My one stop flight was in flashy Abu Dhabi and while gliding through “another designer mall” I spotted a poster promoting Red Bull Air Races above the faux Corniche. O.K it didn’t tick any boxes, but these aerobatic planes flew fast n’ low, twisting, turning…looping, an interesting alternative to the usual opulent choices offered to a tiring punter on a long stop over.
Best of all my Etihad flight arrived at Malpensa on time and by 10 am I was enjoying a real Italian pizza in Milano Centrale Station.
Skiing at Bormio has always interested me. It’s a classic European ski town and has a great reputation for hosting challenging World Cup ski races on reliable snow and down steep pistes.
The gate way to this historic and central alpine region is TIRANO, north of the picturesque and elegante Lago di Como and a fast two hours by train from Milano Centrale. It’s also the passport stop and beginning of the famous Bernina Express to the chi chi Swiss resorts of St Moritz, and Davos – Klosters.
The connecting bus was timely and after a simple 45 minute ride and then much hand waving, I was towing my bag (quietly avoiding the large cobbles) up to the ‘medieval town centre’ of Bormio and the back door of B&B di Claudia.
There are 3 Ski resorts in the Alta Valtellina region and it was my plan to ski them all.
Bormio, Santa Caterina, Cima Piazza, and then Livigno.
Breakfast was fun, being down stairs and in the local’s cafe and news agent. All humorously orchestrated by the popular Claudia with yummy Hot chocolate and crispy Cornetti.
It was a quick walk to the bus and then 5 minutes down to the central Bormio Gondola.
It’s steep! And the first run down the famous Stelvio pitch (1000+metres) was glorious on fresh packed powder.
From the top, Cima Bianca (3012m) there’s great red and black open terrain choices but the tree sheltered mid and lower slopes off the cold Cimino chairs provided the best visibility and endless pow shots.
My day finished after a late and delicimo snack-lunch at Chiosco da Michele at Bormio 2000 and eventually a lazy ski down to the base. All good. Bravo Bormio.
Staying in the historic centre was terrific and every morning breakfast with the locals was entertaining, tasty and Fun. Next day the free busses whisked us to Santa Caterina in the Valfurva Valley and excellent powder-piste skiing down the Deborah Campagnoni course. (a good 1000m drop). And eventually long lunching at the comfortable slope side “Hotel Compagnoni”.
And why not?
Cima Piazzi was quite the surprise, as the views from the top were spectacular and the trails winding down though the trees were like driving Passo dello Stelvio’s switchbacks, but there was nobody there? After starting from Le Motte it was “Bombs Away” all morning…on a private mountain for two?
Exhausted, we moved over to the Isolaccia Village station and now being on “the happy mountain” jumped into a cute pink gondola…smiling, to enjoyed more perfect pista runs and beautiful vista.
N.B. There is a dinki ski resort atop of the famous Passo dello Stelvio Pass. Only open in the summer but it definitely earns a serious ‘been there done that’ tick. And SS38 starts from Bormio.
Livigno is only 40 minutes by bus and is included in the Bormio regional ski pass. It’s high at 1816 m and stretches through a wide open valley. We started early in the Teola area in crisp n’ fresh boot top pow and enjoyed the good FreeRide slopes from Mottolino down to Trepalle and “off the top” at Della Neve.
Then the continuous ski bus whizzed us to the village gondola going up to Carosello, for a recharge and a delicious cafeteria lunch. Stretching the pace in excellent snow and on the rolling pistes was fun and eventually ended in the Centro Tagliede before scrambling over the popular X country tracks and connecting with the last bus back to Bormio.
Livigno has a good mix and it’s Tax Free status makes it value, friendly and very anglo sociable.
Four days, four resorts, good weather and cold snow, and being based in Bormio was purrrfect.
And my breakfast with the locals started every day with much FUN. Thank you Claudia.
Getting from Bormio to Madisimo isn’t far…but it took ages, with a bus to Tirano, a regional Trenord train to Colico, then Chiavenna and the local bus up to Campodolcino.
Staying at Ca’de Val restaurant-casa (half board) was excellent value with tasty regional foods, good house wine and a timely and free mini-bus pick up to the Motta Funicolare (5 minutes).
Motta is connected to Madisimo by adjoining lifts and slopes and makes this expansive Frontside and the inviting Backside perfect for testing skis on a mixture of Freeride slopes, off camber bump lines, and perfectly groomed pistes. All leading down to yummy Panini’s and crisp cold beers!
The top ‘social event’ on weekends starts early at Acquarela, high above the hotels fronting Madesimo’s passeggiata patios. And even the best skiers catch the gondola down, as late in the day the steep drop through the trees to base zero is slick and fast.
Fresh snow, blue sky’s, and a cool Milanese weekend crowd on and off the slopes provided 3 stylish days in Lombardy’s No1 winter hangout and an interesting conclusion to my ski testing and evaluations.
MACUGNAGA is not in Lombardy as it nestles under Monte Rosa in the high north eastern region of Piedmonte, and the access city is Domodossola above classy Lago Maggiore.
Getting there from Madesemo required taking a local train back to Milanos Rho Fiera, then a regional train up to Domodossola and finally the local bus up to time-warped Staffa.
It’s jaw dropping beautiful, tucked below powerful Monte Rosa and the Belvedere glacier which flows around to the Monte Moro pass.
Albergo Macugnaga is an outstanding one star hotel- restaurant and perhaps when put into perspective (taste and price) it’s a three star Michelin property, and run by a real family.
Everything is possible, a big bed, a cosy warm room, TV and the delicious mountain fare was excessively grande. Fresh Croissants baked by I’ Patron-chef kick started each day and his caring wife and young family ensured our stay was primo.
The retro cable cars are…nearly scary, (dogs must be muzzled!) and the top piccilo tin-can takes 8 persons to the saddle of Monte Moro and the gasping views.
It was all fun n’ games on the sky-high T bars and down the relentlessly steep face (1000m) to the Alp Bill station, and the lunch time vista from the cafe-bar terrace nearly made me giddy.
Day two howled, and eventually the merky and now slick steeps on Monte Moro were shut down.
We then jumped the bus from Staffa to the cute Belvedere ski area above Peretto village, and being sheltered below Punta Dufour (4638m) enjoyed fresh boot top pow and reasonably good visibility in the undulating tree runs all afternoon.
On our last day the Passo Moro face was closed due to avalanche risk.. We caught the first bus up to Belvedere and using yesterdays reconnaissance enjoyed cold fresh tracks on steepish black slopes all day. Rifugio Wengwald Hutte provided the perfect snack and lunch location and our All Mountain / Powder skis were the perfect choice.
Catching the early school bus was the quick way down to Domodossola and then a regional train delivered me back to the “City of Style” Milano and they say “style is cosa facciamo”.
Hostel Ostello Bello near Centrale Station has a cult following and is my favourite crash pad when travelling solo, or the ultra cool Smart Hotel near by.
Walking, and using the Trams is fun in Milano and the busy Metro is easy to negotiate out side rush hour. How else would you find La Prosciutteria, Demalde, or the secretive BVLGARI hotel near Corso Vittorio, or dreamy Via Motte Napoleone… gulp!
Bored with all that Hoo Ha… wander up to the arty Bera “quartiere” for more affordable Boho-ish style and relaxing people watching.
My Lombardy ‘style’ choice wasn’t even in Milano, but north in Rho and at the auto atelier Zagato.
After corresponded with Dr Andrea Zagato they had invited me to visit, and their delightful P.R. fashionista ‘Diana’ greeted me at the gate of the historic factory and showroom.
We coffee’d, chatted and they explained why these individual cars were in their showroom, being an accumulation of their 100 year design history and for some lucky customers a pampered storage shed for their exclusive alta moda auto creations.
They no longer make Zagato bodied cars, aka…Maserati, Abarth, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, or Lamborghini but “consult” to the best of the design conscious auto industry, including Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo and even Ferrari customers who ‘need’ more individual exotica with the elusive Zagato look.
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