Bormio

Close to the border of Italy with Austria and Switzerland, Bormio is a ski resort with an international reputation. It owes its fame to attractive and varied slopes, appreciated even by racers, well-developed sports facilities and plenty of après-ski. Bormio's ski terrain spreads over the slopes of its local mountain, Cima Bianca, and is part of the "4 valli" (Four Valleys) ski area, which brings together Bormio/S. Colombano (Oga and Valdidentro) and Santa Caterina. You can buy a ski pass for all the resorts or for the pistes of each one separately. Wide pistes lead down into the valley from the summit of Cima Bianca, among them the famous "Stelvio", where the men's World Cup downhill has been held every December since 1993. Ungroomed runs also lead down from Cima Bianca and are a big draw for freeriders. Below lies the Bormio 2000 ski area, which also has pistes suitable for children and beginners. The area around Bormio is excellent for cross-country skiing. The trails right next to the town are mostly easy and not very strenuous. The most famous and also the most varied cross-country trails in the whole Valtellina are around Santa Caterina. World Cup races in this discipline have been held on them many times. Bormio, at 1,225 m, is a picturesque little town dating back to Roman times, with narrow alleys and a narrow main street, Via Roma, lined with stylish little shops, cafés and restaurants serving Lombard cuisine; it gets crowded in the evenings. Bormio is one of the ski resorts Italians visit most. There are also many visitors from Poland. A definite non-skiing attraction in the area is its nine hot springs, with the highest water temperatures in the whole Alps (38°C to 41°C). You can enjoy their healing properties in the thermal baths built in the town or, in a natural setting, in caves high in the mountains.