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Resort Height:1568m

Corvara is a large village in the Alta Badia region of the Dolomites that has built a reputation in recent years as one of Italy's more sophisticated destinations, with a number of gourmet restaurants and similar establishments attracting some of the great and the good of southern Europe.

On the slopes there has been a great deal of investment in modern lifts and extensive snowmaking, replacing old drag lifts. Made up mostly of large chalet-style hotels, it is promoted jointly with its neighbouring villages Colfosco, San Cassiano and La Villa, so it is important to check that an advertised facility is actually within Corvara and not some miles away in a different village.

Corvara and the whole Alta Badia region is located on the Sella Ronda, which provides access to one of the world's three largest lift networks. The Sella Ronda itself is a circular network of lifts that encircles the vast Sella Massif of sheer pink Dolomite precipices, linking together several famous ski valleys (Badia, Gardena, Fassa) which radiate off from the circuit like spokes on a wheel.

All told there are about 500km of piste and all the lifts are included on a hands free ticket that's sold as the Dolomiti Superski Pass. This in fact covers 12 ski valleys in the Dolomites and over 1,200km (750 miles) of runs, one of the largest pass networks in the world. Not all of these lifts are fully linked but many are easy to reach by public bus or rental car.

Beginners

Quite a good choice for beginners with lots of progression terrain to move on to as your ability improves, and modern chairlifts make getting up the slopes fast and efficient, (often more challenging than coming down them!).

Corvara's ski school is one of the oldest in the area, established for more than 60 years. The ski school takes lessons on nursery slopes by the village from Monday to Friday between 10am and 12.45 with the Friday lesson continuing through to 4pm to allow for end-of-week competitions and awards.

Intermediates

A wonderful choice for intermediates with some great skiing around the Badia valley and then the chance to just keep skiing in either direction around in to Val Gardena or the Fassa Valley on one side and Arabba and the Marmolada glacier on the other.

A trip right around the Sella Ronda circuit is a must, and can usually be completed in half a day by a good intermediate skier. It's best to start off first thing in the morning however to be sure you make all the lift connections and have time for a comfortable lunch, rather than risking the need to rush at the end.

Altogether the circuit is approximately 26 km (16 miles) long and the ski runs have a vertical difference of 4,500m in total, linking the four passes of Sella, Pordoi, Campolongo and Gardena.

Advanced

Corvara offers a range of attractions for the advanced skier including some steep pistes, some great off-piste powder itineraries with a guide, legendary ski touring, glacier skiing and heliskiing. In other words, it's all here!

On the piste the improved Gran Risa course, complete with the "cat's humps", is worth a pilgrimage. Hosting world cup events these two rises make the approach to the finish line more spectacular and technically difficult for the world's elite racers.

Off the piste some of the best-known alpine ski-tour runs in the Dolomites are here and skiable beyond the end of the season. The Passo Pordoi cable car lifts skiers on to the Sass Pordoi where the Sella Massif is cut in its longitudinal sense by two famous valley furrows, originating on the wide summit plateau and only a few dozen metres apart. The Val Mezdi descends to Corvara's neighbour Colfosco in Val Badia.

There are many ski touring routes in the area too. The "nature reserves" tour follows an unbroken path through the cultural landscape of Alta Badia, within the confines of the Puez-Odle and Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Parks.

From Colfosco the lift takes you into the Val Stella Alpina, beginning the day on Col Pradat and Forcelles for unique panoramic views on the edge of the Puez high plain. The tour moves further on to Corvara and up on to the skiing arena around Col Alto, Piz Sorega and Piz La Villa. You'll see marvellous skiing slopes far into the distance!

Going over one of them towards La Villa and onwards to Gardenezza, participants have the mighty peak of the Sassongher in view and pass typical Ladin hamlets made out of stone and larch wood. The route continues to Pedraces and San Leonardo and on up to Santa Croce, the high point of the tour.

Snowboarding

Snowboarders are catered for with a terrain park by the Ciampai slope, and there's an additional boardercross course served by the La Para lift in neighbouring lift-linked San Cassiano. The area also provides wide ranging freeriding opportunities and with most of the old drag lifts replaced by modern, high speed chairs, accessing it all is smoothly done too.

Other Activities and Facilities

Most of the activities besides skiing and boarding are either outdoors or in private hotels. Snow shoe excursions are organised and there are 50km of trails for Nordic walking.

Sleigh rides are also available, pulled by a pair of norici or avelignesi horses, or you can leave the sleigh and take a horseback ride offered by the Teresa riding schools or the Sitting Bull Ranch.

Curling, sledging and ice skating are other options. For cross country skiing there are 15km on tracks in Conturines, Lavarella and Settsass. A new altitude route at the "Passo delle Erbe" mountain pass is 6.5 km long and located at the bottom of Sass Pütia at 2000m.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Corvara is a large village with more than 50 bars and restaurants. Popular après ski spots include the Murin as well as the Taverna Posta. In the restaurants there's a range from pizzerias to basic establishments offering local Ladin cuisine, which harks back to traditional peasant recipes.

These simple dishes, tasty and genuine, are more and more appreciated by guests from all over the world. The resort has also built a reputation for gourmet standard cuisine with a number of high quality restaurants listed in the best Italian and international gourmet guides. These include the reservations-only Stüadl Jagher in the Hotel Sassongher, the Col Alto, Alisander and Adler.

Families

The ski Kindergarten Kinderland accepts children aged two and over at its location in the resort centre near the Boe Cable Car. Run by the local ski school, it is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm. The kinderland offers plenty of games and fun and prices, including lunch cover, are available (most kids don't want to leave). Children aged four and over can join in proper ski lessons.

Ski/Board Suitability Guide

Suitable for families:	[No]
Suitable for beginners:	[5]
Suitable for intermediate skiers:	[3]
Suitable for advanced skiers:	[2]
Suitable for boarders skiers:	[3]

Piste Map for Corvara

Accommodation in Corvara

• Hotel Bel Sit - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Col Alto - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Sassongher - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Table - 3 star, half board

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