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Madesimo Ski Holidays

At a glance

  • Crowd free skiing
  • FIS pistes
  • Near St Moritz

Great for

  • Families
  • Non skiers
  • Traditional resort

Ski Holidays in Madesimo

Madesimo’s known for being the furthest Italian town from the sea… But who needs beaches when you’ve got World Cup pistes and famously good powder trails to soar down?!

  • Flight Time
  • 2 hours
  • From London
  • Nearest Airports
  • Turin, Milan Malpensa
  • Geneva, Innsbruck
  • Time zone
  • GMT + 1 hour
  • Language
  • Italian
  • Currency
  • Euros
  • Ski Season
  • Dec - April

Madesimo Stats

Top Altitude
2948m
Bottom Altitude
1550m
Resort Altitude
1550m
Total Piste
54km
Longest Run
2.4km
Slope Orientation
W SW NE
Vertical Drop
Skiable Vertical
Night Skiing
No
Glacier Skiing
No

In the Lombardy region at the very north end of Italy, Madesimo’s an area of high peaks and thick forest. This Italian town is officially the furthest from the sea, and was originally called Isola (“Island”) for its far away feel. Though it has the same narrow streets and farmhouses from days gone by, don’t expect Madesimo to be sleepy and quiet - the pedestrianised main street, Via Carducci* and its side streets have all the hotels, bars, shops and restaurants you might need for a week.

*(after Nobel-prize-winning poet Giosuè Carducci, who found his inspiration here in the nineteenth century)

It’s not so secluded anymore either: a quarter of an hour’s drive from the Swiss border and 2.5 hours out of Milan. The Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa and Bergo airports are all around 2 hours away and trains run to the town of Chiavenna which is half an hour’s drive. With grand sixteenth and seventeenth century buildings, Chiavenna’s an old, attractive mountain town worth exploring in its own right – and also serves as a handy transport link with bus services running to the famous Swiss ski resort of St Moritz.

Back to Madesimo, four ski lifts take you up to the Madesimo-Valchiavenna ski area, which is home to 60km of pistes, a snow… + more

Winter Sports Ratings

Beginners

Intermediate

Advanced

Snowboarding

Madesimo Transfer Times

Milan Linate Airport 2 hours
Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport 2h15
Milan Malpensa Airport 2h20
Verona Villafranca Airport 3h15

The nearest airport to Madesimo is Milan / Milano at 140 km or about 2 hours 30 minutes by car

What's the ski area like in Madesimo?

The resort has 60km of slopes and a fast lift system.

Which other ski resorts are near to Madesimo?

The nearest ski resorts to Madesimo include St Moritz.

Ski Area Facts

LocationLombardy, Italy
Established1911
Downhill54km
Lift Pass€186 (adult 6 day)

Beginner Slopes

14 runs 22km41%

Intermediate Skiing

13 runs 29km54%

Advance & Expert Terrain

2 runs 3km5%

Snowboarding Trails

54km100%

What is Madesimo like for Beginner skiers?

Children and beginners are catered for by the Larici Baby Park and short Palu piste, which are tailor-made to help conquer slides, stops and turns.

For improvers, the 2.4km Lago Azzuro run is one of the longest blues in the area - warm up for it on the Skiweg Larici-Baita del Sole which is a kilometre long.

What is Madesimo like for Intermediate skiers?

Intermediates have the whole area to explore, with some lovely runs from La Colmanetta including the Valsecchi Bassa which trails back to the town. The red Montalto run is used in FIS races for its technique testing variety – when it’s not reserved for training it’s an absolute blast to soar down.

What is Madesimo like for Advanced skiers?

Italo Pedroncelli from Montalto is a red that sometimes appears on the World Cup circuit, beginning with a black graded stretch to really up the ante. The other black piste in the area is Interpista Alta.

What is Madesimo like for snowboarding?

Up at 1800m, the Larici gondola and Montalto lift serve a snow park which is split into two levels – the lower one for experts (featuring a 12m kicker) and the upper for beginners and intermediates.

What is Madesimo like for off-piste skiing?

On offer for experienced skiers and snowboardersis one trail you can’t miss, the Canalone itinerary, which with 940m of vertical from Pizzo Groppera is thought to be one of the best runs in the Alps – a testing stretch of powder, rocks and steeps. The Camosci itinerary sets off from the same point, and there’s more off piste on the sides of the slopes and through the forest.

What is Madesimo like for cross country skiing?

There is a 5km track for the skiing skis in the village surrounds.

Madesimo Restaurants

For food, feast on simple, hearty pizzas and lunches at Ristoro Larici or book a table at Osteria Vegia on Via Cascata for delicious local cuisine (try the pizzocheri – a regional dish with pasta, greens and potatoes). If you fancy posh nosh, Ristorante Il Cantinone is praised for its imaginative cuisine in the Michelin guide.

Madesimo Après Ski

When the slopes begin to close, the Acquarela umbrella bar by the piste pumps out loud music, serving beers, wine and snacks. The

Boggia American bar has live bands and a mouth-wateringly good grill menu, while Bollicine Café does drinks and Italian tapas.

Later on, party into the night at Queen’s Club.

Madesimo Activites for Non-skiers

Activity-wise, the sports centre has a gym, squash court and ice rink. Snowmobiling is very popular here, with trails taking you towards the Swiss border and to cosy mountain huts. There are oodles to explore, from the historic streets of the town to the 16th and 17th century facades of buildings in Chiavenna half an hour away – where you can visit the Bottonera Mill and the Treasure Museum in the church of San Lorenzo. Busses run between Chiavenna and St Moritz if you want to experience the famous Swiss mountain town

Clothing Food & Souvenir Shops

There are about 20 shops in the resort so all needs should be catered for.

Local produce to look out for in the food stores include salamis and cold meats, cheeses, cakes, red wines including Sforzato di Valtellina D.O.C.G, Valtellina Superiore D.O.C.G and Bianco Palazzo Vertemate Franchi as well as honey and beer.

Best Time to Visit Madesimo

Most years see the lifts open in November and they tend to continue chugging into the spring – thanks to the positioning of the ski area near the high peaks of the Swiss alps. There’s good snowmaking cover in the resort if Mother Nature needs any assistance and the presence of tree runs is handy in times of low visibility.

What's Madesimo like at Christmas?

With the slopes often opening as early as November, Christmas in Madesimo is almost always a snowy one.

What's Madesimo like in the New Year?

Celebrate the New Year in Madesimo, toasting with the locals in the après ski bars, feasting on amazing Italian cuisine and enjoying the quiet pistes on January 1st.

What's Madesimo like in Half-Term?

The crowds don’t tend to make it to Half Term in Madesimo, helped by the fact that the Italian schools don’t have a week off in February.

What's Madesimo like at Easter?

Spend a week enjoying the Italian sunshine over Easter in Madesimo and book a table in a local restaurant for an Easter feast to remember.

Madesimo Snow Conditions

Snow Report, History & Forecast

View our detailed Madesimo snow report to see skiing confitions now. Our Madesimo snow history shows you what snow depths have been in recent years month-by-month. If you're visiting soon, use the Madesimo snow forecast to see predicted snowfall over the coming days.

  • Light snow Today
  • Sunny skies Wednesday
  • Sunny skies Thursday
  • Light snow Friday
  • Moderate snow Saturday
  • Partly cloudy skies Sunday
  • Current snow depth at top
    120 cm
  • Alternate Text
  • Current snow depth at base
    100 cm

Madesimo’s very popular with Italian families and Brits are fast catching onto its offerings. Children receive a warm welcome in the town and on the mountain, with friendly restaurants serving their favourite pizzas (for good prices) and the likes of the Larici Baby Park to ease beginners onto the slopes.

From group snowmobile sessions to days exploring historic Italian mountain towns, the list of activities you can enjoy with friends here goes on and on. While the ski area isn’t the biggest in the Alps, it has a good mix of runs for different levels – and there’s always the option of a day trip to St Moritz if you fancy a change of scenery. There are a good range of places to choose between for après ski (we like Acquarela and Boggia), not to mention mealtimes with people pleasing Italian cuisine every way you turn.

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Ski Extras

How much is a ski pass in Madesimo

Maximum and minimum adult Madesimo lift pass prices ranged from €152 to €192 for 6 days access to the Madesimo ski lift system at the start of the 2025 winter season. Our lift passes are part of a packaged Madesimo holiday with accommodation, so prices vary depending on chalet or hotel suppliers. Confirm price for the lift ticket before booking your holiday.

Lift Tickets Child Adult Senior
1 Day Price €20 - €33 €35 - €40 €31 - €35
6 Day Price €76 - €152 €152 - €192 €131 - €163
Age Range N / A 15 - 64 65+

Getting to Madesimo

Most of our ski holidays to Madesimo packaged with flights include airport transfers. We can also arrange private transfers to Madesimo from nearby airports

How long does it take to fly to Madesimo from the UK?

Flights from London take about 2 hours to Turin, Milan Malpensa, Geneva, Innsbruck. This table shows approximate transfer times to Madesimo from the nearest airports, smaller airports can be more prone to delays.

Airport Distance Transfer Time
Milan / Milano 140 km 2 hours 30 minutes
Orio Al Serio - Bergamo 119 km 2 hours

How long does it take to drive to Madesimo from the UK?

Browse our self-drive ski holidays which include your car channel crossing, or go choose accom-only and book your car ferry or tunnel later.

How long is the transfer from nearest Italy train station to Madesimo?

The transfer time from alpine train stations are generally shorter than from airports, Call us for details of Madesimo transfers.

Station Distance Transfer Time
Chiavenna 22 km 22 minutes

Madesimo Maps

Madesimo piste map
Click to Enlarge

Going to Madesimo under your own steam

For independant travel to Italy, compare accommodation only with Madesimo self-drive packages which include Eurotunnel or ferry.

Accomm-Only & Self-Drive

See driving directions to and from Madesimo in Italy.

Enter your start location and click "Get Directions" to view the route:

Madesimo Ski Holiday Resources

Need help choose your Madesimo ski holiday? Call us on 020 7770 6888 or click Enquire - we love to help!

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Similar Ski Resorts to Madesimo in Italy


Every Sno holiday packaged with flights is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. All our suppliers are ATOL bonded, so your money is safe. In addition to this, payments for your holiday are held in trust, by NatWest bank and the Travel Trust, who insure every booking against supplier failure.

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