High Five For Val Gardena

For the fifth year running, the Dolomiti ski area of Val Gardena will open its winter season with the unveiling of a new high-speed, luxury skilift.

The new €6m Mezdi 6-seater chairlift at Alpe di Siusi replaces a 2-seater and will have the latest in comfort, design and technology.

Last season wintersports fans enjoyed the luxurious €18m 10-seater Piz Seteur gondola at Selva di Gardena which gave better access to the Sella Ronda ski circuit around the Sella mountain peaks; plus the improved and longer Furdenan drag lift.

In winter 2016/17 the striking blue seats of the €8m 8-person Gran Paradiso chairlift made their appearance on Piz Sella; 2015/16 saw the €3.5m 6-person Comici chairlift; 2014 was the year for the Dantercepies gondola.

Recent improvements total in excess of €40m for the Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi ski area, which has 79 skilifts accessing 175km of groomed piste and is one of the 12 ski areas in the vast Dolomiti Superski area comprising 1200km of slopes, 450 skilifts and 30 snowparks.

Val Gardena is in an impressive UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Italy. Its winter season opens on 6 December when Christmas festivities will already be in full swing. The valley – embracing the villages of Ortisei, Selva di Gardena and S. Cristina – will be festooned with lights and markets for five weeks.