Civetta and Alleghe: thrills on the skis under the "wall of the walls"

Always perfectly snow covered tracks, immersed in a scenery that will take your breath away, picturesque villages where to spend pleasant evenings after a day spent on the snow and, in summer, climbs on some of the most famous walls of the Dolomites or lakeside walks: the Civetta mountain and the Cordevole valley offer all this and much more to those who decide to spend here their holidays.

Ski Civetta is one of the largest ski areas of the Dolomites, with 80 km slopes that connect the valleys surrounding this imposing mountain. Offering tracks of different difficulty levels, this ski area can meet the needs of every skier, from beginners to experts, and guarantees always perfect tracks thanks to a modern snowmaking system. With 25 lift facilities and free skibus connecting Ski Civetta with the other ski areas of the Dolomiti Superski resort, Alpine skiing lovers will find here what they have always wanted, dashing down the slopes at the foot of the imposing Civetta surrounded by one of the most beautiful and striking landscapes of the Dolomites.

Those who are looking for a holiday combining sport and culture won't want to miss the First World War ski tour, an itinerary following the steps of history through places once sites of the First World War, at the feet of some of the most famous peaks of the Dolomites. There are also many cross-country skiing tracks running through silent woods covered by a thick blanket of snow, where with a bit of luck you will be able to see wild animals.

Alpine skiing and cross-country skiing are only two of the many sports you can practice in this area, that offers also tracks for telemark skiing, ski carving, ski mountaineering and snowboarding, snowmobile tours and snowshoe hikes. In Alleghe there is also a fully equipped snowboard park and an ice stadium where exciting Serie A hockey matches are played. Children can enjoy a modern winter playground and school camp in Piani di Pezzè, where they will learn how to ski while having fun.

In summer too this area offers a large variety of sports activities. The Civetta has always been one of the favourite destinations for mountaineers, who brave the famous "wall of the walls", reign of the sixth grade and one of the greatest challenges of mountaineering: many are the climbing routes, all quite difficult, that were established through the years on this wall. Many are also the trekking trails of this area: romantic walks along the lake of Alleghe and in the Cordevole valley for those who are looking for easy and relaxing paths, or, for trained trekkers, the ascent from Malga Pioda to the walls of Mount Coldai and the mountain pool bearing the same name, from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of Alleghe. Another quite difficult but beautiful route is the one going around the Civetta mountain and taking three days. Moreover, the whole area is crossed by the Haute Route n.1.

Mountain bike lovers can choose among many itineraries of different length and difficulty, but this area is also the ideal destination for bikers and cyclers, who can put themselves to the test by braving the stages of the Giro d'Italia. Among the sports competitions that take place every year, worth mention are the famous Civetta Superbike, one of the hardest, and most beautiful, ultra-distance mountain biking races, and the Transcivetta, a mountain race walking to be performed in pairs. Water sports lovers can choose among the many activities the lake of Alleghe has to offer, like windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, sport fishing, a trip with the boat or with the pedalo.

Cuisine

Among the many food specialties of this area you should try the speck, the cheeses produced in the malghe, the "casonziei" (ravioli with spinach, pumpkin or beetroot filling, and with melted butter and ricotta cheese seasoning), the barley soup, the polenta served with pastin, or served with game meat seasoned with wild herbs. You can also try famous desserts like the "carfogn" (large fried sweet ravioli), the krapfen and the ricotta cheesecake. Finally, grappa flavoured with blueberry, mugo pine or juniper.