Valle Izarco is a resort area that is divided into two parts – Bressanone, a beautiful baroque town with a very rich history, and Plose, which is suitable for lovers of long and quiet descents. For fans of freestyle, Plose has the Snow Island Team fan park, which is equipped with modern springboards, rails, a quarter pipe and a ski and boardercross track. There are a total of 143 kilometers of ski trails in the Valle Izarco resort area. The season starts in December and lasts until April. The height difference is from 1300 to 2500 meters.
Like most of Italy’s most famous ski regions, Valle Izarco is located among the Dolomites, at the very beginning of the Pusteria Valley, 40 kilometers from the romantic city of Bolzano. The ski complex consists of seventeen villages and skiing areas, each of which can be considered a separate resort. All of them are connected with each other by a cable car, along which lifts move, delivering tourists to different points of the region. For centuries, these places existed on their own, and only at the beginning of the last century, Europeans drew attention to the local slopes, who decided that they were ideal for skiing. As time has shown, the decision was absolutely correct.
Skiing areas
Today, Valle Izarco is one of the most visited areas belonging to the combined skiing area Dolomiti Superski. About a hundred years ago, it all started with one cabin, which carried out the ascent of those who wished to the top of the mountain. Now, this is a whole system of modern mechanisms that do the same thing, only several times faster and in other volumes. Valle Izarco is divided into three main ski areas: Plose, Gitschberg-Maranza, and Jochtal. All of them, in turn, are divided into certain areas and routes, intended for all categories of skiers, from beginners to professionals.
Valle Izarco ski resort, Italy
The Ploise ski area is located at an altitude of 2,500 meters, close to the tourist village of Bressanon and the town of Brixen, known for their cheerful nature and entertainment until the morning. The Trametsch track, six kilometers long, awaits professionals who know their worth, as well as excellent off-piste areas for those who like to “plow the virgin”. Beginners can fill up bumps and bruises on a 15-kilometer section with gentle slopes and absolutely safe terrain. Those who have long passed through the initial phase of formation and have a certain level of skill, other routes await, with steeper descents and difficult turns.
For children, the Randötsch training center is recommended, next to the lower station of the lifts. They are equipped with training grounds and special conveyor belts with rope lifts. Fans of freestyle, along with “snowboarders”, have long chosen for themselves the local fan park in the immediate vicinity of the Schönboden lift station. There are separate tracks for sledding enthusiasts. As for evening entertainment, many tourists, tired of rapid descents, prefer to rest in the town of Brixen, where you can not only “let loose” at discos, but also enjoy viewing local sights or tasting wines in one of the local restaurants.
The second most important ski area in Valle Izarco is Gitschberg-Maranza, which can also be called one of the most beautiful in the Dolomites. From here, simply fabulous views of snow-capped mountain peaks open up, which can be admired from wide observation decks equipped on numerous hills. The ski slopes are distinguished by almost perfect snow quality, and the number of trails pleases skiers of all categories. These places are ideal for a secluded vacation, in peace and quiet. Only here you can be satisfied with complete union with nature and get unlimited pleasure from the feeling of indescribable harmony with the environment.
The third ski area of the Valle Izarco region, Jochtal, has the reputation of a family resort, with plenty of entertainment for children and ample opportunities for winter sports. Fans of cross-country skiing have at their disposal several tens of kilometers of cross-country skiing, those who wish can go ice-skating, and those who cannot live without adrenaline-pumping descents and an accelerated pulse in their ears have every chance to spend an unforgettable time on the slopes of the highest peaks of the Dolomites. One of the the main features of the resort are the close location of the hotels to the lifts, thanks to which vacationers can start the process of skiing almost upon leaving the hotel. Meanwhile, hotels in Jochtal are presented for every taste, from inexpensive family to luxurious and comfortable. Here, everyone can find accommodation according to their income level.
Attractions
Most of the historical monuments of the region are concentrated in the area of Plose, between Bressanone and Brixene, and not far from the town of Clausen. In Bressanone, the exquisite Cathedral attracts attention, and in Clausen there is an interesting Museum of History. Near Brixene stands out the Neustift Abbey, which is the largest in the Tyrolean lands of Austria, partly located on Italian territory. An ancient castle, Trostburg, built in the 12th century and which underwent serious reconstruction 400 years later, stands in the same place. Once upon a time, the famous medieval poet Oswald von Wolkenstein lived in it, and today the castle is home to a museum, which is regularly accompanied by tourist groups made up of tourists coming to rest in the surrounding areas.
The fame of the popular ski region, with developed infrastructure and excellent tracks, has been strengthened for a long time behind Valle Izarco . The season here lasts from December to April. Throughout this period, thousands of winter sports enthusiasts come to the local resorts to spend some time on the endless snowy expanses of the Dolomites and to ski in a pleasant atmosphere, among the most beautiful mountain landscapes covered with dazzling white fluffy snow.
Culture, fine wines and sweet life in Valle Izarco
A trip back in time to the magical Middle Ages, exquisite food and wine, high-class hotels with the most modern services: Bressanone and Valle Izarco will give you an unforgettable luxury vacation at the foot of the Plose mountain in Alto Adige.
Bressanone is the very heart of the Izarco Valley and the oldest town in Alto Adige. Visit the medieval center with its magnificent cathedral and numerous porticos, under which unusual shops and exquisite boutiques hide for exclusive shopping. You will be pleasantly surprised by the alternation of traditional craft shops and modern clothing and shoe stores.
Christmas in Bressanone is the perfect time for shopping and romantic walks around the city: the Christmas market in Bressanone is one of the most famous in Alto Adige.
The surroundings of Bressanone will also have something to surprise history and culture lovers. And after visiting the villages in the Izarko Valley with their typical churches surrounded by vineyards, you will be able to discover the treasures of the enogastronomy of this “valley of taste”. In numerous Michelin-starred restaurants, chefs exquisitely blend local produce (such as apples and cheeses) with typical Mediterranean ingredients.
Many opportunities for sports lovers: trekking, cycling (bike path leads to Brennero), skiing on the Plose-Bressanone, Jochtal-Valles and Gitschberg-Maranza routes.
However, Bressanone and Valle Izarco are also ideal for relaxation: here you will find amazing nature and state-of-the-art wellness centers. For those who want to try unusual wellness procedures, we advise you to take a Kneipp hydrotherapy course in Varna / Rio Scaleres, and the Acquarena center in Bressanone will offer you special beauty and health treatments.
Hotels in Valle Izarco
Hotel Gasserhof 4-star hotel
The Gasserhof Hotel, located at an altitude of 950 meters above sea level, offers outdoor and indoor swimming pools with a hot tub. Drinks are served on the sun terrace in the landscaped garden. The ancient town of Bressanone is 7 km away.
Amenities in all rooms and suites include free WiFi, a private bathroom with bathrobes and slippers, and a TV with satellite channels. Some rooms are also equipped with a balcony and a refrigerator.
In the wellness center of the Gasserhof hotel, you have at your disposal saunas, a solarium, a gym, a hydromassage bath and a relaxation area. Cosmetic procedures and various types of massage are available upon request.
The restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine and local specialties. A continental breakfast buffet with homemade jam is served every morning.
The free public ski bus takes 3 minutes to the Plose ski slopes, the bus stop is next to the hotel. On the territory you can use a free heated room for storing skis.
Hotel Pupp – adults only 4-star hotel
Hotel Pupp – adults only is located in the center of Bressanone. It offers spacious rooms with elegant modern decor and bathrooms with luxurious bio-Saz mosaics, as well as futuristic design and free internet access.
All rooms have elegant parquet floors and are equipped with an interactive LCD TV with satellite channels, free movies, music and international radio, as well as tea/coffee making facilities.
A buffet breakfast is served every morning in the modern hall, including pastries from the patisserie next to the Pupp Hotel.
Upon check-in, all guests are given a free Bressanone Card, which entitles them to free visits to the city’s museums and free travel on public transport. Every day for 2 hours you can swim in the public pool and take 2 daily trips on the cable car.
Plose Ski Resort, part of the Dolomites Superski Ski Resort, is a 15-minute drive away. The hotel is approximately 6 km from the A22 motorway exit and 30 km from the town of Vipiteno.
Hofstatt Residence 3 star hotel
Offering a seasonal outdoor pool and views of the mountains, Hofstatt Residence is located 2 km from Bressanone in the Trentino Alto Adige region. Free private parking is available on the territory. Free Wi-Fi is connected in all rooms.
Guests have a kitchen or a kitchenette at their disposal. All apartments/studios have a balcony with mountain views and a living room with a sofa and a flat-screen TV.
In the surroundings, all the conditions for active recreation have been created, including skiing and cycling. Hofstatt Residence is 2.1 km from Pharmacy Museum.
The price of accommodation includes the Brixen card, which gives you the right to use local public transport for free, as well as receive various discounts in the region.
Hotel Elephant is a 4-star hotel
With a 500-year history, the Elephant Hotel occupies a restored historic building surrounded by a 17,000 square meter park. m. A swimming pool and tennis courts are at your disposal.
The interior of the rooms of the Elephant Hotel combines wooden floors, luxurious fabrics and soft carpets, creating a refined atmosphere. Rooms are classically furnished and equipped with a modern flat-screen TV with satellite channels.
A varied breakfast buffet is served daily to guests, and lunch and dinner are served in one of Stuben’s 3 traditional dining rooms. The menu includes exquisite specialties and excellent dishes from the South Tyrolean region, which are influenced by Italian and Austrian culinary traditions.
The Elephant Hotel’s main building and Villa Marzari are located on the large grounds of the Elephant Hotel. The location of the hotel is ideal for hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. In addition, in the center of the city of Bressanone, guests will be able to visit the Pharmacy Museum and the baroque cathedral.
Upon check-in, all guests receive a free Bressanone Card, which entitles them to free visits to the city’s museums, free use of public transport, a daily 2-hour visit to the Acquarena public pool and 2 cable car rides per day.