What It's Like Skiing & Snowboarding at Mt. Civetta

The Ski Resort at Monte Civetta

Civetta Ski Resort is part of the Dolomiti Superski, meaning you can access it with the same ski pass as any other slopes in the Dolomites, it's not actually interconnected with them. I would only suggest purchasing this ticket for Civetta if you're buying a multi-day ticket and are planning to try out many different resorts in the Dolomites.

If you just want to ski Civetta, you can buy a pass specifically for this resort. Here you'll enjoy 72 kilometers of slopes, 23 lifts, and 17 restaurants or cafes.

A unique aspect to Civetta is that the same ski resort can be accessed from Alleghe, Zoldo, Palafavera, and Selva di Cadore. We chose to base ourselves in Alleghe because that's where we found the best accommodation.

Since Civetta stretches across multiple towns, you won't be stuck doing the same runs again and again. You can pop over to the different sections of the mountain each day of your ski trip and essentially only do the same run twice if you want to, not because you have to.

Buying Tickets

You can either purchase your ski pass in-person or online. I highly recommend you buy them online and collect them at the kiosks. There are a few small kiosks in the parking lot right next to the ticket booths. The ticket booths had lines everyday, the kiosks to just collect your ski pass never did.

Keep in mind that they do sell discounted tickets for those that only want to ski in the morning or in the afternoon. Since we were here for multiple days, it was actually cheaper for me to buy 2 individual morning tickets and then a 2-day pass since on a few days I had to stop at lunchtime for work.

The ski pass prices also varied based on exactly when in the season you're planning to visit (with discounts for either early or late winter).

You can purchase your tickets online directly from the Dolomiti Superski website.

Do note that ski insurance is mandatory. If your provider doesn't include this, you'll need to buy insurance for each day on the slopes. No one is checking if you do this but I wouldn't risk it. It's just about €3/day. The insurance company that the ski resort recommends is 24h Assistance.

Slopes

This ski resort is geared more towards intermediate skiers or snowboarders. The 72 km of runs are broken down like:

• Blue (easy): 28 km
• Red (medium): 36 km
• Black (difficult): 8 km

I wouldn't say there is a lot of variety in the slope styles but the stunning views did make each one feel unique. While the entire ski resort is stunning, the best views are definitely from run 12. That's where you get the best views of Mount Pelmo, which really is the star of the show if you ask me.

In addition to the runs, there's also a small snow park. Since we were there over heavy snowfall, we unfortunately didn't get to try out the park. They closed it for safety on the day it was snowing heavily and the next day it was closed for maintenance.

The snow park looked ideal for those looking to gain confidence in a park as there weren't any big jumps but instead a number of small ones, boxes, and rails.

Civetta also offers night skiing on runs 38 and 39. Since these runs are best accessed from Zoldo and we were staying in Alleghe, we didn't get to try them out. If you're in Zoldo or don't mind the extra drive, I'd recommend taking advantage of being able to extend your day on the slopes.

Restaurants

While we certainly didn't try out all of the 17 rifugi (mountain huts that serve as restaurants or cafes), the ones we did try we really enjoyed. They offered a better value than I was expecting but we did opt for the panini route more than the "need a reservation for a table" route.

If you're also happy to eat outdoors and don't mind having to stand in line to order, I'd recommend you grab your lunch at either:

• Baita Scoiattolo: There's an outdoor panini bar attached to this restaurant that really hit the spot for both of us. While in the morning it's shady here, the sun stretches over the mountains just in time for lunch, making it a great place to sit outdoors.
• Ristoro La Ciasela: This one as well has an outdoor bar that serves up hamburgers, sausages, and the likes. It's simple but hit the spot as a mid-day break. While here, I recommend you try a bombardino (the Italian's take on eggnog, translates to "little bomb").

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The Overall Vibe of Snowboarding Here

As a snowboarder, I can sometimes feel the disdain skiers have for us. This felt apparent in Cortina d'Ampezzo where all the bougiest skiers in Italy seemingly flock.

I didn't get that same vibe in Civetta. Firstly, there were a number of other snowboarders around and secondly, the skiers didn't seem to notice me. I realize the sports don’t always have the same way to get down the mountain but I do prefer when we stick to our own lanes instead of letting that strange sense of competitiveness come through.

There was just one section within the Civetta Ski Resort that was tough on a board: getting between the runs around Zoldo and Palafavera and back to the main area. There's a little blue line that connects the top of 31/33 with the top of 8 that is very flat.

I was able to get from 8 to 15 without any issue but going back where I came from after exploring the slopes at Palafavera was tough. I have a pretty slick board that handles flats well and I still had to unstrap twice. It was a super windy and snowy day though so maybe under better circumstances it wouldn't be such a pain.

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Staying in Alleghe

As I mentioned, we opted to stay in Alleghe. This was simply because we found good accommodation in this area. Alleghe is a bit bigger than the other towns that surround Civetta Ski Resort but don't mistake it for a city. It's still a small village, with just one grocery store, and a handful of bars and restaurants. Do note that the grocery store closes for lunch time each day (a common thing in Italy, where shops and restaurants usually take a little break).

The town is undeniably pretty, with the frozen lake backed by more peaks. While I haven't been to the towns on the other side of the resort, I imagine they would also be good options to stay.

If you're also interested in staying in or around Alleghe, I'd recommend:

• Budget Stay: Hotel Alle Alpi: If you want to stay right at the gondola, this is a great option. It's a no frills option but you will have a hard time beating the location at this price point.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Alessandra's House Mountain: This is where we stayed. It's just a 3-minute drive from the gondola. We chose it because it's affordable, had space for both of us to work, and it's pet-friendly (Monti and Bandido both joined us on this trip). It offers really great value.
• Luxury Stay: Naturae Lodge Wellness & Spa: For a more upscale hotel experience right in the heart of town, I'd suggest this lodge. Hit the slopes during the day and the spa in the evening to wind down comfortably.

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Will You Try Skiing at Mt. Civetta

For an easy ski holiday in the Veneto Dolomites, I highly recommend Civetta Ski Area. You'll enjoy epic mountain views and more laid back people than you can find on some of the more "expert" mountains.

While advanced skiers might grow bored quickly with the lack of black slopes, beginners and intermediates have plenty of pistes to choose between. To me, this makes it a good spot for the whole family but even for us, who don't have kids, we found the runs wide enough to create some space and the views stunning enough to keep us grinning.