Plan Your Trip Outdoor Experiences - Italy - page 105

The best source of climbing information is the Club Alpino Italiano ( Click here ) .
Another good information source is the website Climb Europe ( www.climb-europe.com ) ,
which also sells rock-climbing guidebooks covering Italy.
Skiing
Most of Italy's top ski resorts are in the northern Alps, where names like Sestriere, Cortina
d'Ampezzo, Madonna di Campiglio and Courmayeur are well known to serious skiers.
Travel down the peninsula and you'll find smaller resorts throughout the Apennines, in
Lazio, Le Marche and Abruzzo. Even Sicily's Mt Etna is skiable in winter.
Facilities at the bigger centres are generally world-class, with pistes ranging from nurs-
ery slopes to tough black runs. As well as sci alpino (downhill skiing), resorts might offer
sci di fondo (cross-country skiing) and sci alpinismo (ski mountaineering).
The ski season runs from December to late March, although there is year-round skiing
in Trentino Alto-Adige and on Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) and the Matterhorn in the
Valle d'Aosta. Generally, January and February are the best, busiest and priciest months.
For better value, consider Friuli's expanding Sella Nevea runs or Tarvisio, one of the cold-
est spots in the Alps, where the season is often extended into April.
The best bargain of the ski year is the settimana bianca (literally 'white week') package
covering accommodation, food and ski passes.
Online, J2Ski ( www.j2ski.com )has detailed information about Italy's ski resorts, includ-
ing facilities, accommodation and updated snow reports.
Snowboarding
Two snowboarding hot spots are Trentino's Madonna di Campiglio and Valle d'Aosta's
Breuil-Cervinia. Madonna's facilities are among the best in the country and include a
snowboard park with descents for all levels and a dedicated boarder-cross zone. Breuil-
Cervinia, situated at 2050m in the shadow of the Matterhorn, is better suited to intermedi-
ate and advanced levels.
Cycling
Whether you're after a gentle ride between trattorias, a 100km road race or a teeth-rattling
mountain descent, you'll find a route to suit. Tourist offices can usually provide details on
trails and guided rides, and bike hire is available in most cities and key activity spots.