Holiday Villa for rent in Abruzzo Italy

Winter Sports

Skiing & other winter sports

The Abruzzo region boasts the highest summits of the Appennines, so it is no surprise that the winter resorts of the Gran Sasso and Maiella attract thousands of enthusiasts every year, and not just to ski. For the more enterprising ski-touring and snowboarding are available; also on offer is snowrafting, tobogganing and dog-sledding, as well as cross-country skiing on the vast plateaux of the Campo Imperatore, Rocche, Cinque Miglia, Voltigno and the Piani di Pezza

There are many ski resorts to choose from. You might like to try Prati di Tivo which has easily accessible pistes from the old centre of Pietracamela and is the best known ski resort in the Teramo area. From the base of Prati di Tivo (1450m) there are 6 ski lifts and a chair lift going up to Arapietra (2000m). These lifts cater for 20 km of downhill pistes. There is also a cross-country track.

Another popular area, near Corno Grande (2912m) - the highest peak of the Gran Sasso and the Appennine range - is Campo Imperatore which is at the heart of the highest ski area in Abruzzo, with ski lifts going as high as 2233 m on Mt. Scindarella . In the winter it can be accessed by cable car from Fonte Cereto (1120m). The considerable altitude ensures good snow for most of the winter. The Campo Imperatore plateau is also ideal for cross-country skiing. For off-piste and ski-mountaineering try the Gran Sasso gullies such as the TreValloni slope.

Astronomical Observatory near ski-runs – Campo Imperatore, Abruzzo, Italy Nearby is the Monte Cristo basin (1450m) which has 4 other ski lifts and some shorter pistes.

The Roccaraso ski resort in the Maiella is hosting the Ski World Cup Winter Games in 2006.

The Appennine's first visitor on skis, Aldo Bonacossa, arrived in 1923 and described the Gran Sasso's highest slope, Corno Grande (2912m ) as ‘ a fantastic downhill run, very fast – much better than Cortina's Nuvolau' . This slope still remains the domain of ski-mountaineers, but the rich and diverse range of ski resorts and pistes in Abruzzo make it an ideal area for beginners, families as well as keen sportsmen.

Winter Views from Villa Collecimino in Abruzzo

From the Garden	From the Terrace	Winter View