Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy

Possibly the most Italian major resort in Italy It has indeed been some time since we featured Madonna in these pages, and we are delighted indeed to re-introduce the resort to you..

As a ski resort Madonna is top shelf, and offers a good variety of skiing terrain for all standards. As the village is very high (1520m), with skiing to just over 2,500m snow conditions are as reliable as they are as likely to get. With about 100kms. of skiable terrain, Madonna does ot qualify as a super big skiing area destination, but once you get a look at the layout of the terrain both above Madonna and the surrounding smaller villages, you will see that numbers are deceiving.

The lift system allows for free movement all over the mountains, and they connect with the neighboring resorts of Folgarida and Marilleva. When these two resorts are added into the system the amount of skiable terrain jumps to about 150kms. Interesting, is it not? The main point of embarkation into all of this skiing is the Monte Spinale gondola, and from there the mountain is yours to enjoy. Ski down to Campo Carlo Magno, or continue onwards and upwards to Passa Groste as just under 2,500m.

From this point mostly middlin' difficault skiing will either get you back to start or to Campo Carlo from where you can enter the system to the other resorts we spoke of earlier. All in all most pleasant, mostly wide-open skiing.

There is more. On the other side of town is the mostly more challenging skiing and the site of Madonna's world cup events.

In addition the resort has good cross country possibilities, and, snowboarding is also catered for and encouraged.

These mountains also make for some pretty decent ski touring as well, and refuge huts are sprinkled liberally in strategicon mountain locations.

Madonna Di Campiglio is a sophisticated resort, ant has a full slate of non-ski activities that one would expect from same. Despite its altitude, the resort takes no changes with snow conditions. Twenty kilometers are covered by snow making equipment.

Bolzano is the closet resort to Madonna Di Campiglio, from Austria come via the Brenner pass. I reckon Munich is a good airport, but Milan wouldn't be bad either.