Alta Badia has long been a popular ski area for Italians, but word got out and it’s seemingly on the rise as a ski resort for Europeans craving a taste of the Dolomites. Located in South Tyrol, the resort sweeps across the villages of Corvara, La Villa, San Cassiano, Colfosco and La Val, (with Corvara the main act, and an unpretentious favourite with old money Italians). It’s a beautiful year-round landscape with scenic summer hikes past gurgling streams and through wildflower meadows and a snow-globe winter scene of grey jagged rock protruding from their white jackets. It sits bang in the the centre of the 1,200km Dolomiti Superski area, with direct access to the fabulously scenic Sella Ronda circuit, and, for the pros, the exhilarating Gran Risa Ski World Cup run (featuring a 448 m vertical drop). With 53 lifts and 130km of groomed piste, there’s something for all levels, though the resort tends to tickle those who enjoy cruisey, sunny reds and multiple foodie stops throughout the day. Alongside the superb skiing, Alta Badia offers a unique taste of Ladin culture and serious locavore food, from centuries-old agriturismos, mountain huts and taverns, to the three-Michelin-starred St Hubertus.
Stay: Since 1939, Rosa Alpina was a firm favourite with the high altitude summer crowd for its Alpine classicism and biscuit tin, San Cassiano location. Then Aman took the mantle in 2003, and its Ladin roots (once a farm and inn) were thrust through the group’s contemporary prism – the hallmark smooth, clean lines, subdued hues and angular furniture. And with Aman’s new, finely tuned spa (steamy infinity pool, gurgling hot tub and gold standard holistic treatments), and Cotoletta alla Milanese then tiramisu at the Grill, there’s always something worth trudging back-to-plush-base for.