The Sella Ronda - More Than Enough Skiing to Meet Your Needs

What's that..? You haven't even begun to unpack from your SUMMER vacation and here I am talking about your WINTER holiday? Get with the program, folks! If you don't start planning NOW, winter will be nipping at your heels and you'll be playing catch-up trying to figure out where to go, how to get there and even worse…WHAT TO DO!

Fear not - your ticket to a winter wonderland is here. All the information you need (or at least some of it) to make a go at a fun-filled ski holiday on some of Northern Italy's most popular slopes!

Now close your eyes and sit back: imagine a skiing circuit where you can spend our entire day hopping from slope to slope, while at the same time slicing through some of the best powder to found in the Dolomite region of Northern Italy. The area in question is called the "Sella Ronda" circuit and quite simply, its offers some of the best damn slopes you'll ever lay a pair of skis on. And you don't need to be a world class professional to enjoy them!

The "Sella Ronda"is an intense, yet pleasurable skiing venture that you can accomplish in a day if you put your mind (and body) to it. It covers a 50K skiing circuit that translates into an amazing network of nearly 1200 kilometres worth of "pistes" (slopes), served by over 450 ski lifts. Ski runs range from difficult (10%) to medium (60%) to easy (30%) so there's no reason why you can't go out and have the time of your life regardless of your skill level.

There are many towns along the circuit that allow you to pick up the Sella Ronda. One of the most accessible may be the town of Ortisei (1236m) - one Italy's most prominent ski areas. Famous for its own set of slopes but more well-known for its great proximity to other ski areas via a free "ski-express bus", Ortisei is worth your consideration.

Ortisei is actually part of a network of villages ( San Cristina, Selva Gardena and Ortisei) that makes up the "La Val Gardena" (the garden valley), the most popular and well-known skiing area in the Dolomite Region of Alto Adige. The Val Gardena offers over 176 kilometres of downhill ski runs and nearly 100 kilometres of cross-country or "open" ski runs. There 84 ski lifts, and services over 100,000 individuals every season.

Speaking of which, the 2006 ski season officially kicks off on December 2nd and wraps up on April 20, 2007. In order to get from "point A to point B" it's advisable that skiers take advantage of the Dolomite Skipass (which can be purchased for periods lasting from 1 to 28 days), and which will get you to all ski areas in and around Ortisei and Selva Gardena. A free skibus makes pickups every 15 minutes, and tickets are only 3 euro per week. (Be warned that trying to ride the bus without a paid and validated ticket will result in fines handed out by plainclothes "ski police").

Now you may be thinking that December is still a ways off and you have plenty of time to plan your trip. Well, "yes" and "no".
Yes, December is still sitting of on the horizon somewhere and your tan probably hasn't even begun to fade yet, but some of the best travel deals can be had earlier rather than later. Italians in particular tend to ski each weekend and why not - there are plenty of slopes. You may not have that luxury, so plan now in order to reserve a decent room, transportation and any extras you may need.

Meanwhile, getting back the slopes at hand: all that skiing is going to make you want to relax at some point during the day or night, and Ortisei and the surrounding area won't disappoint. There are 15 "baitas" spread out among the slopes where skiers can relax with some spiced wine, peel out of their ski suits and get some sun or re-fuel with a good meal.

Ten nightclubs and over 20 restaurants round out your itinerary, which means that between skiing all day and partying all night you'll have very little time left over! And that's not necessarily a bad thing!

A few words about Ortisei: certainly one of the most beautiful in the Val Gardena, Established in the 17th century, Ortisei is well known for it's woodwork and handcrafts, which are painstakingly created during the long winter months and then exported throughout Italy and beyond during the rest of the year. Conveying small town sensibilities with modern shopping pleasures, Ortisei - it's safe to say - has a little something for everyone. The Val Gardena Museum and many of the Gardens in around the area are worthy of your time, that's IF you can pry yourself off the slopes.

Ortisei and the Val Gardena area are easily reached from cities throughout Italy: Bolzano just 40 kilometers away…Verona 190 km…Milan 300 km…Rome 700 km…Venice 250 km…Salisburg 320 km…Innsbruck 120 km…Monaco 300 km…and Zurich 420 km. W

Whether you decide to fly in,take a train and then bus up to your location or rent a car and drive, the Sella Rond is the stuff that dreams are made of. Not to mention sore muscles.