Skiing in Italy, let alone ski-ing in Abruzzo, never used to quite have the kudos of some of its European neighbours such as Austria & Switzerland. However, this reputation is constantly improving making Abruzzo the winner when it comes to most affordable skiable peaks in Italy with a choice of 3 airports, Pescara, Rome, Naples choose from to fly to when ski-ing in Abruzzo.
There are 20 ski resorts in the Abruzzo Apennine region with nearly 370 km of runs advertising that they’ll be open, plus a few places specialising in cross-country or nordic skiing (a popular pastime in Abruzzo).
Skiing in Abruzzo caters for all levels; between the linked Abruzzo resorts of Campo Imperatore, Campo Felice and Ovindoli Monte Magnola in the L’Aquila area there are approximately 14 black runs, 19 red runs, 10 blue runs & 3 green runs. Further south, the world-class resorts of Pescocostanzo and Roccaraso-Rivisondoli proffer nearly 50 further runs across the more advanced ranges. Roccaraso recently held the finals of the FIS “carving” cup, back in March 2009 and in 2006 hosted the Ski World Cup Winter Games, so if you are looking for competitive, taxing skiing this resort, in particular, could be just the place for you.
Skiing in Northern Abruzzo
We personally love the smaller recently upgraded Prati di Tivo resort near Teramo which has good, uncrowded slopes for fun skiing and snowboarding (expect 1 Black run and an even threading of Red & Green runs on this most northerly of Abruzzo’s ski resorts. However, due to the climate emergency, this resort is the least likely to have a full season of ski-ing available and currently the ski-lift is out of operation.
Skiing in Central Abruzzo
If you’d like to ski overlooking the Adriatic Sea we advise trying the uplifting Passo Lanciano-La Majelletta; it offers 9 ski-lifts, 10 ski runs and 2 ski school plus 5 hotels. A weekend ski-pass is €45 for adults, €37 for children. Nearest town Pretoro.
Ski-ing in Southern Abruzzo
Roccaraso is the most-noted and best-equipped ski resort in the Apennines. It is located in the Province of Aquila, on the plateaus known as the Altopiani Maggiori, and is one of the largest protected areas in the National Parks, the National Park of Abruzzo and of Majella.
Read our review of ski-ing here courtesy of Ski-Abruzzo
Nordic Skiing
For those who find plummeting downhill at high speeds too tedious, nordic cross-country skiing can provide an excellent alternative, allowing skiers to experience Abruzzo’s remarkable snow-bound terrain at a more sedate pace, whilst engaging in a formidable form of exercise. The tourist office provides information on locations for cross-country/nordic skiing, but three popular areas are Campo Imperatore in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, and Campo Felice & Caramanico Terme in the Majella National Park. The famous San Antonio woods are also very popular, they have some of Abruzzo’s oldest trees to ski between. Read our article on the best snowshoe family guides, it’s fun, cheap and brilliant excursion for curious kids!
What is great about most of these Abruzzo ski resorts is that they will have nearby a local National Park shop, so for self-catering foodies, you’ll be able to stock up on really tasty, high quality locally grown foods that are in turn supporting the local rural economy.
Ski-passes range in price from approximately €15 to €40 for day passes. Skiing conditions normally last from December to March, and there are various websites with information and webcams providing up-to-the-minute reports on the quantity and quality of snow. Much of the skiing season you can find the smaller slopes quite quiet, but at weekends during the peak time huge numbers of Romans and Neapolitans descend onto the better slopes and queues can be substantial; particularly worth watching out for is the huge traffic build-up at the end of the first weekend in the new year, when all the skiing Italians return to their homes; we were once stuck at the toll-gates into Rome for 2 hours, with our departing flight horribly imminent…
Abruzzo’s ski resorts are all relatively easy to get to from Pescara Airport, whilst the more northern slopes in the L’Aquila province ones are convenient to those flying into or coming from Rome; Pescocostanzo and Roccaraso-Rivisondoli are approximately a 2-hour drive from Naples and Rome.
For those that don’t want to miss a full day on the slopes, we advise flying back from Rome if you are flying to the UK. in order to get a full last day.
Like a lot of places where snow is a seasonally constant event, Abruzzo’s mountain roads are kept clear of snow with staggering regularity and efficiency. All the resorts have hotels nearby, with varying degrees of facilities available, such as bars and restaurants. Agriturismi can often be found nearby to make skiing in Abruzzo incredibly affordable.
Some Italians who go skiing in Abruzzo have second homes near their preferred resorts, such as Pietracamela close to the Prati di Tivo. Off-season these places can be eerily deserted but make for beautiful affordable bases for those that enjoy hiking in the mountains.
Further reading and viewing:
- The Guardian – Sea and Ski
- Apennine Webcams
- Rocccaraso official Commune & ski website
- La Majelletta – for information on Passo Lanciano-La Majelletta
- Kids Sledging & Snowshoe Adventures in Abruzzo
- Do As the Romans Do: Take a Family Ski Holiday in Abruzzo
Author: Sam Dunham
Sam is a very lucky midlife 'mamma' to A who is 12 and juggles her work as a self-employed freelance SEO food and travel copywriter and EFL teacher. She is the founder of the Life In Abruzzo Cultural Association, co-founder of Let's Blog Abruzzo. she is the founder of the 'English in the Woods' initiative, teaching English outdoors in a forest style school.
