From the city of Verona it takes just an hour and a bit by car to do the 55 kilometres of the panoramic road which goes along Garda Lake, till reaching the medieval village of Malcesine.
The route to Malcesine is so spectacular that it was filmed in the first scene of the latest James Bond film Quantum of Solace.
Malcesine is famous because of its enviable position in Lake Garda and its very old castle, of roman origin and rebuilt later by the Scaligeri, the Lords of Verona. The castle was used later by the Venice Republic and the Austrians.
The castle enchantment and the position of Malcesine even inspired the great German writer Goethe during his visit to Italy.
In summer you can enjoy the fresh and clean water of Lake Garda, and practice sport activities such as windsurf and there are also lovely cycling routes to peddle along.
In winter the village of Malcesine transforms into the starting point to Baldo, the magic mountain of volcanic origin, that, being 1.800 metres high, guarantees lots of snow every winter and a breathtaking panorama while skiing looking down over the whole Lake Garda and the Alps Mountains!
The ski season in the Baldo starts in December and ends in March.
The newly incorporated panoramic cable car from Malcesine takes you up to the top of the Baldo Mountain, from where there are 7 ski lifts, which allow you to ski through 40 kilometres of slopes, suitable for experts and for beginners as well.
Before the ski day finishes we suggest you to rest at least 15 minutes, sitting at the top of Baldo Mountain, looking down at the Garda Lake and the whole landscape. This is one of my favourite views!
Ciao
Sergio
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Skiing in Malcesine, between Lake Garda and Verona |
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Skiing in the Dolomites: the SELLA RONDA tour |
Reinhold Messner once said that "the Dolomites are the most beautiful mountains in the world".
This is more than true for me as my passion for these mountains is fired up every time I return.
Since the age of 5 I have been going to these incredible mountains and their breathtaking beauty never ceases to astound me.
For me I still remember the unforgettable panorama which takes place every sunset, when these incredible mountains are tinged with an intense red colour, which slowly turns violet.
This display of such intense and vivid colours occurs because the Dolomite stone is calcareous, full of calcium carbonate and magnesium, slowly created by erosion for thousands of years.
There are some fantastic areas to go skiing in the Dolomites.
Today we'll concentrate on the Sella mountain range, which for lots of skiers is the soul and Mecca of the Alps.
On the geographical border between the Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige regions, and at the same time between Italy and Austria, this place is just out of this world, and has a strong identity which mixes classical Italian elegance with the simple life of the mountain inhabitants.
Here, amongst postcard sceneries, picturesque chalets, baroque churches, and an agricultural economy, live the Ladins, an authentic cultural and linguistic minority recognized by the European Union. In this context lies the "Sella Ronda", which means a trip around the huge Sella mountain.
Skiing between incredible rocky cliffs more than 10.000 feet high, with conveniently connected ski tracks, woods and virgin snow, it is possible to ski the Sella Ronda clockwise or anticlockwise in one day.
By car, it’s very simple to get to any of the four starting points: Corvara, Arabba, Canazei and Selva.
The ski route is around 25 miles, you need to be a bit fit but the tracks are not very difficult, let's say suitable for average skiers.
It's best to start skiing before 10 a.m., as it's very important to reach the last peak before 15.30 in order to avoid finding the uphill transport closed. In this case it would be a problem to get back to your car.
Anyway, the skiing net time is about two hours, which means you have time to rest, enjoy the panorama and feast away to your heart's content on typical Tirol cuisine including my favourite dessert, the Apfelstrudel, puff pastry with apples and cinnamon. Delicious, especially with a shot of grappa from Veneto, and afterwards you'll be skiing even better than the historical skier Alberto Tomba!!!
You can do the Sella Ronda again another day or if you fancy skiing somewhere different in the Dolomites area, there are two more options which are absolutely amazing as well: the Marmolada Glacier, with its 10.964 feet, and Cortina, famous for its 1956 Winter Olympic Games.
It's best to buy the Dolomiti Superski, a worthwhile and not too expensive skipass solution.
For information on combining winter sports with great family lodgings and what to do in the Dolomites you can contact us. We'll be more than happy to help you make this trip an unforgettable adventure!!
Come on, this season is full of snow!
Ciao
Sergio
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