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Bormio Ski Resort
In Lombardia, near the Swiss border, Bormio has winter sports and wellness holidays down to a tee.
Ski lifts first popped up in the fifties, and by the late sixties the area had grown to reach a whopping 3000m high. These days the local ski pass covers Bormio's local slopes as well as those in nearby San Colombano (11km away) and Santa Caterina (13km). The Alta Valtellina pass adds Livigno (38km away) into the mix, as well as a reduction on the St Moritz day pass if you fancy a trip over the border to Switzerland.
Bormio's one of the main bases for exploring the incredible Stelvio National Park. One of the biggest National parks in the Alps, its home to spruce, fir and pine forests, the sky high peaks of the Rhaetian Alps and nine hot springs. These flow into three thermal spas, where you can bubble away your cares in outdoor hot tubs at natural temperatures of 37-43°C. Look out for the Ski & Spa pass which lets you mix ski days and spa days.
But the town wasn’t sleeping sweetly until skiing and spa days arrived. Its location near the Stelvio Pass once made it a thriving post for trading between the Duchy of Milan, Venice and Northern Alps – creating the golden age of the 14-16th centuries. Evidence of this surrounds with an historic centre of churches, chapels, palazzos and piazzas. Cobbled streets link them all together, lined with medieval buildings. Noble families would build towers on their palaces as signs of their status, resulting in a wonderful mix of heights and architecture. Wander down Via Roma for an eyeful of patterned, frescoed and mosaicked walls housing shops, bars and restaurants. Pass the Romanesque church of San Vitale on your left then continue for five minutes or so to the end of the road. Take a left and soon you’ll find Piazza Cavour (AKA Piazza Kuerc), the hub of the town with its clock tower and pink-painted church.
Stats & FAQ
Location: Lombardia, Italy
Established: 1950's
Open: December - April
Downhill: 50km
View our detailed Bormio 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 Bormio snow history.
| Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
| Milan–Malpensa Airport (MXP) | 218km, 3h15 |
| Bolzano Airport (BZO) | 174km, 3.5 hours |
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| Top Altitude: | 3012m |
| Bottom Altitude: | 1225m |
| Resort Altitude: | 1225m |
| Longest run: | 6km |
| Slope Orientation: | N NW |
| Vertical Drop: | 1787m |
| Skiable Vertical: | |
| Night Skiing: | Yes |
| Glacier: | Yes |
Snow Report
Web Cam
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| Downhill Runs: | 50km |
| Beginner slopes: | 28% |
| Intermediate: | 68% |
| Advanced slopes: | 4% |
| Lift Pass Price: | €208 (adult 6 day) |
| Nearby resorts: Livigno, St Moritz | |
Skiing/BoardingSkiing in Bormio
In the Bormio area, beginners have training zones at the base station in the Gormiti Park, higher up at Ciuk (accessed by cable car) and also at Bormio 2000 by the cableway top station. This is the bigger of the three, with bars and shops nearby – you can drive up there, or take the lift from town.
Intermediates have the run of the mountain, with red pistes streaming like spaghetti from Cima Bianca. We like the long Bimbi al Sole descent, which lands you at 2000 for the chance to take the lift and ski it all again – or continue skiing all the way back to the town.
Advanced skiers can’t miss the Stelvio – the World Cup Downhill slope. Likened to Kitzbuhel’s Streif run in terms of its technical difficulty, it lets you ski in the tracks of Hermann Maier and Bode Miller over 3230m and gradients of 60%. With jumps, sharp turns and speeds of over 100km/h before you reach the last jump, nothing in the area will get the adrenaline pumping quite like this one.
A lot of the off piste runs alongside the groomers here, letting you dabble in and out of the powder as you please. Of all the powder potential, a favourite has to be Vallone which takes you over 3000m on Monte Vallecetta, where you can choose the Classic or Cross descents, both an absolute treat to ski. Skiers Spot, meanwhile, has a terrific itinerary through the woods.
Snowpark Bormio by the Stella Alpina piste clocks up 500 metres and 200m vertical, featuring a 12m kicker, spine, rail, rainbow and more.
Bormio Apres Ski
The main watering hole here is the BeWhite Bar by the cableway base for Bormio 2000 –usually open from 3pm with themed parties and plenty of beer. If you fancy trying something new, ask your barman for a Amaro Braulio – a local legend of a drink whose recipe has been kept secret for over 140 years.
Being the land of La Dolce Vita, the restaurants here are brilliant. Umami has a Michelin star for fusing the foods of Naples with Alpine cuisine, and presenting it in a form of art. Enoteca Guanella does modern Italian, while we like Ristorante Eira for good old fashioned pizza. Don’t miss Keller Steak house where the mix grill brings carnivores back time after time.
If you can’t wait until morning, night skiing takes place on 4km of pistes including the WC Stelvio and Deborah Compagnoni runs which often have bars set out along them and music and DJ’s pumping out tunes at the bottom. Or, for a break from the skis, dog sledding, snowshoeing and fat biking are popular.
But if you only do one non-ski activity all week, make it a trip to the thermal baths. The Terme Bagni Vecchi are the “old baths”, where hot springs date back two thousand years and a panoramic pool looks over the town. Terme Bagni Nuovi, the “new baths” are divided into sectors of different aromas and lights. There’s also Bormio Terme, with its hot tub, waterslide, Turkish baths and sauna.
Best time to go
Best time to ski Bormio
Best time to visit & ski Bormio
Something like €8.5 million has been invested in the snowmaking here, which covers 80% of the slopes. It’s so good that 2005’s Alpine Ski World Cup was hosted on artificial snow alone. This with the help of some of Italy’s highest pistes helps the season stay open from the start of December, and usually though to the second half of April. The good thing about Bormio is that even if the slopes aren’t all up to scratch, the potential of afternoons spent in the local spas more than make up for it... Up on the Stelvio Glacier, conditions usually hold out from May to November for summer skiing on more than 20km of pistes.
Peak Dates
Market stalls in Valdisotto, a historic town centre and more than enough ski and spa facilities make for a brilliant Christmas in Bormio.
Instructors dance down the Stelvio piste with lanterns to mark New Year in Bormio, which is traditionally followed by fireworks and mulled wine at the ski stadium on Via Funivia.
Italian ski schools don’t break in February, leaving the slopes and spas nice and quiet over Half Term in Bormio.
Look out for local traditions like Pasquali parades over Easter in Bormio.
Families in Bormio
Families with young children will love the Gormiti park, which promises hours of fun spent sledding and practicing those first skiing slides with the Ski School Nazionale Bormio. Placed at the Bormio 2000 lift base station, it’s within easy reach of the town, with the BeWhite bar nearby where you can nurse mugs of steaming mulled wine while you watch them enjoy the snow. Children’s entertainers Gruppo Animando run the mini club here, providing fun activities indoor and out.
Whether you spend the day racing each other down the Stelvio, pottering around the blue runs or relaxing in the spa, come together for evening activities like night skiing which adds an extra layer of excitement to the sport.
Better yet, last time we checked, under 7’s could ski free with a full priced adult pass and families of three or more people could benefit from lift pass discounts.
GroupsGroup Holidays Bormio
A ski resort, spa resort and historical town, this place makes for a great group destination. All levels will find something to suit on the mountain and nearby ski areas, while non-skiers can sample the 3 thermal baths or soak up the ancient architecture in the town centre. Spend evenings enjoying the food and wine Italy does best, or getting stuck into activities like night skiing.
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