Schöneben - Haideralm Ski Resort Italy
A wise man from Chur once advised us to seek out Belpiano-Malga San Valentino ski resort in the Venosta valley of Italy. He promised a modern Italian resort packed with wonderful freeride terrain but lacking the humanity of many other European skiing areas. Lift pass linked to the nearby Austrian surprise packet of Nauders & close to several superb cultural sites, Belpiano is a ski area that seemingly has it all, but as we found, nothing is ever quite as it seems!
A ski area of two halves in German speaking South Tyrol in Italy, Belpiano - Malga S.Valentino is better known locally as Schönenben-Haideralm. Belpiano (Schoeneben) is the larger sector & rises above Resia Lake & its famous ice-covered surface pierced by the long-drowned bell tower of Curon.
The Val Venosta & broader Ortler ski region have a feast of villages, ski resorts & attractions to provide visitors with an unforgettable European snow holiday experience. Belpiano is just one part of a many faceted destination.
Pros & Cons for Belpiano - Malga S. Valentino Ski Resort
Pros
- Most terrain above 1,900m elevation guaranteeing good natural snow conditions.
- A ‘gold-plated’ & efficient lift system.
- No lift lines.
- Nice range of on-piste trails for beginners & particularly intermediates.
- Interesting variety of off-piste terrain including trees.
- Good value multi-day lift pass price linked with Nauders & other local resorts.
- Amazing local non-ski activities available including various ice sports on the lakes, plus many historic villages & monuments.
- Accommodation is generally readily available in nearby Val Venosta villages, including in fairy tale towns like Glurns-Glorenza.
- Ample car parking for day trippers adjacent to the lifts.
Cons
- Short skiable vertical off most lifts (250 to 400m with two notable exemptions).
- Expensive single day lift pass price not valid in Nauders.
- Limited number & length of on-piste trails, unless a powder day.
- Advanced piste trails are ‘grey’ or ‘light black’ at best & limited in length & scope.
- Mountain dining & après ski is under-whelming (unless one goes to Nauders).
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- No single village base.
- Villages close to the resort lack the character of those further down the valley (like Glorenza, Malles, Burgusio et al).
- Located in a region with reasonable access to/from Austria (close to the behemoth Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis) & near a wide range of other Italian ski areas including glacier-based resorts, small ‘boutique’ resorts & remote, intriguing locations like Schwemmalm.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Actually two quite separate ski areas connected by gondola, Belpiano & Malga San Valentino provide different ski experiences. The majority of the resort’s ski terrain is at Belpiano on alpine/sub-alpine, north-aspect slopes above 1,900m elevation, the aspect & elevation provide excellent snow quality. The base of the ski area is effectively a day centre and car park. At Malga S.Valentino, the ski lifts depart directly from the edge of town. The ski terrain is essentially one long intermediate run.
See below for the Belpiano-Malga San Valentino (Schöneben - Haideralm) ski trail map.
All piste trails, despite their designations, are appropriate for progressing beginners & intermediates, making the resort a worthy destination for most skiers & boarders. The advanced trails are grey or ’light black’ at best. All are easy enough for anyone of intermediate ability. Novices will find a small learn-to-ski area with two covered conveyor lifts at the top of the Belpiano gondola, but precious little else.
It is possible to ski long, valley descents to the Schoeneben & Haideralm base areas, which are in 6-700m skiable vertical range. The best on-piste descent is the 850m skiable vertical run from the top of the Rojen chair, at 2350m altitude, down into the valley station at Belpiano (Schöneben), at 1,500m on the lake.
Some excellent off-piste freeride terrain in the alpine exists heading into trees across a broad zone between the Rojen & Zwölfer chairs, however the skiable vertical is short. There are also opportunities on the skier’s right side of the Hoellental gondola for some longer vertical fun.
Ski lifts in the resort are exceptional. A modern mix of gondolas & chairlifts, there is little to no room for complaint! Be aware that the distance on the connecting gondola from Malga S.Valentino (Haideralm) to Belpiano (Schoeneben) is huge (despite what is shown on the trail map) & takes 15 to 20min.
Lift Passes
A great benefit of skiing the region is the opportunity to visit nearby resorts with any multi-day lift pass. Passes of 2 days or greater come in two versions: Schöneben+ or the 2 Lands Ski Arena (a.k.a. 2LSA or Zwei Lander)
Schöneben+ pass is more affordable and is valid in the Belpiano-Malga San Valentino ski area plus a day's skiing in the partner ski area of Watles OR Solda-Sulden.
2LSA pass is valid in wonderful Nauders in Austria, nearby Watles, plus of course Belpiano-Malga San Valentino.
Where is Belpiano - Malga San Valentino Italy?
The Belpiano-Malga S.Valentino ski resort is in the Val Venosta of north-eastern Italy, above the Lago di Resia and the villages of San Valentino (St Valentin auf der Haide) & Resia (Reschen am See). The closest major towns are Merano (Meran), 68km (over 1hr) by road to the east, & Landeck-Zams in Austria, a similar distance to the north.
Despite being in Italy, the gateway airport for Belpiano-Malga San Valentino is Innsbruck (INN) (116km or 1½hr drive via Reschen Pass) for European & UK residents. Munich (MUC) airport is the best option for international visitors from other origins. Several Italian airports can be utilised too (i.e. Milan) but travel times to the region are longer.
Public transport to the general region is ok but journeys can be long & convoluted. Travel by trains from Innsbruck to Landeck-Zams, or via Bolzano, Merano & finally, Malles, are completed by bus. From Innsbruck the journey time by public transport on the shortest route is between 2½hr & 3½hr (depending on the time of day).
From experience, we recommend renting a car (from Austria, preferably Innsbruck) to explore Belpiano & the broader Val Venosta/Ortler region. It is possible to drive into the region from Austria, Switzerland & of course, Italy (remembering that the road over Stelvio Pass is closed in winter!).
For detailed information on the best ways to get there, see our Travel to Belpiano - San Valentino page.
Belpiano - Malga San Valentino Accommodation
Accommodation at the ski resort is available in several nearby towns, but only one that is linked to the ski lifts - San Valentino Alla Muta (St Valentin auf der Haide). Others nearby are Curon Venosta (Graun im Vinschgau) & larger Resia (Reschen am See). A short drive to the south three beautiful villages [Burgusio (Burgeis), Glorenza (Glurns) & Malles (Mals)] offer a more authentic stay in the region. Over the border in Austria, Nauders is a fantastic place to stay & ski Belpiano via the regular free ski bus. Worth knowing is that in the Val Venosta below San Valentino, many of the villages may not be covered in snow due to their significantly lower elevation.
San Valentino is located at the top of the frozen Lago della Muta (a.k.a. Haidersee) has two gondolas extending from the edge of town - one up to Haideralm & the new connection to Schoeneben. It is the most convenient place to stay & ski the resort plus play on the frozen lake, particularly if one is without a car.
Search & book here for all Malga San Valentino ski accommodation.
North of San Valentino toward the Austrian border & on the eastern side of Resia Lake, the villages of Curon & larger Resia are the main options. Resia is only 2km from the gondola base for Belpiano-Schoeneben. Several hotels & guesthouses are along the busy main road through the village. Curon is midway along the lake & is famous for its adjacent semi-submerged bell-tower from the old village, flooded when the lake was created. Just 5km by road from the Belpiano gondola base, the village has a handful of high-quality hotels available, just opposite the bell tower.
An amazing alternative, & only a further 14km to the south of San Valentino, is the gorgeous town of Glorenza (a.k.a. Glurns). Glorenza is like a window into the past. A walk down its perfectly preserved ancient, cobbled streets reveals fortifications, tower gates & porticoed arcades. A stay here is why we ski Europe. No cookie cutter ski village - but a 16th century walled town, only a 15min drive from the San Valentino gondola.
Search & book here for all Glorenza (Glurns) accommodation.
Between Glorenza & San Valentino, the authentic village of Burgusio has some superb accommodations plus a local castle (Fürstenburg) & a looming 12th-century Benedictine abbey (Abbey of Monte Maria) to go with it. We can recommend the Sporthotel St. Michael, but the village is full of fantastic alternatives. Nearby, the larger town of Malles is another option.
Search & book here for all Burgusio & Malles accommodation.
Away from the Val Venosta, just across the border in Austria, the fantastic resort town of Nauders has all the elements of the perfect place to stay in the Alps. A castle, ancient streets, modern shops & facilities, abundant accommodations, excellent public transport & lively bars.
Search & book here for all Nauders ski accommodation.
Nearby Ski Resorts & Attractions
The Val Venosta (or Vinschgau) is a South Tyrolean, predominantly German speaking part of Italy which rises west of Merano (Meran) & the fascinating city of Bolzano (Bozen). Val Venosta’s stunning combination of stunning glacier draped mountains, ice bound lakes, drowned bell towers, gorgeous ancient walled villages, castles, monasteries & ski resorts make it an all -round European ski safari location to be reckoned with.
Nearby ski resorts are all part of the Ortler Ski Arena, & beyond the family-friendly Belpiano, include smaller local ski hills like Watles & Trafoi, plus the glaciers of Val Senales (Schnalstal) & Solda-Sulden to name a few.
See here for the Ortler Ski Arena resorts map.
Once in the upper valley, Austrian ski resorts are a short drive away via the easy Passo di Resia (Reschen Pass). Nauders & Serfaus Fiss Ladis lead to the Inn valley via Landeck Zams & the best resorts in Austria. Closer though is the Swiss connection to popular Ischgl, Samnaun ski resort, only 30min drive from Nauders. Gotta love Europe & the Alps!
The gob-smacking town of Glorenza (a.k.a. Glurns) in the centre of the valley is like a window into the past. Only 15min drive from the S. Valentino/Haideralm gondola base, wandering its perfectly preserved 16th century cobbled streets & walls is wonderful. Throw in the amazing 12th century Marienburg Kloster in Burgusio (on the way to the nearby Watles ski area) & the 1,200 years of human history at the St John’s Abbey in Müstair (10km/12min drive west just over the border in Switzerland) and Glurns starts to seem like a European ski & culture holiday hotspot. The glacier skiing at Solda-Sulden am Ortler is only 25km (30min drive) to the south.
A symbol of the upper Val Venosta is the 14th century bell tower of Curon that juts remarkably from the frozen waters of Lago di Resia. In winter it is possible to walk (or skate) across the ice to see it firsthand. The lakes in the upper valley, particularly the Lago della Muta (Haidersee) just south of San Valentino, are well set up for ice skating, kite skating/skiing/boarding, ice-sailing & ice hockey.
Review
The Powderhounds visited Belpiano - Schoeneben in 2020 during a heinous spell of weather & didn't quite find what we were hoping for. But you never know if you never go! It may prove to be perfect for some skiers & boarders. Regardless, the broader region is certainly worthy of a winter visit. We returned to the region in February 2022 and skied one of our best ever European powder days at nearby Nauders. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.
See how Belpiano-Malga S. Valentino & the other Val Venosta ski resorts compare to the rest of the Italian ski resorts on the Italy ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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