Bormio Ski Resort Italy
Bormio is a big-vertical ski resort in Lombardy Italy, close to the equally well-known powder ski destination of Livigno. The ski area climbs steeply up from the township to a lofty summit of 3,012m. Whilst Bormio isn't the most expansive skiing area in the world, it boasts one the longest, most sustained fall line skiable verticals in Europe - a thigh liquefying 1,787 metres descent from the summit of Cima Bianca to the village below. An under-stated, yet surprisingly good off-piste makes Bormio more of a Powderhounds friendly destination than one might otherwise consider.
With a gorgeous & lively old town centre which oozes style & class adding to its attraction, Bormio makes a great base from which to explore the region. It offers a classic Italian ski experience in authentic surrounds.
Pros & Cons for Bormio Ski Resort
Pros
- Huge, sustained skiable vertical.
- Sustained fall-line piste terrain - perfectly suited to good intermediate & advanced skiers & snowboarders.
- Freeride off-piste terrain is more extensive than it appears.
- Quiet in the off-piste - relatively few riders seeking powder.
- Superb value lift pass linked with Santa Caterina & Valdidentro-Valdisotto.
- Fun après ski & nightlife.
- Excellent restaurant food & drink.
- 'Ski-in' accommodation available.
- Useful free bus links to all nearby ski areas including Livigno.
- Historic own centre is fantastic.
Cons
- Ski area is not generally suitable for beginners.
- Busy on-piste, particularly on weekends.
- Lift system feels a little dated.
- Trails get very slick & icy on busy days.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Low elevation base (for Italy) so often lacking in natural snow in the village & lower portion of the ski area.
- The terrain park is laughable.
- Ski area is only big enough for a few days unless it snows, but other nearby resorts provide pleasurable alternatives.
- Several of the piste trails are under-rated, comparative to other ski areas (i.e. some reds are black etc)!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Skiing wise, Bormio & its Cima Bianca is a big hunk of mountain that is a touch more limited in scope than its well-known reputation & 1,800m(ish) of skiable vertical might otherwise indicate. First impressions are that the very low base (low for Italy anyway) of 1,225m is reasonably bereft of snow for much of the season. A shame, but a modern-day reality. As a result, much of the skiing is effectively in the top 1,000m vertical above the mid-mountain Bormio 2000 base area. Regardless, snow-making makes top to bottom skiing a reality all season long, meaning the mountain has one of the longest sustained fall line, skiable verticals in Europe (broadly referred to as the Stelvio slope) - no flat linking trails to break it up. Completing the full vertical in one tilt will test the very best skier or boarder.
Check out the ski trail map for Bormio below.
A fast, long & pitchy piste skier’s dream, Bormio has more race wannabes hurtling down it than is probably healthy. The result is piste trails that are fast & fun early but rapidly degrade to fast & frightening soon after - particularly on weekends. For the freerider, this means just about everyone is on the piste trails - woohoo! For the beginner skier though, this means Bormio is just not for you. Intermediates & above need only apply. The trail map may look tame, but there is more on-piste interest for advanced riders than the statistics otherwise indicate. Several sections on intermediate trails would be rated advanced (black) in other ski resorts. Trail A2 from Chair 4 into Ciuk is case in point. However, skiing on the 50km of piste in Bormio for a week could get rather swiftly tiresome, so it helps to have some quality off-piste freeride zones, plus some great nearby ski areas (Santa Caterina et al) to mix it up a little.
Scoping the mountain out from afar, the massive alpine bowl (bowl = a simplistic description of this extensive high alpine zone) called the Vallone, lookers right of the Cima Bianca (Bormio’s 3,012m highest lifted point), shows massive off-piste powder promise. The only question was how tracked it would be. We found that several days after the last snowfall & with a weekend crowd, the terrain had very few tracks & fewer fellow powder seekers. Surprising. Pleasing. Unexpected. But such is Bormio. Full of pleasing, unexpected surprises! The walk along the ridge up to summit of Monte Vallecetta (3,148m elevation) provides the most interesting descents via La Croce (the Cross).
Bormio Ski Pass Interlinked in Alta Valtellina
Bormio has a combined multi-day lift pass (called Bormio Ski Pass) with the nearby ski resorts of Santa Caterina & Cima Piazzi - San Colombano providing a total of 110km of varied piste trail served by 36 lifts. Any lift pass of 2-days or more includes all 3 resorts, which are linked by a free ski bus. It is possible to ski more than one resort in a day!
See the Bormio Ski Pass resorts map.
Where is Bormio Italy?
The Bormio ski resort is in the Alta Valtellina of Lombardy, northern Italy. Located only 38km north of the transport hub & fascinating town of Tirano, Bormio is accessible by train & bus from Milan & St Moritz!
Milan Malpensa (MXP) is the closest major airport, 251km away (3hr drive). A slightly closer airport is Milan Bergamo (BGY) (also known as Orio al Serio International Airport), but it only serves flights from the UK, Europe & Middle East, so may not be convenient for many international travellers.
Trains from Milano Centrale station to Tirano leave hourly and take only 2½hr to complete the journey & makes an interesting, climate friendly way to the mountains - POW (Protect Our Winters). Buses on route 070 & taxis are ready & waiting at the Tirano stazione to transfer you to Bormio, only 35min away. Unless renting a car, the train & bus/taxi combination is the recommended mode of travel to Bormio.
If lacking time but have the euro, arrange a private transfer from Milan or Tirano to Bormio. Driving to Bormio gives one ultimate freedom but beware of car rentals from Milan. Ensure your rental car is winterised (winter tyres, AWD, snow chains, windscreen washer fluid etc.). Note also that the drive from Lecco to Tirano can get very busy, so patience is a virtue!
For hints, tips & warnings about travel to Italian ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Italy page.
Bormio Accommodation
The large, historic town of Bormio sits pretty in the valley below the ski resort at 1,225m altitude & makes a superb base from which to explore the Alta Valtellina ski resorts. A wide range of accommodation options, including some lovely farm-stay apartments, are on offer in the town & surrounding valleys. Lodging types are available to suit all budgets.
In Bormio, the main choice of accommodation is split by the river. On the ski resort side of the river some excellent & well-priced hotels, guesthouses (albergo), BnBs & apartments are within walking & skiing distance of the main gondola, plus are as close to ski-in form the slopes as one needs. Our favourite budget stay is the family-run Hotel (Albergo) Giardino. Closer to the gondola, the marvellous Olimpia Hotel has a broader range of rooms & suites plus a fun bar & restaurant. Right at the gondola base, Hotel Nevada & Residence Pedranzini provide the ultimate ski-in, step out to lift convenience, whilst the contemporary Eden Hotel provides the perfect balance between modernity & locality near the river. Everything near the ski resort base is only a short stroll into the old town of Bormio via a pedestrian bridge. Local buses also connect the area to the town centre.
In the town centre, the Hotel san Vitale is perfectly located to get the most out of a Bormio stay. Across the pedestrian only street is the good value, traditional Hotel Gufo. The old town has loads of apartments throughout as well. On the way into town, numerous well-presented hotels line the main road including the Miramonti Park Hotel. A more traditional, well priced option is the Meublè Cima Bianca Garni, tucked away in a quiet corner near the old town. Anyone seeking 5-star luxury will have to content themselves with the extraordinary QC Terme Grand Hotel Bagni Nuovi. This art-nouveau grand hotel overlooks the town & mountains, 3km away on the road to Livigno.
Up on the mountain, the hamlet of Ciuk is right on the slopes at 1,640m elevation. The Hotel Vallechiara provides the best lodgings. Numerous private chalets & apartments are available for rent between the mid mountain base area at Bormio 2000, Ciuk & the valley.
Search & book all Bormio accommodation.
If one has transport & plans on skiing numerous resorts in the lower part of the region (i.e. Aprica, Diavolezza Lagalb, Bormio et al), Tirano can make an excellent base of operations.
Search & book Tirano accommodation.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
A wide range of ski rentals are arrayed along the ski area base. Receive a discount when you rent equipment from our partners Bormio Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Bormio has a wide range of ski schools, ski/snowboard instructors & mountain guides. Compare, search & book regular lessons, off-piste/freeride instruction, or guided days in all the resorts of Alta Valtellina via our Bormio Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Review
The Powderhounds last reviewed Bormio in 2020 & were more than pleasantly surprised by it. Super-long, steep on-piste; big wide open freeride bowls & tree skiing on cold, north-aspect slopes - what's not to like? 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 Bormio compares 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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