More information - Val Gardena - Italy

Val Gardena is a great skiing centre with particularly appeal to those who enjoy the sensation of skiing from village to village with the unique Sella Ronda joining Canazei, Campitello, Corvara, Colfosco and Arabba like a giant wheel, with valley 'spokes' coming off linking more resorts in the Fassa Valley, Alta Badia and others.

If you travel the other way down Val Gardena you can reach half a dozen other major ski areas within a few minutes drive. Because the terrain is dominated by spectacular pink precipices most of the skiing has to take place either on the gentle lower valley sides or through short sharp descents cut out between the precipices. These tough runs are rather few and far between in the dolomites, on piste at least (It's a mecca for off piste with guiding), but Val Gardena does have more than its fair share of tough skiing, one of the reasons that the World Cup keeps coming back.

Beginners can take advantage of Selva's relatively high altitude for a traditional village (1563m/5115 feet) and its extensive local snow making and make their first turns on the gentle meadows along side the village. Intermediates will probably enjoy the whole huge area the most - with 175km (110miles) of lift-linked terrain linking more than a dozen villages in the area, there are few if any pistes runs that a good intermediate can't tackle, even the famous runs including Ciampinoi, Dantercepies and Piz Sella beloved of experts.

For the experts, besides the aforementioned runs on the piste and notwithstanding the fact that there is six times as much skiing on your Dolomiti Superski Pass to explore as there is in the already huge lift linked area, it must be pointed out that ski mountaineering in the Dolomites is something very special. The choice of routes is varied, but most offer a combination of unique views, relatively short ascents (sometimes with a little help from a lift), and downhill runs through demanding terrain, with narrow gullies and steep gaps. Itineraries include the ski tour from Forcella del Pordoi - Val Mezdì - Val Lasties: a famous downhill route - and rightly so - but not always easy. The route starts at the top of the Pordoi cableway. Then there's the Marmolada glacier or the high-alpine downhill run from Forcella del Sassolungo (2,686 m) through the Langkofelkar to Monte Pana.

Finally the Val Gardena also has plenty to offer cross-country skiers. From Selva Gardena, Vallunga provides a magnificent backcloth for cross-country skiing. A total of 15 km of trails lead from the Carabinieri Sports Centre to the end of the valley. There is a cross-country Ski School and a ski hire at the start of the trail. Nearby Alpe di Siusi is a real paradise for the more ambitious cross-country skier, with over 60 km of prepared trails and superb views at every turn.