Arabba resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Arabba
Resort Reviews
Ski holidays in Arabba - a small, compact friendly ski resort sitting at 1602m in the middle of the Dolomiti Superski area - the largest linked skiing area in the world.
Arabba, also called “Reba” in the Ladino dialect, is surrounded by the imposing Sella group of mountains, at the base of Passo Pordoi and Passo Campolongo.
Children
The resort boasts a Ski-Kindergarten for children aged over 2 and this includes ski lessons for 4 to 12 year olds.
Arabba & Marmolada ski area guide
Ski holidays in Arabba - the local ski area called “Portavescovo”, has nearly 63km of pistes and 31 state-of-the-art lifts. Linking with the rest of the Dolomiti Superski area gives access to 1220km of piste which is heaven if you like touring.
For those of you who want a little history whilst touring, why not try the Great War Tour. Between 1915 and 1918, Austrian and Italian troops fought on and around the Marmolada. They dug ice caves for shelter which can still be visited today.
One of the attractions of Arabba is that access to the slopes is right from the town centre via the cable cars - there is no need to get transport which is good news for young families.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1602m |
| Top lift | 2950m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 1220 |
| Longest run | 16 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 5 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 1 |
| Heli Skiing | ✔ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✔ |
| Babysitting | ✘ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Relaxing & Informal |
Beginners
The gentler slopes are located at Burz-Bec de Roces-Passo Campolongo while the more challenging black pistes are at Portavescovo. From here, you can access the runs around the Passo Pordoi or take the Passo Padon lifts to the Marmolada glacier, the highest peak in the Dolomites at 3342m.
Intermediate
Also not to be missed is sking the Sellaronda circuit. Sellaronda means the circuit around the Sella mountain across the four passes: Passo Pordoi - Passo Campolongo - Passo Gardena - Passo Sella. The length of the circuit is around 40 km skiing between 1465m and 2300m and can be covered in a day and is quite accessible for inexperienced skiers.
Advanced
Skiing on the Marmolada is not to be missed - from Arabba it takes around 40 mins skiing to the base cable car and then a further 2 cable cars to get to the top. The best known run is the Bellunese from Punta Rocca at 3300m down to Malga Ciapela, a vertical drop of 1800m and 12km long - truly amazing and stunning scenery all the way.
Cross-country
Nordic skiing in Arabba can be a more relaxing way of taking in the majestic peaks. There is a 7.5km trail between the Sella peak and the foot of the Pordoi and Campolongo Passes.
Snowboard
Snowboarders can try their aerial skills in the brand new Arabba Snowpark. The snowpark is 500m long and served by the four-person Le Pale chairlift. There is an easy line and a medium-pro line, 6-7 terraces with 8 kickers and 8 rail-boxes for all levels; there’s even a chilling area at the entrance with a little shapers hut, music and ski tools.
Things to see & do
If you want a break from skiing or the weather isn't that great, the area is teaming with things to see and do. A great day out a a trip to the Sottoguda Natural reserve. This is a 2 km canyon created by an earthquake and water erosion and in the winter, the water forms large ice falls used for ice climbing.
- Snow shoeing
- Snowmobile (custom built circuit)
- Winter hiking trails
Après-ski
For a small resort, the après-ski in Arabba can be lively and there is a good party atmosphere with live bands in many of the bars both on and off the slopes. There is a small selection of cafes, bars, restaurants and a few shops. If you love skiing, a quiet drink, dinner then bed, this is the place to go.
Featured chalets
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The Dolomites have plenty on offer throughout the year - these are a few suggestions for the ski season...
- Experience the Great War 1915-18 Ski Tour
- Try the famous 40km Sella Ronda circuit. This is a must do day out if you enjoy ski touring
- Not to be missed is the Hidden Valley. This takes about 1 hours skiing from Arabba but is well worth it. There is a frozen waterfall to marvel at on the way down and at the bottom, your ride to the next ski lift is via a horse! - grab on to one of the ropes and the horse towes you
