Renon - Ritten Ski Resort Italy
Known various by the names Ritten, Rittner Horn & Corno del Renon; Renon is a local ski hill with a summit 2000m vertical above the city of Bolzano & with uninterrupted views across the entire Dolomites & the high peaks of the Ortler ski region. With only a short 3-month winter season, Renon provides a small, relaxed ski area perfect to stretch the legs & for family fun. It also provides a lovely dose of winter above a valley that can sometimes feel anything but!
See the Renon ski trail map.
Where is Renon Italy?
Renon ski resort is above the gateway city to the Dolomites, Bolzano-Bozen, in the province of Südtirol (South Tyrol or Alto Adige), northeast Italy. The nearest village is Collalbo - Klobenstein, 6km by road to the south. The world’s best ski city of Innsbruck Austria is around 140km north by road, & Bolzano about 21km (30min) to the south. Trains to Bolzano from Innsbruck take around 2hr. To the south, the city of Verona is 175km by road & only 1½hr travel time by the fastest trains to Bolzano.
For all international travellers, the best gateway airports to Renon (or Bolzano & the Dolomites) are Munich (MUC), Venice Marco Polo (VCE), or at a stretch, Milan Malpensa (MXP) airport. For flights originating in the UK, Europe or Scandinavia, Innsbruck (INN) airport in Austria is an excellent starting point, particularly if renting a car.
The train is the recommended mode of travel to Bolzano, however if intending to use a rental car for access to the local ski resorts, then we recommend sourcing a fully winterised rental from Austria at Innsbruck airport, then driving from there.
Train links from Munich & Innsbruck to Bolzano via the Brenner Pass are excellent. From the south, trains from Venice & Milan link easily to Bolzano via Verona’s Porta Nuova railway station.
Search & book train tickets to Bolzano.
From Bolzano, at the eastern end on the city an interesting journey into the mountains can be undertaken by cable car & train. The ‘Renon Cable Car’ departs from the valley up to Soprabolzano (Oberbozon), 1000m above the city. From there one can catch the narrow-gauge trams on the ‘Renon Railway’ to the village of Collalbo. From Collalbo, the route 166 bus usual connects to the Renon ski resort gondola base, but the buses winter operation appears dubious at best & should not be relied upon. The quicker & cheaper way to Collalbo is the route 165 bus from Bolzano.
See the local public transport network map.
Renon Accommodation
Corno del Renon sits above a broad plateau replete with mountain villages & fabulous accommodation. The closest lodging options are just next to the gondola base at the Berghotel zum Zirm. The village of Collalbo - Klobenstein is only 10min drive from the gondola, providing the best local accommodations & services in a rural setting.
Search & book all Renon ski accommodation.
In the valley below, Bolzano is a short drive (or train/cable car) away south of the ski hill. Bolzano is modern, cosmopolitan city with a Stunning old town centre of narrow, portico lanes & interesting shops, restaurants, markets & bars. There are some beautiful self-contained apartments in renovated historic residences & warehouses in the old town.
Search & book all Bolzano accommodation.
Activities
Sometimes a ski resort isn’t really about skiing, it is about winter & snow. The Renon ski resort is one such place. The ski area has 30km of winter walking trails, 3½km of cross-country ski trails & a 3.7km long sled trail under the gondola. As mentioned previously, a relaxing and interesting journey from the resort’s main village of Collalbo is to Bolzano via the narrow-gauge trams on the Renon Railway & then the Renon Cable Car down into the city. Also from Collalbo, the route 165 bus heads further onto the plateau toward the village of Longostagno & the naturally formed Earth Pyramids (hoodoos!)(Erdpyramiden or Piramidi di terra), which would look more at home in Cappadocia Turkey! The numerous hamlets in the area offer lovely distractions including ice-skating on natural ponds in winter.
Down in Bolzano you will find a marvellous city full of distractions from the surrounding snowy mountains.
See the Bolzano city map.
First & foremost in the medieval town centre, one will want to explore the shops, lanes, bars & restaurants along the porticoed Laubengasse (a.ka. Via dei Portici). Find yourself a seat at one of the local bars like Hopfen & Co, then watch the day go by. This area, the Piazza delle Erbe (or Obstplatz), is home to the daily morning street market (except Sundays) where you can find fresh produce & taste local specialties. If in Bolzano around Christmas, the night markets are a wonderful local tradition held in the Walther Square from late November to early January.
See the Bolzano inner city map.
Further along the Via dei Portici, it becomes Via Museo where the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology houses the fascinating Ötzi the Iceman - a 5,300 year old human found perfectly preserved in a melting glacier near Val Senales ski resort in the late 1990s. A ‘must see’ insight into how humans survived in the mountains all those years ago. Other museums include those dedicated to local nature, art, culture, & economy; none of them as interesting as seeing Oetzi & his way of life.
The 13th century Mareccio Castle is just a few minutes stroll from the centre of town. Surrounded by grape vines it is not open to public but is fine to wander around. Bolzano’s other castles discreetly guard the heights around the city & all are open the public at various times throughout winter. The spectacular Runkelstein Castle (Castel Roncolo) is a lovely 3km walk north of the city & dates back to 1237AD. Aside from its splendid location, the castle is best known for its secular frescos throughout the interior. Haselburg Castle (Castel Flavon) is propped on a rocky outcrop on the eastern side of the city. Its fine-dining restaurant nestled amongst the castle’s upper walls is the main reason to visit in winter. The fourth castle, Sigmundskron, rests prominently on a rocky outcrop that has held a stronghold for over 1000 years. Sigmundskron Castle has been renovated and turned into a Messner Mountain Museum - an intriguing mix of mountaineering, art & history which is designed more to be about the impact of mountains on people but has a rather polarising impact on those visiting.
Review
The Powderhounds will review Renon in the near future. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
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