And, of course, there’s the stylish Italian character — only much of the region isn’t Italian as we know it.
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we → ’ → it
Most of the ski resorts in the Dolomites are in Italy’s Südtirol and seem more Austrian than Italian — in everything from language and cuisine to mindset.
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Most → seem → mindset
Add superb skiing and you have the makings of an unforgettable mountain holiday in a Unesco World Heritage Site.
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you → add → Site
Most resorts are within the 1,200km of pistes in the massive Dolomiti Superski area, which you can access on the same pass.
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you → access → pass
Here are some of the best places to ski in the Dolomites.
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some → ski → Dolomites
If you didn’t see the Queen of the Dolomites bossing it during the Winter Olympics earlier this year, you missed a fabulous spectacle.
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you → see → spectacle
Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Veneto region combines Italian glamour with seriously top-class skiing, including a women’s World Cup run.
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d’Ampezzo → combine → run
Its 120km of pistes within Dolomiti Superski are spread around three main ski areas.
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km → spread → areas
Tofana is the most varied, with everything from the gentle blues of Socrepo to challenging reds and terrifying blacks further uphill.
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Tofana → challenge → reds
Faloria is the easiest area to reach from the town, but is geared mainly towards confident intermediates and experts.
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Faloria → reach → intermediates
You can’t get more central than Hotel Cortina, which has pleasingly traditional rooms.
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which → get → rooms
Speaking of lunch, food-loving skiers flock to Alta Badia to taste some of the best food in the Dolomites.
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skiers → speak → Dolomites
The region is home to two restaurants with Michelin stars, and it certainly capitalises on this by hosting food and wine festivals all winter long.
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it → capitalise → festivals
It kicks off the season on December 13 with its Gourmet Ski Safari, in which five top chefs take over mountain restaurants and offer their delicious take on local cuisine — which you sample as you ski from hut to hut in the course of a day.
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you → kick → day
Six villages make up Alta Badia, with Corvara, San Cassiano, Colfosco and La Villa among the most popular.
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villages → make → popular
It’s also part of the Sella Ronda circuit, which you can join from Corvara.
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you → ’ → Corvara
Stay: Take in gorgeous mountain views from friendly, family-run Hotel Sassongher in Corvara, which has an extensive spa with outdoor heated pools.
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which → stay → pools
B&B doubles from £419; sassongher.it
Val Gardena
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B&B → double → 419
Along with its neighbour, Alpe di Siusi, Südtirol’s Val Gardena covers 175km of pistes, including the men’s World Cup Saslong black run.
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Gardena → cover → run
You have the choice of three villages as your base: Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva di Val Gardena — all with typically Tyrolean architecture.
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all → have → architecture
Wherever you stay, you’ll want to set aside a whole day to ski the Sella Ronda, one of the greatest ski circuits in the world.
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you → stay → world
One thing you won’t be lacking on your route is an excellent place to stop for lunch.
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you → lack → lunch
B&B doubles from £336; alpingarden.com
3 Zinnen
A few miles from the border with Austria, 3 Zinnen is an overlooked corner of the Dolomites — overshadowed by its glossier neighbours.
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Zinnen → overshadow → neighbours
This means you won’t get the crowds, but you’ll still get 115km of pistes and marvellous views of the 3 Zinnen (three peaks, or Tre Cime in this bilingual region).
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you → mean → region
Slopes fan out from most of the five villages, all with bilingual names and all connected by bus or train.
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all → fan → bus
3 Zinnen offers its own Giro delle Cime, a 35km route that skirts round five mountains.
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that → offer → mountains
Ski tourers can strap on their skins and set foot in Austria.
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tourers → strap → Austria
Expert skiers come to Kronplatz to take on its Black Five Ski Challenge and track their progress along its famed tricky black runs.
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skiers → come → runs
Running a close second to Cortina in the stylish stakes, Madonna di Campiglio in the Trentino region in the western Dolomites has 150km of widely varied slopes including those of neighbouring Pinzolo.
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Campiglio → run → Pinzolo
Snowboarders love it here too, especially with four terrain parks to play around in.
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Snowboarders → love → parks
You’ll be right on the Sella Ronda circuit at Arabba, and intermediates and advanced skiers will relish the resort’s steep slopes.
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intermediates → relish → slopes
Part of Dolomiti Superski, it has a direct connection to Marmolada glacier at 3,343m, the highest mountain in the Dolomites.
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it → have → Dolomites
Expert skiers who love history can ski the First World War ski tour around the Col di Lana from Arabba, as well as from Corvara, San Cassiano, Corvara, Civetta and Malga Ciapela.
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who → love → Corvara
The Aporia
