The Ultimate Guide to Alta Badia

Stretching 16 km along a sunny valley in south-eastern South Tyrol, Alta Badia combines traditional Ladin culture with stunning Dolomites scenery and mouth-watering cuisine. Until the beginning of the 19th century, the Val Badia valley was hard to reach due to its remote location. However, today the region is easily accessible from several international airports, the closest being Innsbruck (130 km) and Venice (200 km).

Six villages make up Alta Badia - Corvara, Colfosco, San Cassiano, Badia, La Villa and La Val. The undisputed centre of Alta Badia, Corvara, is well-located in a hiking and skiing hotspot on the Sella Ronda with access to the “Dolomiti Superski” lift network. Situated on the edge of the UNESCO Puez-Odle Nature Park, Colfosco offers stunning scenery and is a starting point for the panoramic Sella Ronda ski circuit. San Cassiano is home to the largest cross-country ski carousel in Europe, whilst Badia is a quiet spot with a rustic character. La Villa has a central position, surrounded by the Pue-Odle and Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Parks. It is also home to the Gran Risa slope where the World Cup giant slalom takes place each year. Finally, La Val has an impressive number of hiking trails, including the scenic Tru di Pra.

Alta Badia has a vast ski area which links directly to the Domoliti Superski network, giving you access to 500 km of pistes. The Alta Badia ski area boasts 130 km of pistes with slopes positioned between 1,300 and 2,788 metres above sea level. The resort has a privileged position directly on the Sella Ronda, the world-renowned ski tour around the Sella massif, so is ideal for those who like to cover long distances.

With fantastic nursery slopes and a number of excellent runs to progress to, Alta Badia is perfect for beginners. There are plenty of rewarding red runs for intermediate skiers and experts can enjoy some steep skiing at La Villa, including the famous World Cup giant slalom Gran Risa piste. For those who like to practice tricks, the main Snowpark is impressive with 14 boxes, 10 rails and 17 kickers.

If you don’t ski, Alta Badia still has plenty to offer; scenic snowshoe tours, sledging, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skating and panoramic flights are all possibilities. You can also learn more about the Ladin culture by taking a cookery class or visiting one of the museums or art galleries in the region .

Alta Badia is extremely proud of its gastronomic scene with four Michelin-stars within a 15 km area; three stars for Norbert Niederkofler from the St. Hubertus restaurant at Hotel Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano and one star for Nicola Laera from the La Stüa de Michil restaurant in Hotel La Perla, Corvara.

However, there are also some superb restaurants serving delicious local Ladin cuisine. I Tabla is just one example; serving hearty plates of homemade dumplings, barley soup and polenta with sausage, this is Ladin cuisine at its best. At Piz Boe Alpine Lounge, you have a choice between a formal à la carte menu served in an elegant dining room, or a choice of traditional flavours such as polenta, pasta or gnocchi in a self-service area. Another favourite for local dishes is Maso Runch in the rustic village of Badia. For impressive views try Utia Las Vegas and for the best pizza, Fornella in Corvara is a must.