The Best Ski Resorts in South Tyrol

Alpine flair coupled with Mediterranean dolce vita – that's what skiers find in South Tyrol. Perfectly groomed runs, challenging steep slopes, unique views of the Dolomites, and culinary treats off-piste make your winter holiday a special one in Italy's northernmost province. Snow-Online has tested South Tyrol's winter sports regions, and presents you the ten best ski resorts.

The ski resort of Val Gardena (Gröden) has climbed the throne of our ranking. The majority of 175km/109mi of slopes are red runs, perfect for intermediate skiers. Highlights include the world cup run Saslong as well as the 10km/6mi Seceda. Every year, Gardenissima, the longest giant slalom in the world, takes place in Val Gardena. Furthermore, you find an entrance to the famous Sella Ronda, the ski circuit around the Sella group that entails more than 26km/16mi on skis. Your reward is a unique view over the UNESCO World Heritage of the Dolomites.

Alta Badia ski resort comes second in the ranking. The slopes here are particularly suited to beginners and intermediate skiers, which makes it a great family destination as well. However, the famous ski region also features several highlights to make it interesting for pleasure skiers as well. For instance, Alta Badia features an entrance to Sella Ronda, a must for every passionate skier. Moreover, the resort is a hotspot for all those looking for indulgence off-piste as well. Merely six kilometres long, the town nevertheless features several starred restaurants. With the “a taste for skiing” initiative, 10 mountain huts at the ski area feature snacks created by top chefs.

Third place goes to Kronplatz, a true all-round ski resort. Its 119km/74mi of slopes include appropriate runs for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced skiers. Nonetheless, the easier runs dominate, which is why Kronplatz is a particularly great destination for families with children. The Black Five, on the other hand, will push even athletic skiers to the limit. As the 2,275m/7,464ft ski mountain between Bruneck, St. Vigil and Olang is mostly located above treeline, the plateau boasts a unique panoramic view of the Dolomites. Absolutely stunning!

In fourth place we have 3 Zinnen Dolomites. The ski resort at the High Puster Valley features 100km/62mi of slopes on five connected ski mountains. The runs here are mainly blues and reds, and therefore particularly suitable for beginners and intermediates. However, demanding skiers and snowboarders still get their money's worth: Holzriese run at the Rotwand section of the resort has a 71 percent gradient, which makes it the steepest slope in Italy, and a real challenge. If you don't want to miss any highlights, you should definitely try the 34km/21mi ski circuit Giro delle Cime, which goes all the way to Val Comelico.

The last of our top five is Gitschberg Jochtal. The ski resort at Eisack Valley features 55km/34mi of slopes at up to 2,500m/8,202ft above sea level, most of them red or blue. Three kids parks turn the resort into a proper family destination. Furthermore, Hinterberg mountain boasts a large terrain park for freestylers of all skill levels, numerous cosy mountain huts, and modern snow-making facilities. Along the 6km/3.7mi run from the peak of Gitschberg down to Meransen, beautiful panoramic views wait for skiers and snowboarders. The challenging Mitterling run, on the other hand, promises pure adrenaline, with a 38 degree declension.

Our number 6, Schöneben-Haideralm, is another definite recommendation. Since the season of 2018/19, both ski resorts on Reschen Pass are interconnected through two 10-person gondolas. Now, winter sports enthusiasts can look forward to more than 60km/37mi of slopes for all skill levels here. Apart from that, Schöneben-Haideralm offers everything you need for a perfect ski day: from ski kindergarden and kids land to fun slope and terrain park as well as the challenging Hütteltal run, the ski area has a lot in store.

Among the ten best ski resorts in South Tyrol, we award seventh place to Sulden. It is deemed to be the snow-safest ski resort in South Tyrol, and offers an even distribution of blue, red and black runs. The easy slopes at the Madritsch (Madriccio) section are perfect for beginners and returners. More practised winter sportsmen, on the other hand, will enjoy the runs on Schöntaufspitze. The resort features 44km/27mi of slopes as well as a terrain park with halfpipe and boarder cross. Moreover, the three ski mountains Kanzel, Madritsch and Langenstein are spectacularly located underneath Ortler mountain, and surrounded by numerous Alpine peaks.

It's the biggest high alp in Europe, and THE winter sports paradise for families: Seiser Alm. The 60km/37mi of slopes above the town of Seis am Schlern are the perfect place to try your first swings on skis, or to enjoy the unique view of the imposing Schlern mountain and the Dolomites on a pleasurable carving run. The wide panoramic run is an ideal practice spot, and several of the red-marked runs are also doable for beginners relatively soon. Experts can take the connecting lift into the more challenging ski resort Val Gardena – Gröden. The terrain park underneath Seiser Alm top station is among the top terrain parks in Italy as well as worldwide. On a length of 1.5km/0.9mi, freestlye fans find around 70 obstacles on three lines of varying difficulty levels.

Ninth place is occupied by Obereggen at Ski Center Latemar, which stretches over slopes in South Tyrol and Trentino. The predominantly red-marked runs of the 49km/30mi ski resort are particularly suited to intermediate skiers. Beginners find an easy practice slope at the base area. Experts feel at home on the nearly 2,500m/8,702ft high Zanggen, the highest point of the ski resort. Here you can find demanding black runs. The night terrain park by Obereggen run is a true gem for snowboarders and freestylers. It is open until 10 pm, and offers an opportunity to practise new moves and tricks even after nightfall.

Finally, Schnalstal concludes the ranking on tenth place. The ski resort is particularly snow-safe thanks to its glacier at 3,200m/10,499ft above sea level. Hence, the season already starts in autumn, and goes on until May. Just about half of the 27km/17mi of slopes are marked black. The 8km/5mi black run into the valley is a great highlight for athletic skiers. If that's not challenging enough for you, you can venture onto the even harder Teufelsegg run, which boasts a vertical drop of 590m/1,936ft over the course of 2km/1.2mi. Ski tourers should not miss out on the guided Ötzi Glacier Tour. It takes you to the 3,210m/10,532ft high Tisenjoch, where the famous Iceman was found.