Ever thought of taking tea with the Emperor of China, attending a grand ball of the Imperial Hapsburg Court of the Austro Hungarian empire, dancing in fur coat and day-glo moon boots until 8 am in the company of male strippers or just taking part in a race round a frozen lake on a motor bike? If so, Madonna di Campiglio is the place for you.
Italy's second super sexy ski centre (alongside Cortina) is less well known internationally and attracts 95% of its guests from within Europe's long boot-shaped country.
It's a resort of excesses, as far as the Italians are concerned anyway, although you wouldn't guess it if you happened to drive by in the off-season and didn't look for the designer boutiques, subtley hidden away in this very pleasant little town. Unlike many of the other classic ski resorts, it does have a great ski area - with 150km (93 miles) of lift-linked runs accessed by lifts which ascend from right in the village (no messing about on the ski bus).
Although saying that there's as much skiing again on the lift pass which covers neighbouring resorts Pinzolo,
Pejo, Monte Bondone and Passo Tonale - the latter with glacier skiing year round. The lift system links over to two more resorts on the pass, both purpose-built, Folgarida (not to be confused with another Italian resort, Folgaria), and the less tasteful Marilleva. Although much of the skiing is intermediate cruising it is intermediate cruising at its best - you really get a sense of travelling as you go up above the trees and then back down through the tree line as you travel over to the next resort. Experts can heli-ski or tackle one of the tough runs like the 3-Tre, scene of the annual world cup race.
It's a great place for people spotting and for those not afraid to be seen alive in dead animals or with funny reflector things you hold under your chin like some strange Star trek communications device but in fact
to grab a bit of an under-chin tan. As with Cortina, posing is probably more popular than skiing, s is shopping, with the world's top designers on sale in the fashion and jewellery boutiques. Absolutely gorgeous.
| Vertical Drop: | 3233 ft
| Half Pipes: | 1 |
| Top Elevation: | 8468 ft | Snowmaking:
| 34% |
Skiable Acres:
| - | Total:
| 15km |
| Trails: | 35 | Restaurants:
| 32 |
| Lifts: | 22 | | |
Cable cars:
| 5 | | |
Source:
www.goski.com 
