The Pontedilegno-Tonale area has a name well; known to all Italians as back in 1912 this was recognised as the first Italian winter sports’ destination” by the Italian Touring Club.
Over the century and more since then, Ponte di Legno has become tied to Passo Tonale as it has grown into one of the country’s best-loved ski areas with 100 km of slopes attracting skiers from all over the world.
Located in the heart of the Alps, between the provinces of Lombardy and Trentino, the Pontedilegno-Tonale area is home to glaciers, majestic peaks, foaming waterfalls and untouched nature thanks to the protection of the Adamello Park and the National Stelvio Park.
It’s not just a ski destination either, nor one only for the most dedicated skiers in winter. There are ski slopes for all tastes and styles with plenty of fun for families and friends and in summer hikers find endless routes while cyclists are drawn by the famous ascents of the Giro d’Italia here, Passo Gavia and Mortirolo.
Skiers have more than 40 ski slopes to choose from over one of Europe and the world’s biggest lift-served verticals between a snowsure 3,000m altitude at the Presena Glacier down to 1,121m. The slopes are connected in a carousel of 100 km of runs, served by 30 lifts, spread across four ski areas, each with its own features and panoramas and all on a single lift pass.
The Presena Glacier boasts some of the thickest and most reliable snow in Italy, allowing it to stay open until late spring when most other ski resorts have shut down. The area’s other sectors include Temù, famed for its wide welcoming slopes in the snowy woodland of the Adamello National Park. Ponte di Legno has famous, technical slopes lined with fir trees and Passo Tonale, above the tree line, is renowned for its sunny open slopes, fun facilities for kids and excellent snowpark with ski-cross.
Ski touring and freeriding are also big here, with great terrain and guides to lead you to and through the best of it. Thanks to the lifts freeriders can reach wide descents of fresh snow and make first tracks. Cross-country skiers are not forgotten either with 30 km of cross-country loops in Ponte di Legno and Vermiglio with rentals, ski school and changing rooms at both centres. Vermiglio has a floodlit track for cross-country skiing in the evening too.
There’s lots to do besides skiing and boarding of course. Staying on the snow you could enjoy fat biking with two slopes, especially for this activity at Passo Tonale and day and evening fat biking tours are offered. Passo Tonale also has its own dog sledding school where you can try a bit of mushing and there are also evening snowmobile tours culminating with dinner in a mountain hut. You can also rent snowmobiles to take out on one of two circuits here. Snowkiting is another possibility with equipment available to rent and teachers to instruct and the same goes for snowshoeing in this stunning natural environment.
© Val di Sole Ph Alice Russolo
Moving off the snow and onto the ice there are three rinks, in Ponte di Legno, Passo Tonale and a covered one in Temù. You can also practice safe driving on snow and ice on a circuit at Passo Tonale.
Finally, there’s the chance to get off the snow and ice and see it all from above with a helicopter tour above the slopes and glaciers.
One activity you should not miss is the incredible Paradice Music Festival with concerts taking place in an ice theatre, 2,600m above sea level from January to March. The Paradice Dome can host up to 200 people and performances involve musical instruments which are all made of ice by locally-born artists. They include guitars, basses, violin, viola, cello, ukulele and even the didgeridoo which are all made of ice!
The Pontedilegno-Tonale area can be easily reached from all main airports in North-East Italy including Bergamo (2 hours), Verona (2.5 hours); Milan Linate (2.5 hours) and Milan Malpensa (3 hours). A Fly Sky shuttle service runs from the airport to the resort in winter but advanced booking is essential.
pontedilegnotonale.com
