Winter sports activitiesWith 16 ski resorts and 300 km of slopes, Emilia-Romagna offers plenty of opportunities to put on your ski suit, gloves and boots and have fun in the snow.
From alpine skiing to cross-country skiing, this Italian region offers a variety of options for ski lovers, guaranteeing unforgettable experiences for all levels of ability.
Before embarking on your skiing adventure in Emilia-Romagna, it is important to understand what kind of skier you are: a beginner looking for quiet slopes and expert instruction, or an expert thrill seeker looking for more challenging slopes and breathtaking views?
Don’t worry! This country has something for everyone.
The aspiring champion
If snow is part of your DNA and inside you feel that one day, sooner or later, you will become famous for your skiing prowess, what better place to put yourself to the test than Corno alle Scale, the place where the great Alberto Tomba started skiing?
This resort boasts 36 km of slopes including the two longest runs in the entire Apennines, a dozen lifts, a snow park and a babypark.
The high-altitude refuge Le Rocce is the ideal place to regain strength after a long ski run and to enjoy typical mountain specialities.
SKIING AT CORNO ALLE SCALE SKI RESORT
The adventurer
If the usual skiing is not enough for you and you are looking for an adrenalin experience, Cimone is the place for you!
The ski resort is named after the highest mountain in the northern Apennines. With more than 26 slopes totalling 50 km of descents, it has become known as a centre of excellence for snow adventure sports – you absolutely must try snow-kiting, where you can go 50/70 km pulled by a kite.
SKIING AT MONTE CIMONE SKI RESORT
The fun-lover
If you like to vary your activities in the snow and accompany them with good food and wine, we certainly recommend Cerreto Laghi Ski Resort.
Cerreto is the top resort of the Reggio Emilia Apennines with 28 km of slopes, 5 lifts, a snowpark and a babypark.
Don’t miss the 7 km of cross-country skiing track around Lake Pranda, snowshoeing with the Briganti di Cerreto and a plate of polenta with mushrooms!
SKIING AT CERRETO LAGHI SKI RESORT
The Party-lover
Are you always looking for an original idea for your evenings out with friends?
In the small Passo Penice Ski Resort, in the province of Piacenza (two ski lifts and three downhill runs), thanks to the lighting system, you can also ski at night.
However, don’t forget to go skiing during the day as well: given its particular geographic position, skiing in this resort during sunny days offers incredible views of Bobbio and the Trebbia Valley, but also of the Ligurian Apennines and the expanse of the Po Valley of Oltrepo Pavese.
SKIING AT PASSO PENICE SKI RESORT
The photographer
If, for you, skiing is more of an excuse to reach the highest peaks, where you can take suggestive panoramic photos, we would definitely send you to Prato Spilla Ski Resort, in the municipality of Monchio delle Corti.
On the border between the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia and Massa Carrara, this small ski resort is located within the Regional Park of 100 Lakes and is served by the Rio Spilla chairlift that takes you up to an altitude of 1,700 metres, from where you can admire a stunning panorama stretching from the Gulf of La Spezia to the Alps.
SKIING AT PRATO SPILLA SKI RESORT
The parent
For those who want to take their children to the snow, the Schia Ski Resort, along the slopes of Monte Caio, is the ideal destination. Just 45 minutes from Parma, it includes a school camp with a treadmill, a babypark and 10 slopes of varying difficulty served by 3 lifts.
While the youngest skiers take their first steps on skis at the school camp, the more experienced can launch themselves into feats of skill at the ParKaio SnowparK at Pian delle Guide.
The beginner
For those who are taking their first steps in the snow or who want to enjoy a day of skiing away from the hustle and bustle of the busier ski resorts, there is nothing better than Ventasso Laghi Ski Resort.
The ski resort is located on the mountainside of Ventasso and consists of 4 slopes with 2 ski lifts, for a total of 10 km, from the school slope to higher levels.
And if you get tired of skiing, the alternative is a nice excursion to nearby Lake Calamone, one of the most beautiful ones in the Reggio Emilia Apennines.
SKIING AT VENTASSO LAGHI SKI RESORT
Who doesn’t handle stress
For those who can or wish to go skiing at the weekend, but without stress and far from chaos, the answer is the Alpe di Cusna Ski Resort.
Located in the municipality of Villa Minozzo, 65 km away from Reggio Emilia, it is the highest in the entire northern Apennines. It is in the heart of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park, on the slopes of Mount Cusna, from whose summit you can admire a unique panorama of Tuscany, Emilia and Liguria.
The most technical track is the black slope, which can be reached by chairlift and starts at a height of 2063 metres, while on the Cusna ridge it is possible to practice downhill skiing and off-piste skiing in the natural gullies. For the little ones, there is an area equipped with games and sledges.
SKIING AT ALPE DI CUSNA SKI RESORT
The cross-country skier
If, more than downhill skiing, for you skiing means immersing yourself in the magical atmosphere of snow-covered forests, Pratizzano Ski Resort in the heart of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park is perfect for you!
A vast natural prairie surrounded by beech forests transforms into cross-country trails in winter: 18 km on three circuits. Snow permitting, there is also a track connecting Pratizzano with the village of Succiso, for a total of another 20 km along the scenic Scalucchia road.
From here there is a beautiful view over the entire Secchia Valley and the Reggio Emilia Apennines as far as Cimone.
The loner
If, more than downhill skiing, for you skiing means immersing yourself in the magical atmosphere of the snow-covered forests, Pratizzano, in the heart of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park, is for you!
A vast natural prairie surrounded by beech forests, which in winter turns into cross-country trails: 18 km on three circuits of different length and difficulty.
Author
Davide Marino
Davide Marino was born archaeologist but ended up doing other things. Rational – but not methodic, slow – but passionate. A young enthusiast with grey hair
You may also like
Interested in our newsletter?
Every first of the month, an email (in Italian) with selected contents and upcoming events.