an experience that is looked back upon fondly. With our Stretch-method We ensure an optimal travel experience in the lead-up to it, during the journey itself, and participants can continue to enjoy all the wonderful experiences even when they are back home.
We absolutely love this magnificent natural rock setting, the fine Italian atmosphere, the excellent slopes and the fantastic group and incentive possibilities that the Dolomites have to offer. Have you also become enthusiastic about a trip to the Dolomites after reading this blog? Winter sports group trip with your colleagues or contacts? then feel free to Contact Meet with us to discuss the possibilities for Italy or another winter sports destination!
Update: This blog was first published on 5 January 2018 and was updated with new information on 6 December 2021.