Valle Isarco is a resort area divided into two parts – Bressanone, a beautiful baroque town with a very rich history, and Plose, which is suitable for lovers of long and calm descents. For fans of freestyle Plose has a fan park Snow Island Team, which is equipped with modern ski jumps, rails, a quarter pipe and a ski and boardercross track. In total, there are 143 kilometers of ski slopes in the Valle Isarco resort area. The season begins in December and lasts until April. The difference in altitude is from 1300 to 2500 meters.

Like most of the most famous ski regions in Italy, Valle Isarco 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 ski areas, each of which can be considered a separate resort. All of them are connected 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 did Europeans pay attention to the local slopes, who decided that they were ideal for skiing. As time has shown, the decision was absolutely right.

Skiing areas

Today, Valle Isarco is one of the most visited areas belonging to the combined Dolomiti Superski ski area. About a hundred years ago, it all started with a single cabin that carried those wishing to the top of the mountain. Now, it is a whole system of modern mechanisms that do the same thing, only several times faster and in other volumes. Valle Isarco is divided into three main skiing areas: Plose, Gitschberg-Maranza, and Jochtal. All of them, in turn, are divided into certain sections and trails designed for all categories of skiers, from beginners to professionals.

Valle Isarco Ski Resort, Italy

The Plose ski area is located at an altitude of 2,500 meters, next to the tourist village of Bressanone and the town of Brixen, known for their cheerful disposition and entertainment until the early morning. Professionals who know their worth can find the Trametsch slope, six kilometers long, as well as wonderful off-piste areas for those who like to “plow virgin land”. Beginners can get their hooves and bruises on a 15-kilometer section with gentle slopes and absolutely safe terrain. Those who have long gone through the initial phase of formation and have a certain level of skill are waiting for other routes, with steeper descents and complex turns.

Italien Südtirol Dolomiten Grödner-Tal Blick vom Grödner Joch auf den Sellastock

Children are recommended to visit the Randötsch training center, next to the lower lift station. Training areas and special conveyor belts are equipped for them, along with tow lifts. Freestyle fans, along with “boarders”, have long chosen the local fan park in the immediate vicinity of the Schönboden lift station. For sledding enthusiasts, separate trails have been laid. As for evening entertainment, many tourists, tired of the steep descents, prefer to relax in the town of Brixen, where you can not only properly “let off steam” at discos, but also get pleasure from viewing local attractions or tasting wines in one of the local restaurants.

The second most important skiing area in the Valle Isarco is Gitschberg-Maranza, which can also be called one of the most beautiful in the Dolomites. From here, you can enjoy simply fabulous views of the snow-capped mountain peaks, which can be admired from wide viewing platforms 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 can you be content with complete unity with nature and get unlimited pleasure from the feeling of indescribable harmony with the environment.

The third ski area of the Valle Isarco region, Jochtal, has the glory of a family resort, with plenty of entertainment for children and ample opportunities for winter sports. Cross-country skiers have several dozen kilometers of flat ski slopes at their disposal, those who wish can go ice skating, and those who cannot live without adrenaline-pumping descents and a racing 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 main features of the resort is the close location of hotels to the ski lifts, thanks to which vacationers can start the skiing process almost when leaving the hotel. Meanwhile, hotels in Jochtal are presented for every taste, from inexpensive family ones to luxurious and comfortable ones. Here everyone can find accommodation according to their income level.

Sights

Most of the region’s historical monuments are concentrated in the Plose area, between Bressanone and Brixen, as well as near the town of Clausen. In Bressanone, the exquisite Cathedral attracts attention, and in Clausen there is an interesting History Museum. Near Brixen, Neustift Abbey stands out, which is the largest in the Tyrolean lands of Austria, partially located on Italian territory. In the same place, there is also an ancient castle, Trostburg, built in the 12th century and which underwent serious reconstruction 400 years later. The famous medieval poet Oswald von Wolkenstein once lived there, and today the castle is home to a museum, where tourist groups formed from tourists coming to rest in the surrounding areas are regularly accompanied.

Valle Isarco has long been known as a popular ski region, with a developed infrastructure and excellent slopes. 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 in the endless snowy expanses of the Dolomites and ski in a pleasant atmosphere, among the most beautiful mountain landscapes covered with dazzling white fluffy snow.

Culture, fine wines and the sweet life in Valle Isarco

A journey back in time to the magical Middle Ages, exquisite enogastronomy, high-class hotels with the most modern services: Bressanone and Valle Isarco will give you an unforgettable luxury holiday at the foot of Mount Plose in Alto Adige.

Bressanone is the very heart of the Isarco Valley and the oldest city in Alto Adige. Visit the medieval center with its magnificent cathedral and numerous porticoes, under which unusual shops and exquisite boutiques for exclusive shopping are hidden. 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 find something to surprise lovers of history and culture. And by visiting the villages of the Isarco Valley with their typical churches surrounded by vineyards, you can discover the treasures of the enogastronomy of this “valley of taste”. In the numerous Michelin-starred restaurants, the chefs exquisitely mix local products (such as apples and cheeses) with typical Mediterranean ingredients.

There are plenty of opportunities for sports enthusiasts: trekking, cycling (the cycle path leads to the Brenner), skiing on the Plose-Bressanone, Jochtal-Valles and Gitschberg-Maranza routes.

However, Bressanone and Valle Isarco 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 treatments, we recommend taking 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 Isarco

Hotel Gasserhof 4-star hotel

At the service of guests Set at 950 metres above sea level, Hotel Gasserhof features an outdoor and indoor pool with hot tub. Drinks are served on the sun terrace in the landscaped garden. The historic town of Bressanone is 7 km away.

All rooms and suites feature free WiFi, a private bathroom with bathrobes and slippers, and satellite TV. Some also have a balcony and a fridge.

The Gasserhof’s wellness area includes saunas, a solarium, a gym, a hot tub, and a relaxation area. Beauty treatments and massages are available on request.

The restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine and local specialities. A continental buffet breakfast with homemade jams is served every morning.

The free public ski bus takes you to the Plösser slopes in 3 minutes, stopping right outside the hotel. A free heated ski storage room is available on site.

Hotel Pupp – adults only 4-star hotel

Hotel Pupp – adults only is located in the centre of Bressanone. It offers spacious rooms with elegant modern décor and a bathroom with luxurious Biosaz mosaics, as well as futuristic design and free internet access.

All rooms feature elegant parquet floors and an interactive LCD TV with satellite channels, free movies, music and international radio, as well as tea/coffee facilities.

A buffet breakfast is served every morning in the modern hall, including pastries from the Pupp’s bakery next door.

All guests receive a free Bressanone Card upon check-in, offering free admission to the city’s museums and free use of public transport. Guests can swim in the public pool for 2 hours daily and take 2 daily cable car rides.

The Plose ski area, part of the Dolomiti Superski ski area, is a 15-minute drive away. The hotel is approximately 6 km from the A22 motorway exit and 30 km from 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 site. Free WiFi is available in all areas.

Guests have access to a kitchen or kitchenette. All apartments/studios have a balcony with mountain views and a living room with a sofa and a flat-screen TV.

Activities in the surrounding area include skiing and cycling. The pharmacy museum is 2.1 km from Hofstatt Residence.

The Brixen Card is included in the rate and offers free use of local public transport and various discounts in the region.

Hotel Elephant 4-star hotel

With a 500-year history, Hotel Elephant is housed in a restored historic The building is surrounded by a 17,000 m² park. It features a swimming pool and tennis courts.

The rooms at the Elephant Hotel combine wooden floors, luxurious fabrics and soft carpets to create a sophisticated atmosphere. They are furnished with classic furniture and feature a modern flat-screen TV with satellite channels.

A varied breakfast buffet is served daily, and lunch and dinner are served in one of the 3 traditional Stuben dining rooms. The menu includes fine specialities and delicious dishes from the South Tyrol region, influenced by Italian and Austrian culinary traditions.

The Elephant Hotel’s large grounds include its main building and Villa Marzari. The hotel’s location is ideal for hiking in summer and skiing in winter. In Bressanone city centre, guests can also visit the Pharmacy Museum and the Baroque cathedral.

At check-in, all guests receive a free Bressanone Card, which includes free admission to the city’s museums, free use of public transport, a 2-hour daily visit to the Acquarena public swimming pool and 2 cable car rides each day.