Be sure to check out Part II of Winter activities in Friuli Venezia Giulia!
Great winter activities in Friuli Venezia Giulia
When we think of the Eastern Alps, our minds almost instinctively run to Trentino Alto-Adige and Veneto, but there is another region enjoying their millenary beauty, Friuli Venezia-Giulia.
Friuli has an immense cultural and artistic patrimony, but it is also a great destination if you would like a typical Winter holiday, with skiing, snow, and all the trimmings! Explore the winter activities in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy!
Experience Skiing in the Eastern Alps
The eastern Dolomites, the Alps in Carnia and the Western Giulian Alps, from Piancavallo passing through Carnia until you reach Tarvisio and the surrounding areas: here, it is still possible to ski away from the crowds and the noise, on slopes perfect for those who love the thrill of speed, and others for those who prefer a more relaxed, calmer skiing experience.
Those who would like to get close to the Winter world little by little can do so by following the ski instructors’ expert advice and suggestions. If you are a runner, you can enjoy your favorite activity for kilometers, in the snow’s padded silence, following the cross-country ski slopes and along the suggestive itineraries set out for alpine skiers.
Piancavallo and Forni di Sopra in the Eastern Dolomites, the Zoncolan and Sauris in Carnia, Sella Nevea, and the Tarvisiano in the Giulian Alps are all well-known districts for snow lovers and are able to satisfy skiers of all levels, as well as enthusiasts of every kind.
Alternative ski resorts more focused on Nordic sports and cross country skiing are many, too. The most famous among these is certainly the International Centre, often theatre to international competitions. Its tracks run over a 10 km route starting at Forni Avoltri and develop in an uncontaminated landscape which is a must to be included in any classic holiday destination.
Tarvisio and Di Prampero
(Roberto Milloch/flickr)
Snow is always guaranteed, even when nature plays nasty tricks, as all ski resorts can use artificial snow when necessary. Reduced ski pass prices, lack of queues at the ski-lifts, the high quality, and safety of the slopes themselves, along with the magical atmosphere the region reserves for its guests, make Friuli Venezia-Giulia a welcoming and unique place for all kinds of skiers.
Friuli’s beauty becomes all the more evident when turning into an exceptional natural backdrop that accompanies the skier through unforgettable experiences.
You can choose Tarvisio, a village that became famous thanks to Duke Amedeo d’Aosta who often spent his holidays here in the 30s, and where you can enjoy more than 70 hectares of snow-covered slopes. Even the most imposing among them will turn into a must for all skiing enthusiasts.
The slopes at Di Prampero are easily accessible from the motorway and are more than 4 km long, from the Monte Lussari sanctuary, a cult for Mitteleuropean traditions, up to Camporosso. For the thrill, this slope partially opens even at night during the “notte bianca,” an all-night skiing event.
If you are not a pro, fear not: here, there is something for you, too. If you have little skiing experience, you can find ski-lifts that will take you to three relatively easy slopes, and one of medium-difficulty, in Valbruna. Skiing is one of the best winter activities in Friuli Venezia Giulia!
Sella Nevea and Forni di Sopra
Close to the Slovenian border, you could choose Sella Nevea, a skiing compound that has developed on the slopes of the Montasio and Canin mountains. From here, a track descends towards the valley, running through the majestic, Stoney curves of this evocative massif. In this delightful area, you can also find a slalom stadium, considered one of the best slalom courses in the Alps.
An ideal choice for skiing as a family is Forni di Sopra, in the high Tagliamento valley, whose slopes run from the Carnia Prealps to Cadore. It has two skiable basins, one in the valley and the other at an altitude of 2073 meters above sea level, where the famous Varmost-Crusicalas slope is.
Piancavallo, Ravascletto-Zoncolan and Sauris
The vast skiing area of Piancavallo stretches from under the Monte Cavallo to the borders of the Alpago basin. Its 50 hectares of slopes offer ample choice for skiers of all levels. This is a particular ski resort due to its position: it is the nearest to the sea in this region to the point that, on clear days, you can see the Adriatic and the roofs of nearby Venice!
The Ravascletto-Zoncolan resort is set out like a giant seashell in one of the prettiest corners of the Carnic Pre-Alps. It is made up of two basins, one in the valley, and one higher up on the mountain, where some 60 hectares of slopes branch out up to an altitude of 2000 meters.
Not to be forgotten is Sauris, a pearl of the Carnic Alps, set within an enchantingly beautiful panorama. Do you want more winter activities in Friuli Venezia Giulia?
Beyond skiing – Other winter activities in Friuli Venezia Giulia
Not into skiing, or simply want an alternative to traditional downhill and cross country? Friuli Venezia Giulia’s Winter offers many more activities to its visitors. Sled dog riding, ice climbing, charming itineraries to follow on snowshoes, freeride and snowboard, ice skating, curling, are all among the many activities you can have fun with while in Friuli.
After a day of snow, it’s time to relax
also internationally (Paolo Valdemarin/flickr)
Friuli Venezia-Giulia is known for its many wellness centers and thermal spas, where you could enjoy some well-deserved relaxation after days of skiing.
Or why not let yourself be tempted by Friuli’s ancient culinary tradition, that knowingly combines aromas and fragrances unfound in any other area, with ingredients among the best known in the international cooking circles, such as San Daniele and Sauris ham or the white wines from Collio, all tastes representing in their simplicity and depth of flavors the essence itself of Friulan hospitality.
Snow and Nature – winter activities in Friuli Venezia Giulia
Friuli Venezia-GIulia (Massimo Variolo/flickr)
Friuli Venezia Giulia’s mountains offer an ample range of possibilities also for all cross country ski lovers. Kilometers of slopes, at all levels. Thanks to the beauty of their surroundings, of course, these are perfect places to enjoy the majesty of the Alps in tranquillity.
Land of cross-country skiing and nordic sports, Friuli Venezia Giulia has given birth to whole families of Olympic and world champions who have contributed to creating a real school in this sporting discipline.
The cross-country rings of the Tarvisiano and Sella Nevea unravel for some 60 km, passing through towns (the mythical Paruzzi Arena in the town of Tarvisio) and valleys (Val Saisera). They intersect with the rings of Forni di Sopra, on the banks of the Tagliamento river, arriving at the Piancavallo cross-country arena which even has an illuminated slope, in case you would like to try skiing at night!
Friuli Venezia-Giulia is a great destination for skiers, thanks to the variety of its slopes, but also a perfect place for nature lovers: in the end, we are talking about the Alps, here. It cannot be anything but beautiful! If you’re looking for winter activities in Friuli Venezia Giulia, we hope you’ve found the answers!
Agenzia Turismo Friuli Venezia Giulia
