Ortisei Ski Resort Guide & Reviews Ski Area, Apres-Ski, Accommodation, Other Activities
Resort Reviews
Ski holidays in Ortisei - a picture postacrd village in the beautiful valley of Val Gardena giving direct access to the extensive Dolomiti Superski area that includes the famous Sella Ronda tour - a 26km circuit around the Gruppo Sella.
Ortisei is the main village in the valley and just 5km away from Selva, the gateway to Alta Badia.
Val Gardena is also well known by the skiing fraternity as it hosts the opening race of the ski season with the exciting FIS Ski World Cup downhill on the challenging "Saslong" course.
From its location in the heart of the dramatic UNESCO protected Dolomites, Val Gardena combines Italian and Austrian influences to create a wonderful mix of unique food, culture and traditions.
In terms of apres-ski, there are some very lively bars and a very good selection of restaurants serving up fantastic local dishes.
| Key information (local area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1236m |
| Top lift | 2518m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 400 |
| Longest run | 10 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 115 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 5 |
| Heli Skiing | ✔ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✔ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Relaxed & Lively |
Ortisei ski area guide
Ortisei benefits from its proximity to the sunny bowl of the Alpe di Suisi ski area - perfect for those who love cruisy scenic runs and a great place for beginners and early intermediates.
For more advanced skiers, dont panic, there are some amazing blacks and steep off-piste trails to challenge you around the Sella Ronda circuit- check out the area of Ciampinoi and Sassolungo between Selva Val Gardena and S. Cristina.
Beginners
Ortisei has some lovely beginner areas with gentle slopes which are also ideal for second week skiers who want to improve their technique.
Intermediate
For the intermediates, the local and entire Super Dolomiti area is heaven with literally miles and miles of piste at your finger tips.
One of the best days out is to ski the Sella Ronda - it can take up to a full day depending on your ability, fitness and the number of pit-stops but definitely worth it.
Advanced
The local area of Ciampinoi / Sassolungo between Selva and S. Cristina has the most challenging runs and certainly the best off-piste. Taking a guide is the best way to discover the best trails. Farther afield, a trip to Arabba via the Podroi Pass is highly recommended.
Arabba has the most blacks around the Sella Ronda circuit and from there, time permitting, skiing on the Marmolda is not to be missed. From Arabba, it takes around 40 mins to ski to the base cable car. A further 2 cable cars gets you to the top. The best known run is the Bellunese from Punta Rocca at 3300m down to Malga Ciapela, a vertical drop of 1800m and some 12km long - truly amazing and stunning scenery all the way.
Other ski holiday activities
For those days where you simply dont want to put skis on, there are plenty of other activities to hand:
- Ice skating
- There are 51km of cross-country and skating trails with the longest, Circuit de Coufin, being 9km long
- Heli-skiing
- Mardolomiti leisure centre with pool & spa centre
- Indoor hot spring pool
Children
Ortisei, as with many Italian ski resorts, worship children and the kid's facilities are second to none with day care kid's clubs catering for 3 year olds and upwards.
Featured ski chalets & apartments
Ortisei accommodation
Being the main village in the valley, there is plenty of good value accommodation in Ortisei ranging from superb family run hotels to high quality self-catering ski chalets and apartments to rent.
Wherever you choose to stay, you are never far from the lifts and the buzzing village centre.
Our view on Ortisei
- Definitely try the Sella Ronda circuit even if you are an early intermediate - superb fun all the way round
- For some entertaining fun, the ski boot bop in Corvara is a good way to end the afternoon. This "disco" kicks off around 3pm each afternoon and generally continues in the surrounding bars until the early hours!!
- Ski over to Alta Badia via Corvara and head up to the hidden valley to discover the frozen waterfalls. At the end of the piste, you get towed by horses back to the ski lift!
Resorts similar to Ortisei in the Dolomites include Alleghe and Canazei.
