Madonna di Campiglio, a village and ski resort in Italian Trentino, has a modest population of around 700 inhabitants. The site, set at an altitude of 1,522 metres, frequently hosts the Alpine Skiing World Cup races, and has recently grown into the country’s largest resort in terms of the number of beds, runs and lifts. A pleasant Dolomite town with a largely Italian clientele, along with adjoining Folgarida and Marilleva, it also has a decent number of British visitors.
The town has grown significantly to become one of Italy's most exclusive ski resorts. Though most of the crowds come here to brag, parade and party, the site offers excellent skiing and snowboarding options on its 90 kilometres of pistes. It’s geared towards beginners and intermediates, but experts can find several tempting black runs and off-piste options. Part of the Super Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Brenta area, the village offers 51 slopes totalling 150 kilometres, with the longest slope being four kilometres long. There are ten drag lifts, fifteen chair lifts and four cable cars. The total uplift capacity is 31,000 people per hour. The well-groomed pistes are partially supplied by 40 snow cannons. Madonna di Campigno also has a good snow park, and boarders will enjoy the resort’s single half-pipe. Other on-snow activities include night-time skiing, heli-skiing, 30 kilometres of cross-country runs, snowshoeing and dog sledding. Off the snow, visitors can try the ice rink, paragliding, taking the walking trails in the vicinity, as well as visit the resort’s swimming pool and sports centre.
One of the most worthwhile spectacles here is the Brenta massif, characterized by its wild limestone formations and multi-coloured rocks, which are particularly picturesque during the winter. The surrounding mountains and the Val di Genova, one of the most beautiful in the region, are just a short hike away from Madonna di Campiglio. If the road is open, a trip up to the Nardis waterfalls is highly recommended.
While downtown Madonna used to be the place where the hotels are concentrated, growth has given thousands of new rooms in the Palu section and in the Campo Carlo Magno. However, the lifts remain centred around the original village, where the nightlife scene is also concentrated. The resort’s dining scene is also a temptation to indulge.