Travel to Santa Caterina Valfurva with travel insurance from Essential Travel

Ski resorts in Santa Caterina Valfurva

Santa Caterina Valfurva is known for its dazzling scenery, good snowfall and long tradition of producing athletes such as the undisputed Italian ski champion Deborah Compagnoni. The resort is part of the Alta Valtellina region, which incorporates seven resorts, including Livigno and Bormio. The prominent and legendary St Moritz in Switzerland is also within reach.

Santa Caterina Valfurva is a restful, secluded spot with a peaceful ambience in graceful surroundings. Thick coniferous woodlands located within a protected area of the Stelvio National Park add to the charm of this fairytale resort, which sits among the Ortles-Cevedale mountain group.

There is an assortment of accommodation possibilities at the resort, ranging from traditional chalets to hotels, plus some absorbing attractions such as guided tours of the National Park. Activities here also include: trekking, mountaineering, ski-touring, climbing and mountain biking.

For a truly magical experience, try ice-skating at the open-air rink. A supervised mini-club with a host of snow activities takes care of children.

Santa Caterina Valfurva has 10 slopes which add up to a total of 22kms of ski runs. Of these runs, 58 per cent are perfectly suited to the intermediate level skier, with beginners and experts getting 21 per cent each.

The resort is serviced by five draglifts and two chairlifts, with the highest reaching 2,726m and the lowest at 1,737m. Around 7,065 skiers per hour are ushered up the slopes at this resort, which has a great ski school plus competent instructors on hand. Eighteen kilometres of cross-country routes complete the available ski area at Santa Caterina Valfurva.

The season runs from December to March, with the best conditions considered to be from January to late February, and busiest times around holiday periods. Milan airport is four hours’ drive, or a five-hour train and bus transfer to Santa Caterina Valfurva.

Skiing in Santa Caterina Valfurva

Santa Caterina Valfurva is a quaint, picturesque resort set within the striking surroundings of Stelvio National Park. It is a restful spot with a pleasing lack of the usual après-ski and an ambience characteristic of typical fairytale locations.

The resort of Santa Caterina Valfurva has an enviable history, producing such talent as the undisputed Italian ski champion Deborah Compagnoni. The resort also has a sense of intimacy, providing seven restaurants and five shops, plus accommodation ranging from authentic chalets through to larger hotels.

There are 22kms of ski runs at Santa Caterina Valfurva, spread out over 10 slopes. Emphasis is on intermediate level skiers, who enjoy 58 per cent of dedicated runs. Twenty-one per cent of runs are suitable for beginners and an equal percentage for experts.

The total vertical descent measures 989m; the top elevation is 2,726m and the bottom elevation is 1,737m. The resort is serviced by five draglifts and two chairlifts, ushering 7,065 skiers per hour up the slopes. A further 18kms of cross-country routes are available through woodlands. There is also an excellent ski school with competent instructors on hand.

The season begins in December and runs until March. The best conditions are usually January to late February.

Apres-ski in Santa Caterina Valfurva

The resort of Santa Caterina Valfurva provides a handful of distractions off the slopes, such as guided tours through the national park, which also offers trekking, mountaineering, ski-touring, climbing and mountain biking.

A natural ice-skating rink provides an enchanting experience amid the surrounding Ortles-Cevedale mountain range. Additionally, a children’s mini-club is on hand to amuse with a range of snow animations.

The five shops and seven restaurants at the resort plus the absence of any overly busy après-ski attracts families and couples seeking a quiet stay.

One-day access to the world famous St Moritz resort across the Swiss border is available when purchasing a ski pass at Santa Caterina Valfurva. The Alta Valtellina area also comprises seven resorts which make appealing daytrips if a busier atmosphere is called for.

The resort of Livigno is famous for its duty-free status, and is an exuberant alternative. Bormio has museums and boasts some delightful thermal baths with water from the Cinglaccia spring at a temperature of 40 degrees centigrade.

Transportation to Santa Caterina Valfurva

Santa Caterina Valfurva is situated in Alta Valtellina region and is located close to the Swiss border. Milan, Munich and Zürich are all around four hours’ drive from the resort. The most practical means of arriving at the resort is to catch a flight to Milan international airport and transfer by train and bus to Santa Caterina Valfurva.

Alternatively, you can catch the Eurostar service from London to Paris, and connect with the overnight train service direct to Milan, before arriving at the resort via local train and bus combination. A package deal will often pre-arrange all travel for you.

By car, Santa Caterina Valfurva is about 945kms from Calais, with a driving time of just over 10 hours and road toll costs of €28. The journey will take you through France and Switzerland before entering Italy. If you plan to fly to Milan and hire a car, take the P5 motorway and exit at Lecco, then travel along the SS36 and on to the SS38, before entering into Switzerland. Travel along the 29 Road, and on entering Italy, travel via SS301 and on to the resort.

By train, you can catch the Eurostar from London Waterloo or Ashford in Kent to Paris and connect with the overnight train service from Paris to Milan. In Milan, catch a local train service on the Milan-Tirano line before taking a bus from Tirano direct to the resort. The journey from London to Milan should take just under 13 hours, with the Milan-Santa Caterina Valfurva leg taking an additional five hours.

The nearest international airports to Santa Caterina Valfurva are Milan in Italy and Zurich in Switzerland. You can get to the resort by flying to Milan, which is the most popular choice of the two, and transferring by local train to Tirano, and then taking bus to Santa Caterina Valfurva. Driving time from both airports is around four hours in total.

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