Up in the Rhaetian Alps at 1883m, rubbing shoulders with Trentino and Lombardy, the purpose-built town of Tonale is one of the highest resorts in the country. With a top altitude of 3016m, snow is guaranteed throughout the season here, as there are lots of Italian sunshine.
Milan and Verona are the nearest serving airports, where you can find coach, taxi and train connections to the resort. Trains from Milan pass through Verona to Trento where the rail service stops at Val di Sole’s top resorts, Passo included.
Thanks to the resort being purpose-built, everything is easy to get to. The traffic-free streets host a pick-‘n’-mix of establishments to make your stay easy and hassle-free; for those on a budget, there’s a supermarket, rental shops and relatively cheap options for eating out, (we’ve found pizza and pasta from only 5€). For those looking to push the boat out, there are wellness centres in the big hotels and equipment shops for buying the latest mountain trends.
A superb lift system made up of chair lifts, gondolas and cable cars can carry up to 33,000 skiers per hour. With various ski pass options, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a complete beginner or a prospective applicant to the Adamello Ski Raid (this famous high-altitude race that takes place here every spring). The Adamello Ski pass covers Passo Tonale, Ponte di Legno, Temù and the Presena Glacier (the areas in the immediate vicinity) and the Superskirama covers these areas and the Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Branta area, effectively tripling the original ski area size to over 380km of runs.
Location: Italy, Alps.
Established:
Open: Early November- Early May
Downhill: 100km
View our detailed Passo Tonale snow forecast or snow report and see all live webcams, piste maps, road and travel maps and lift pass prices. For a picture of historic snow conditions see the snow depths month by month with our Passo Tonale snow history.
Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
Milan Bergamo | 124 km, 2 hrs 30 |
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Top Altitude: | 3016m |
Bottom Altitude: | 1883m |
Resort Altitude: | 1883m |
Longest run: | 4.5km |
Slope Orientation: | NSEW |
Vertical Drop: | 2,000m |
Skiable Vertical: | |
Night Skiing: | Yes |
Glacier: | Yes |
Downhill Runs: | 100km |
Beginner slopes: | 25% |
Intermediate: | 60% |
Advanced slopes: | 15% |
Lift Pass Price: | €241 (Adult 6 day high season pass) |
Nearby resorts: Peio, Folgarida, Marilleva, Madonna di Campiglio |
As a beginner, having to take loads of lifts to reach easy runs can be a bit daunting. You don’t have to worry about this here, with most blue runs near hotels and bars, for those all-important hot chocolate breaks. Nursery slopes with magic carpets let learners work on snowploughs, in short, manageable bursts - when you begin to feel more comfortable, take the Valena chair lift for a couple of mid-length blues.
60% of the slopes have been carefully crafted for intermediates, leading in all directions for quick-fire chases and lengthy thigh burning runs. We especially like the long Alpino if you’re after more of a challenge. Present Destra is a scenic red trail from the top of the glacier leading to the red Presena Paradiso (get the lift the rest of the way down if you don’t want to tackle the following black). If you fancy gliding through the trees, Ponte di Legno has some steeper, wooded runs.
For experts, the 3km Paradiso black is terrific, with a vertical drop of 700m. If you make your way up to Cima Presena at 3016m, you can drink in the panoramic views before descending 1215m on blacks and reds for a rippling ride back to the resort.
Thanks to the amazing snow, there’s some incredible off-piste – hire a guide and take the itinerary route off the Presena, which brings you back to the village, albeit with a ten-minute walk. Heliskiing also grants exclusive access to even more of the pow - it’ll feel like just you and Mother Nature out on the mountain.
The Adamello Snowpark has jumps, boxes and all the toys, guaranteed to keep all ages entertained for hours on end and the 1000m snowcross means it’ll be a nail-biting race against the clock. Watch out for the Presena glacier’s snow park, which usually opens later on in the season.
Of course, one of the best things about Italy is its delectable delicacies. Whether you're looking for fast food to fill you after a hard days skiing (try La Torretta for their filling pizza) or a more authentic, native dining experience (El Bait serves local, genuine cuisine), you won't be disappointed. Il Focolare is well worth a visit for classic pasta and tiramisu – make sure you book early! Eating on a budget is easy, with fast food dishes from 5€, and you can usually grab a three-course meal for about 10€. Nico's Bar makes delicious pizzas, and there is an amusement arcade for entertaining the kids.
The nightlife has a laid-back, jovial feel as people come together in Magic Pub and other promisingly named watering holes. Bar Heaven and La Barraca have an excellent atmosphere and play great music - get there for happy hour to make the most of your evening. The Disco Pub Miramonti is a fun, late-night spot to let loose and move your feet in a way that's just not possible when you have skis strapped to them.
In terms of activities, the town's 'Sleddog' run means you can have the husky sled ride you've always dreamt of. Hike from Passo de Tonale to Rifugio Citta di Trento includes incredible views and pistes reserved exclusively for sledding and tubing provide no end of fun for all the family. There is also an ice-skating rink, snowmobile tours, snowshoeing tours, snowkiting, slopes reserved for fat bikes and helicopter tours.
Passo Tonale’s ski area sits above the town’s settlement at 1883m. With a top altitude of 3016m, this Alpine resort is generally one of the first to open in the ski season come early November, and one of the last left open in April or May.
There isn’t much call for snow cannons at such an altitude, but operators have installed some, all the same, to give the slopes a little dusting when the snow fairy hasn’t been. Located in the Val di Sole (sunny valley), blue skies look promising for this resort all year round, with its mountains pointing towards all 4 faces of the compass.
A purpose-built resort that works well just as it is, Passo’s slopes are known for being generally open throughout the season, and the lifts are famous for being queue-free.
If you’ve asked Santa for snow-sure slopes and good food and you don’t want to break the notorious December budget, spend your Christmas in Passo Tonale. Passo Tonale Christmas ski holidays ‣
In past years they’ve ladled out free vin brule (that’s mulled wine to you and I) over New Years in Passo Tonale to accompany the amazing torchlit descent and firework display. Passo Tonale New Year ski holidays ‣
Things tend to be deliciously crowd-free even over February Half term in Passo Tonale and the value for money here can make this peak week much more affordable. Passo Tonale Half Term ski holidays ‣
With a glacier that’s usually open for skiing all year, a typically long season and a claim as one of Italy’s highest purpose-built resorts, spending Easter in Passo Tonale is likely to see some wonderful snow conditions. Passo Tonale Easter ski holidays ‣
Whether you're all taking to the piste as beginners or this is an annual ski holiday you've been doing for donkey's years, Passo Tonale's a gem for families.
Beginners can join one of the ski schools, where areas equipped with magic carpets help make first skiing experiences memorable for all the right reasons. Experienced teens will have a ball on the glacier, doing tricks and turns in the Presena snow park. If the whole family is learning or improving together, book a private instructor for quality time together.
Many of Passo's hotels are family-friendly, with childcare packages crammed with activities, so tots who aren't yet big enough for ski lessons will be well cared for. More often than not they're very near the piste, making getting from A to B a breeze.
Sledding opposite the Hotel Dolomiti provides hours of fun, while restaurants like Nico's offer a variety of cheap but scrumptious pizzas (Nico's has the added bonus of an arcade room for kids can while parents enjoy a quiet bottle of vino). In previous seasons Ski School Ponte Tonale has dedicated Wednesday evenings to kids with music, face painting, and torch-lit walks - some mid-week fun that's well worth looking out for.
Groups of mixed abilities will be doing somersaults in the snow over this resort's terrain for all: beginners can get to grips with short, blue runs, booking lessons with one of the mountain's schools (Ski & Snowboard school Tonale Presena or Ponte di Legno - Tonale).
If the majority of your party are intermediates, there couldn't be a place better to go, as 60% of this resort's runs are classified red. Head to the glacier to tackle top heights of 3016m - hire a guide for the day if you all fancy exploring with someone who knows the area inside out. If you've got some friends who haven't quite warmed to skiing, but like the idea of a mountain getaway, alternative daytime activities like dog sledding, natural ice rinks and wellness centres mean you won't have to take no for an answer.
Good food and wine (for ridiculously good prices) can be found all over Passo Tonale. Head to La Baracca as the sun goes down for panoramic views, happy hours and bucket loads of Aperol Spritz. As the night heats up, Hotel Miramonti's nightclub is always waiting for your dance routines to grace their dance floor…
Accommodation | Number of nights | Price (per person) from |
---|---|---|
Hotel Delle Alpi | 7 | £ 715 |
Hotel Grand Paradiso | 7 | £ 722 |
Hotel Sport Vittoria | 7 | £ 801 |
Hotel Miramonti | 7 | £ 825 |
Hotel Adamello | 7 | £ 667 |
Hotel Piandineve | 7 | £ 716 |
Hotel La Mirandola | 7 | £ 563 |
Hotel Locanda Locatori | 7 | £ 579 |
Hotel Savoia | 7 | £ 618 |
Hotel Orchidea | 7 | £ 619 |