Worldwide Ski Resorts • Italy • Madesimo
Overview
To be frank at the very beginning of this review, if you are a serious skier with an interest in conquering difficult mountain slopes and battling un-pisted and untamed country this resort is not for you. If however you are looking for an Italian holiday in a charming, typical mountain village situated among some of the most beautiful scenery to be found in the region, with a bit of interesting skiing on the side, then Madesimo is the end of your search.
This redeveloped village is a mixture of the old and new, and while some of the modern architecture is — to say the least — bizarre, it all seems to work surprisingly well. The centre retains its ancient character, complete with appealing church and winding, medieval streets that contain some interesting shops and bars. It contains a number of very good restaurants, offering locally inspired dishes that are simply delicious. Accommodation is somewhat limited. There are a small number of hotels within the village, including the rather good Andossi. Book early to guarantee a place to stay if you like the sound of this resort as it does get crowded, particularly with week-ending Italians who simply flock to this small village for the ‘dolce vita’.
Profile
The village stands at 1545m in a relatively good snow sure region, although many of the slopes have a sunny aspect and can be problematic, particularly later in the season. There are 55 km of local runs that are served by a network of 16 lifts. Experts who wish to enjoy tough conditions are totally out of place in this resort as there is nothing here that will present any sort of challenge. In fact the category of skier who will get the most from Madesimo’s slopes is the less confident intermediate, who with some lovely, wide open blue runs through great countryside, will be in ski heaven. Novices do have a number of first class nursery slopes at their disposal, but the resort is disadvantaged by the distinct lack of suitable progression runs. Ski schools are said to be very good, although the classes are reported to be a little larger than average.
Mountain Information
Madesimo stands at 1545m. The local slopes contain 55 km of pisted runs that are served by a system of 16 lifts. Access to the slopes is gained in a variety of ways. Firstly a cable car takes you to the top peak in two stages from the village, or alternatively a simple chair lift takes you to the half way stage. Although the slopes are of a generally good height which helps snow retention, many of the pistes face east or west and get rather too much sun for them to be particularly snow sure, although the resort does boast some snow making facilities. Once up on the slopes, the broad open runs lead one either back to the village or around to the back of the mountain where some of the best red intermediated pistes are located. There are also some excellent , relatively easy reds from the mid station point that lead back down through the trees to the base. The advanced skier will find the long black Canalone run and the unpisted route that runs alongside it to Fracisco well worth skiing. Mountain restaurants can be found, but they are a little disappointing.
Apres Ski
Good restaurants and a few bars provide all the entertainment in the village. Be prepared for a quiet, relaxing time — and early nights.
Italian Resort Guide
Resort Information • Madesimo
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Resort Height | 1550m |
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Top Station | 2872m |
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Bottom Station | 1550m |
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Vertical Descent | 1322m |
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Drag Lifts | 1 |
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Chair Lifts | 16 |
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High Capacity | 2 |
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Opening Dates | Dec - April |
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Rating Expert | 6 |
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Rating Intermediate | 7 |
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Rating Beginner | 7 |
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Apres Ski Rating | 7 |
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Snow Reliability | 8 |
