Italy is not only famous for its artistic and cultural heritage or for its stunning sea. It has a lot to offer to mountain lovers too. Dolomites are part of the UNESCO heritage and are a must see in every season. Of course, during winter time till end of March, there is nothing better than playing in the snow! So, if you are looking for Italy best ski resorts, we have a few suggestions for you. Last month, for example, we went to Folgaria, just a couple of hours away from Milan. It is located in the Trentino region and is a perfect location for families looking for great slopes. However, you do not need to be an expert skier to have fun. In Folgaria, there is always something to do for everyone! And here’s there is out not-to-be-missed list!
1) Sledding at Folgaria
Sledding is a fun alternative to skiing, and can be enjoyed by the whole family! Folgaria has two sledding slopes, one in Costa and another one in Fondo Piccolo. They are served with an automatic ski-lift so you don’t have to carry the sled all the way up!
credits: FolgariaSki
2) Baby Parks in the snow
On the whole ski area, there are plenty of Baby Parks – all of them very close to the slopes. In Costa, there is a small play area with inflatable games right next to the restaurant La Tana dell’Orsetto. In Fondo Grande, you will find a bigger Baby Park, called Monte Maggio, again with inflatables games and qualified baby-sitting supervising the kids. In Fondo Piccolo, they have just opened a third Baby Park, called Fun & Snow, also with inflatables and qualified supervisors; in case of bad weather, children will be welcomed in a beautiful indoor space.
3) Skiing at Folgaria
Have a go, even if you or your children have never tried! If you cannot ski, do book a few lessons at Folgaria Ski School. This is what we have personally done this year and it has been a wonderful experience. But I will tell you about the lessons later on. Right now, I want to tell you about the great slopes for kids that Folgaria offers.
For children and beginners, the entire Folgaria ski resort offer slopes for children. Some of them are served by tapis-roulant (a moving belt that replaces the traditional ski-lifts), which will gently take the kids to the top of the slope. You can find them at Costa (the closest slopes to Folgaria center), Fondo Grande, Fondo Piccolo, Passo Coe, Serrada and Fiorentini. Fondo Piccolo and Fondo Grande also offer Baby Ski-lifts.
Absolutely wonderful for young skiers is the Animals Slope: while skiing, they will spot owls, marmots, hares and deer hidden in the woods. They are not real, of course, but it is a fantastic way to transform a skiing session into a magical adventure! You can find the Animals Slope at Coston – Fiorentini.
Credits: FolgariaSki
4) Ski lessons
If your children have never skied before, I strongly recommend to have them join one of the courses of Folgaria Ski School: every morning, from 10 to 12:45 or so, kids are grouped together and guided by a ski teacher; in this way, they will learn to ski and, at the same time, they will have fun and make friends on the slopes! Group lessons, however, only take place during week days. If you can only stay for a weekend, no worries: you can opt for one-to-one lessons. After a couple of them, your children will be able to ski on the easiest slopes! It is amazing how quickly they learn!
5) In case of bad weather
If the weather does not allow you to enjoy the snow, no worries! There are lots of things to do in Folgaria. You could iceskating at the indoor ice rink (Palafolgaria), or you could visit the Honey Museum in Lavarone or the wonderful and brand new Science Museum in Trento.
If you fancy a movie, Folgaria has a small cinema right in the town centre and often offers kids movies. Of course, they are in Italian but I am sure your children won’t mind! After the movie, do not forget to relax with a hot chocolate and a slide of Studel (a typical local cake filled with apples) in one of the many cafés down town.
How to get to Folgaria
- By car: take the motorway A22, exit Rovereto Nordo or Trento Centro; then follow direction signs for Folgaria
- By Train: the nearest station is Rovereto, 18 km away from Folgaria; from the station, you can take a local bus
- By Plane: the nearest airport is Verona (90 km away from Folgaria). From the airport, take the shuttle service to get to Verona railway station – only 10 minutes away. From Verona, get a train to Trento or Rovereto.
I love Italy and my company has a yearly ski trip out to Limone. Maybe I should suggest Folgaria for next year 🙂
yes, Trentino is so beautiful! You’ll have fun!!
How fun!! Sounds like the perfect spot to go with a family!! I love skiing, but I’ve only ever skied in Colorado, USA, so I’d love to try somewhere new (and abroad at that)! The sledding sounds way fun too!!
And I hope to come to Colorado very soon!!! 🙂
Sounds fun! How does it compare to other ski resorts in Europe in terms of price?
Oh my look at all that snow! Very informative. I haven’t been skiing myself but when I do I’ll be sure to head here 🙂
Thanks a lot!!!
I recall learning to alpine ski much the same way. I have to say the belt wasn’t around in the Tatras, since Poland was just recovering from decades of Communism. The Italians definitely have amazing facilities.
Thanks Milosz! Happy to have shared then!!