The Bormio ski area is located in Lombardy, northern Italy, at the foot of the Stilfser Joch. With 50 kilometers of slopes and the famous “Stelvio” World Cup run, the famous ski resort offers a wide range of options for all skiers, from beginners to professionals. 

Up to 80 percent of the slopes have snow-making capabilities, making winter sports fun into spring possible.

• 50 kilometers of slopes and 15 lifts
• rapid descents “Betulle” and “Stelvio”
• “Alta Valtellina” ski pass with access to 230 kilometers of slopes

The Bormio ski area is located in Lombardy, Italy, and extends from 1,225 m in the valley to 3,012 m at the summit of the Cima Bianca. The area offers around 50 kilometers of slopes in all levels of difficulty and 15 lifts. Bormio is a well-known venue for World Cup races and has already hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships twice.

A highlight for all skiers is the demanding “Stelvio” downhill run, on which the men’s World Cup races also take place regularly.

A total of 14 km of blue pistes await beginners, 34 km of red pistes for advanced skiers and the 2 km long black “Betulle” run. It is one of the most technically demanding slopes in the entire region.

The snow guarantee in Bormio deserves a full five stars: thanks to the altitude in the Alps and the access to the Stelvio glacier ski area, the season lasts from the end of November to the end of April. The average snow depth is 5 cm in the valley and 81 cm on the mountain. March is particularly snowy when snow depths of up to 95 cm are measured on the mountain.

Should there be no snow, snow cannons can help: up to 80 percent of the slopes can be artificially snowed and ensure skiing fun.

With 99 sunny days per season, Bormio is just below the Italian average of 101 sunny days. The chances of sunshine in January are particularly good: This has an average of 23 sunny days per season.

Bormio is part of the Alta Valtellina (Hochveltlin) ski association, which opens up a total of 230 kilometers of slopes in the neighboring ski areas of Livigno, Valdidentro in the Stelvio National Park and Santa Caterina Valfurva with a single ski pass.

2) Bormio trail map

3) skiing in the Bormio ski area

The extensive Bormio ski area in the Alta Valtellina region is known all over the world thanks to the many World Cup races. The many challenging red and black slopes such as the “Betulle”, the red and black “Valbella” and the red “Stelvio” attract numerous experts to Bormio.

On the 3.2 km long “Stelvio”, skiers overcome an altitude difference of around 986 m down to the valley.

However, there is also the option of “getting off” en route and switching to the easier “Bosco-Basso” slope. The two slopes “Stella Alpina” and “Bimbi al Sole” from the summit of the 3,012 m high Cima Bianca offer skiing with a fantastic panoramic view. This extensive selection of challenging slopes for experts has been rewarded with four stars

Beginners will find some attractive blue slopes and a child-friendly practice area with a magic carpet halfway up at the Bormio 2000 mountain station. The “Gormiti Park” in the valley right on the outskirts also offers age-appropriate ski courses for young beginners in winter sports, a playground and a toboggan run.

The family-friendly offer in the Bormio ski area is rated with four stars by the experts, while the offer for beginners receives a good three stars. However, beginners in skiing will find many other beginner-friendly slopes on which they can practice in the surrounding ski areas.

Away from the pistes, there are magnificent deep snow areas for freeriders around the Cima Bianca, such as the Vallone area at 3,000 m altitude on Monte Vallecetta and the “Sciatori” area near the “San Ambrogio” piste: Here the path leads through the snow-covered forest.

Cross-country skiers will find a total of 5 km of trails on the outskirts of Bormio for a leisurely round through the snow. You can also switch to Santa Caterina, where World Cup races have already taken place and 18 trails, some of which are very challenging, or to Valdidentro with 25 kilometers of trails. The 15 km long “Viola” trail is a special experience here.

4) Expert evaluation

The popular Bormio ski area in Lombardy is consistently rated very well by our experts

5) Off-piste activities

The gastronomy in the Bormio ski area is characterised by its mix of traditional dishes from the region and typical Italian cuisine with pasta and pizza. It is particularly nice to dine in the “Ristorante Heaven 3000”, where the name says it all: At the summit of the Cima Bianca at an altitude of over 3,000 m, guests enjoy an incomparable panoramic view.

Located deeper at the Bormio 2000 mountain station, there are several restaurants that invite you to take a break. In the “Chalet die Rododendri” delicious specialties from the Alta Valtellina are served. The restaurant “La Rocca” with a large sun terrace is a bit away from the hustle and bustle.

The après-ski scene in Bormio is a bit more modest. Most winter sports enthusiasts meet at the end of the ski day at the “Be White” bar at the valley station. Later in the day, the party moves to various bars in the town center such as “The Clem Pub”, the “Braulio Wine Bar” and the “Sunrise”. Live music is often played here.

If you prefer to end the day with a cozy meal, you are in good hands, for example, in rustic “La Rasiga”, “Kuerc” and “Al Filo”. The après-ski and gastronomy in the ski area are each highly rated.

Bormio offers the best conditions for a ski-free day. Families with children can have fun in the child-friendly “Gormiti Park” on the playground and the toboggan run or circle on the ice rink of the ice rink. A special experience is a tour with a dog sled through the deep snow around the village.

Winter hikers and snowshoe hikers get their money’s worth in the Stelvio National Park: the park is criss-crossed by numerous well-marked winter hiking trails, and experienced local guides offer excursions to the surrounding peaks such as Cima Piazzi and Monte Sobretta.

History buffs can hike along the Friedensweg, where the World War II front once ran along the Stilfser Joch.

Also worth a visit are the Bormio City Museum in the historic Palazzo de Simoni and the Mineralogical and Naturalistic Museum that explains the geology of the Alps. Further highlights for those interested in culture are the collegiate church of San Lorenzo in Chiavenna, in which the “Pace di Chiavenna” is exhibited, and the historical Museo Valtellinese di Storia e Arte in Sondrio.

The famous Swiss winter sports resort of St. Moritz is a great destination for a full-day excursion: the Rhaetian Railway connects St. Moritz on a spectacularly beautiful route over the Bernina Pass with Tirano (40 km from Bormio). Here the drive alone is worth the trip.

6) Locations in the ski area

The cozy Bormio is one of the most popular winter sports locations in Italy. It is located in the Upper Valtellina (it. Alta Valtellina) in Lombardy at an altitude of 1,225 m and is characterized by its mild climate. The thermal springs of the place were already stirred by the ancient Romans. Today they are a year-round tourist magnet.

Winter sports enthusiasts also like to relax in the 37 to 41 ° C hot water in the “Bagni Vecchi” thermal baths in Bormio.

The cozy streets of the old town around the Piazza Cavour and the Castello Alberti invite you to stroll. The Frodolfo flows through the village and is spanned by the Ponte di Combo from 1300. Small shops offer local delicacies such as the spicy cheeses Bitto and Valtellina Casera and the Amaro Braulio, a bitter liqueur.

7) Arrival in the Bormio ski area

From Germany, the journey by car leads via Kempten or Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the Austrian E532 to the Inntalautobahn (A12). From the Landeck exit, take the L76 (or the Landeck tunnel, which is subject to a fee from Rifenal) to the B180 and continue towards Italy. After the border the road becomes the SS40. At Spondinig turn onto the SS38 and follow it to Bormio.

In winter the mountain roads over the Stilfser Joch are closed. It is therefore advisable to travel from Innsbruck via the Brenner Pass to Bozen and from there via the SS42 to your destination.

The closest train station is in Tirano. Traveling by train is rather complex and involves multiple transfers. If you don’t have any problems with that, you can choose the route via Zurich, Chiasso and Monza or from Munich via Verona and Milan. Ski shuttles run from Tirano to Bormio, 40 km away.

The nearest airports are Milan-Malpensa (236 km), Milan-Linate (200 km) and Zurich (207 km). In the main season, special ski buses run between the airports and Bormio.