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Kronplatz Ski Resort
Voted ‘Italy’s best Ski Resort’ by Mountain Management in 2012, Kronplatz is nestled in South-Tyrol amid the natural parks of a legendary UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Italian Dolomites. It’s the largest of 3 resorts in the Pustertal valley, having around 3 times the ski area of neighbouring Speikboden and Klausberg.
You’d be forgiven for being a little puzzled by these Austrian names – and understandably so, considering Kronplatz et al sit pretty comfortably within the Italian border. To clear this up, Tyrol was Austrian territory until the end of WWI, when the southern region was handed over to the Italians as a condition of a 1919 treaty. Pustertal’s consequently home to speakers of German, Italian and Ladin (the Italians and Ladins know Kronplatz as Plan de Corones) – so if your ‘Ciao’ doesn’t cut it, a ‘Guten Tag’ probably will! Another awesome bonus is the melting-pot of culture and cuisine within the area, giving you the enviable chance to enjoy the best authentic Italian and Austrian dishes, all in one go.
Named after the towering Kronplatz mountain, where you can find most of the skiing, the resort is made up of a number of towns situated at its base. Most of the accommodation is in San Vigilio di Marebbe (or ‘St. Vigil’, to Fritz) at 1201m, whose chic, traditional-style buildings are framed by the Fanes-Senes-Braie and Puez Odle natural parks. There’s a great selection of shops, bars, restaurants and activities here, as well as swift and modern connections to the main ski area and the Piz de Plaies slopes (your gate to the Sella Ronda) to the west.
Brunico-Bruneck, located under the northern face of the mountain, is connected to the Dolomites’ ski train network. A medieval gem, it’s quite clear why the tourist board describe it as ‘Italy‘s most pleasant and citizen friendly small city’. There are plenty of historic streets to explore in its constituent villages and hamlets, whilst the imposing façade of Brunico castle is a stunning focal point.
Valdaora-Olang is the third main town of the resort and is great for families – thanks to its proximity to child-friendly activities. There are a few bars in the area too; while its position on the ski train line is another great advantage.
Stats & FAQ
Location: Italy, Dolomites
Established: 1963
Open: December - April
Downhill: 116km
View our detailed Kronplatz 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 Kronplatz snow history.
| Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
| Innsbruck | 105km, 1hr 40mins |
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| Top Altitude: | 2275m |
| Bottom Altitude: | 950m |
| Resort Altitude: | 813m - 1201m |
| Longest run: | Ried 7km |
| Slope Orientation: | NSEW |
| Vertical Drop: | 1325m |
| Skiable Vertical: | |
| Night Skiing: | Yes |
| Glacier: | No |
Snow Report
Web Cam
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| Downhill Runs: | 116km |
| Beginner slopes: | 48% |
| Intermediate: | 28% |
| Advanced slopes: | 24% |
| Lift Pass Price: | 214-243€ (adult 6 day) |
| Nearby resorts: La Villa, Ortisei, Dolomiti Superski | |
Skiing/BoardingSkiing in Kronplatz
The skiing is mostly concentrated on the Kronplatz mountain, great for nailing maximum piste-time without the hassle of travelling over to different regions.
The beginners’ skiing is fantastic, with plenty of gentle and spacious pistes. An awesome set of blue runs include Plateau and Sonne at the summit and Miara, a lovely long training slope extending down to the main gondola at San Vigilio. The children’s Safety Park beside the Olang run has a medley of natural and manmade obstacles as well as room to practice the basics. There are also two quieter runs at Riscone, whilst Pedagà over on Piz Da Paies is a beautifully steady ride into San Vigilio.
Intermediates can advance swiftly on some – frankly – flawless runs, many of which begin from the Concordia peak. Pramstall’s a feast for the eyes as well as the skis, giving an initial sweeping panorama of the Dolomites followed by a stretch amongst the pines. Under the Spitzhorn blue is the longest run, Ried, a picturesque 7k jaunt through the treeline to the foot of Perca’s principal chair lift. Speed freaks will have a great time on various time trials, including 2 blues (Olang and Pracken) for keen improvers. To tie up the day, we love the home stretch of Piz da Paies – bypassing the mad afternoon gondola dash, it finishes conveniently in central San Vigilio for a head-start on the après!
The ‘Black 5’ slopes can be found all over the area for experts. At their best quality in the morning, Sylvester and Hernegg are particularly stunning 5km sprees which run down the entire northern face of the mountain and weave between the trees.
For freestylers, the Snowpark is the ultimate mountain jungle gym. Between the Belvedere and Plateau runs at 2230m, it has some epic views during airtime and an amazing backdrop to your action shots! The Jib Park beneath the Korer slope is also well-equipped and is often open some evenings.
Kronplatz Apres Ski
There’s a fine choice of mountain venues that come alive in the afternoons. The rustic CoroneS Hutte at Concordia 2000 switches from serving lunches in its restaurant to schnapps and bombardinos in its umbrella bar, meanwhile Kron-Treff next door gets the drinks flowing to some pumping music.
Further down in the valley, Bus Stop at San Vigilio is one of the resort’s most popular go-to’s, the DJ’s and live bands tend to draw in quite a bustling crowd, whilst karaoke nights and themed parties can get pretty raucous. At Valdaora, the ultra-modern Skistadl and Gassl are some of the area’s largest venues and have brilliant views of skiers coming down the Gassl red slope. Be sure to catch a drink in Brunico’s K1 too, which usually sees revellers take to dancing on tables – ski boots and all.
The unique fusion of Austrian and Italian culture in Kronplatz ensures there’s something for everyone in the restaurants. For a taste of some authentic cuisine, Osteria Plazores in San Vigilio serves wholesome dishes such as speckknödel, bauerngröstl and – a Pustertal speciality – potato shavings with sauerkraut. Neraby, Da Arnold’s pizzeria is legendary (even to the Italians), whilst Ciola’ specialises in generous and delicious portions of grilled food. Various gourmet restaurants can also be found in Brunico and Valdaora, though our favourite has to be Picknick for its lovely atmosphere and open kitchen.
For something a little more active during your evening, night skiing is a fantastic way to get an amazing view of the glittering resort below. San Viglio’s thrilling zip line is a must for the adventurous, although if watching the action is enough to get your adrenaline pumping, Valdaora usually hosts a weekly ski show (to be enjoyed with a glühwein - obviously). Sledging in both the national parks surrounding San Vigilio and on Valdaora’s floodlit slopes (where snow tubing is also hosted) is great fun for all ages, meanwhile all of the main towns have beautiful outdoor ice rinks. In Brunico, there’s the Solar Arena which is the home of its national league ice hockey team and tends to host games throughout the winter season. Cron 4, also in Brunico, is a fantastic leisure facility which has an indoor water park with slide and an outdoor pool. Cron 4’s pretty great for non-skiers too, who can swim and make use of the wellness facilities. Otherwise, days off the mountain can be enjoyed browsing the villages’ shops or swotting-up on the local history in Brunico castle’s mountaineering museum and the Ladin museum at San Martino (the next ski bus stop from San Vigilio).
Best time to go
Best time to ski Kronplatz
Best time to visit & ski Kronplatz
The ski area has runs spread over all faces of the mountain with most extending from the summit right down to the valley beneath. This characteristic is great for ensuring there’s plenty of piste to explore for the duration of the season. In the early season, 100% snowmaking works hard to see the runs in pristine condition. The slopes from Concordia 2000 to Valdaora are best for snatching breathtaking views of the Dolomites under the morning winter sun, whilst the south-facing Piz da Peres and Piz da Plaies catch the most warmth. The lower runs amongst the treeline are also ideal in bad visibility during any blizzards. Later on, the shade from these will preserve the snow, meanwhile the high-altitude of Piz da Peres and the northern ridge of the mountain are most protected against slush.
Peak Dates
The resort’s fantastic mix of rustic Austrian charm and gorgeous Italian cuisine is legendary at all times of the year – though the festive season is extra-special. With a delightful market, glittering decorations and tons of festive activities to get stuck into, Christmas in Kronplatz is usually a particularly merry occasion. Kronplatz Christmas ski holidays ‣
The choice of bars and exciting activities combined with the likelihood of some excellent skiing make celebrating New Year in Kronplatz really spectacular. Kronplatz New Year ski holidays ‣
Pristine slopes create a haven for all levels of skier and are served by a high-spec lift system, meanwhile a massive range of activities keeps everyone entertained during their Half-term in Kronplatz. Kronplatz Half Term ski holidays ‣
End of season ski breaks don’t get much better than spending Easter in Kronplatz. The resort’s excellent lift system and finely-tuned piste network is a dream at this time of year, meanwhile a tonne of great après ski on offer means that even time off the mountain is time well-spent! Kronplatz Easter ski holidays ‣
Families in Kronplatz
Families staying in Kronplatz are really spoilt for choice when it comes to facilities in the resort. Various hotels in the area also have children’s play areas and games rooms, so it’s well worth having a browse for the best places to stay and entertain the kids.
Up on the mountain, 9 ski schools give tuition to all ages and abilities. The excellent Safety Park provides beginner skiers with the best area to drill basics like snow-plough and parallel turns, carving and stopping. There’s a really cool obstacle course here for little ones to play around in too. Kronplatz snowpark, complete with multiple trails including one specifically for families, is just next door and is particularly popular with teens looking to pick up or sharpen their moves.
The activities in the resort are very much geared towards any type of guest, with many being great for families and children. Ice skating on outdoor rinks is available in the three main towns, whilst sledging is also done at various points of the mountain including the Falzes-Pfalzen sports ground which also has snow tubing. The Cron 4 swimming complex is our favourite spot for active families – there’s an indoor waterpark (complete with slide!) as well as a heated outdoor pool and award-winning sauna and steam rooms. After this, we recommend hitting the Ciola’ restaurant in San Vigilio for delicious grilled food – or, if you’re feeling adventurous, a taste of traditional Ladin cuisine in Osteria Plazores.
GroupsGroup Holidays Kronplatz
With most runs on the Kronplatz mountain, this is a great destination for groups as members can split off to their preferred areas but still be close enough to meet during the day. Being directly above the start points of the majority of the runs, the Concordia 2000 peak has a good range of restaurants that make fab meeting points (large groups might like the Kronrestaurant which has the most seating). Beginners will love blue slopes like Plateau, found between Concordia and Valdaora, while nearby Reid and two of ‘The Black 5’ will keep more advanced skiers entertained. For a day tour, some might want to brave the black Piculin descent over on the Piz de Plaies. You can also take a Skibus from the bottom of the run into the Sella Ronda, which is skiable on the Dolomiti SuperSki pass.
The sun terrace at Berghastof Graziani is a lovely spot to make a start on the après. From there, you can decide to ski down to the village or take the gondola, where you have your pick of activities to while away the evening. There are some brilliant sledging routes all over the resort – otherwise swimming at Cron 4 or taking to the floodlit slopes for some night skiing are popular choices. For more of a wild night, the Bus Stop bar in San Vigilo tends to get pretty busy with both locals and tourists – it usually hosts live bands and Dj’s and is known for hosting some pretty good themed parties to get well and truly stuck into...
Which are the best ski holidays in Kronplatz?
| Accommodation | Number of nights | Price (per person) from |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Teresa | 7 | £ 839 |
| Hotel Mareo | 7 | £ 1239 |
| Hotel Monte Sella | 7 | £ 1249 |
| Hotel Monte Paraccia | 7 | £ 919 |
| Hotel Garni Pe de Munt | 7 | £ 659 |
| Excelsior Dolomites Life Resort | 7 | £ 1496 |
| Falkensteiner Kronplatz, Riscone | 7 | £ 1781 |
| Hotel Post, Bruneck | 7 | £ 853 |
| Hotel Ander, Bruneck | 7 | £ 894 |
| Schonblick Sport and Active Hotel, Riscone | 7 | £ 971 |
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