Pinzolo

Not far from the famous resort of Madonna di Campiglio lies the small resort of Pinzolo, less crowded and noisy and, for its size, just as well equipped. Visitors looking for a break from the daily rush will find almost 30 km of pistes here, most of them with snowmaking, and a modern lift network (1 gondola, 1 T-bar and as many as 7 chairlifts, 4 four-seaters and 3 two-seaters). The lifts take you quickly to the summit of Doss del Sabion (2,100 m) without wasting time in queues (the lifts have a capacity of 13,000 people per hour). Historic Pinzolo offers more than just a calmer atmosphere than Madonna di Campiglio. Cheaper accommodation is easier to find here, and there is plenty of choice: hotels, private rooms and self-contained apartments that can be rented for a week, a month or even the whole season (18,000 beds in total). The charming town combines a beautiful Alpine landscape with interesting architecture. History lovers will want to see the medieval church with fine frescoes on its south wall depicting, among other things, the dance of death, the seven deadly sins and the Resurrection of Christ. Even older traces of human presence, dating back to the Bronze Age, have been found around Pinzolo. So if you like to combine an active holiday with sightseeing, you will find plenty of interesting places here. And if you visit Pinzolo at Christmas, you can see a large collection of nativity scenes in the Val Rendena, both traditional and unusual ones, for example made of bread (the exhibitions are open from 21 December to 6 January). Pinzolo is ideal for a family holiday, as the vast majority of its pistes are intermediate reds. Beginners have 5 blue pistes, and advanced skiers 3 black ones, the hardest being Competition, 1.3 km long with a vertical drop of 300 m. The resort caters well for snowboarders (the modern Brentapark near Grual), ski touring, snowshoeing, ice skating and dog sled rides. Fans of extreme activities will not be disappointed either: glacier climbing and paragliding are popular here. Equipment can be hired from one of five rental shops, and lessons can be booked with instructors at the local ski school. The instructors offer private and group lessons for adults and children, for both skiers and beginner snowboarders. The youngest are looked after by the staff of the Pratomatto play park, where you can leave children in the care of qualified staff. To round off the relaxation, Pinzolo offers its guests excellent food (especially in restaurants with regional menus) and wellness salons (the largest wellness and beauty facilities are at the Hotel Centro Pineta). And if you feel like letting your hair down after dinner, you can discover Pinzolo's livelier side in its nightspots or at the disco without disturbing the idyllic atmosphere of the town. Have fun!