ABSOLUTELY breathtaking – there are no other words.
The snow-capped wonder of the magical Sella Ronda mountain range in the Italian Dolomites has to be one of the best places to ski.
But no matter how hard I tried, I could not capture the beauty of the jagged peaks and azure-blue sky on an iPhone screen.
The region was having its best season ever, with dump after dump of the white stuff making it even more magical.
We were based in the village of Selva di Val Gardena, where readers of a certain age might remember the run made famous by British downhill ace Konrad Bartelski and BBC’s Ski Sunday.
Selva is one of the main towns on the Sella Ronda tour, a 28-mile run that takes a good five hours and can be skied clockwise or anti-clockwise.
Although in Italy, the closest airport is Innsbruck in Austria. The transfer is 90 minutes, taking in plunging valleys and winding climbs.
Home for the week was Hotel Continental, which was next to one of the main bubble lifts to the mountain.
It guaranteed that vital luxury of skiing in and skiing out without the need to trudge to a bus — great if you have kids and need a hand with gear.
As this was Italy, food was plenty and filling — lots of hearty pasta, heavy soups and the staple mountain fare of polenta and sausages.
Our visit coincided with the Champions League knockout stages. When hotel staff saw our disappointment at not being able to watch the British teams in action, they quickly rustled up a way to watch — via a local’s phone hooked up to the TV. Perfect.
The hotel also has a relaxing sauna and spa area. Still, best not to let the kids go there after 5pm as clothing is not obligatory.
The Germans enjoy a naked sweat — as my red-faced 15-year-old son learned.
But it was the skiing that was mind-blowing.
I’ve been to a few resorts in the Alps and the Pyrenees but this was my first time in the Dolomites and it had me hooked.
With more than 300 miles of pistes, each day is different.
The wide runs mean there is plenty of room and no bunching up, while fast lifts and cable cars whisk you around quickly and safely.
There are plenty of restaurants and bars dotted around, and despite the strength of the euro, prices were reasonable.
Steak and chips cost £12 — which compared with the prices of French resorts was pretty good.
The Dolomites were a battleground between Italian and Austrian troops during World War One.
A run called Great War Ski Tour takes you across mountains that saw the highest altitude cannon battles in military history.
Lasting 50 miles, it is a full day out. But with no really teasing runs the route is doable for any skier.
It features spectacular views and frozen waterfalls that the children will love posing next to for pictures.
The Lagazuoi cable car reaches an altitude of 6,400ft. This is where Italian soldiers, who lived inside the mountain, had their main trenches and interconnecting tunnels.
At the top there is a great spot to have lunch thanks to a large terrace. We ate there as it was full inside.
Even though the sun was shining it was still bitterly cold, so we had to eat our dinner with our ski gloves on.
Getting back to Selva involved a quirky tow. Skiers pay two euros to hold on to a rope as they are dragged by speeding horses across flat ground.
We had the half-board option at the hotel but Selva itself is full of restaurants, bars and pizzerias with lots of traditional apres ski involving beer and mulled wine.
Skiing is expensive but the Dolomites superski pass is free for kids up to eight, while older children get a 30 per cent discount.
With the snow still plentiful and tempting discounts for families on offer, you still have the chance for some great spring skiing in the Easter break.
MOST READ IN TRAVEL
One tip: Do not have too many Bombardinos in the bar during any stops. The popular Italian drink is a potent mixture of eggnog and brandy — with whipped cream on top.
It means “little bomb’’ and is an explosive combination that goes straight to your head — perhaps not the best thing if you are heading down the slopes, unless you need a bit of courage for the ski back down.
Thinking about it, maybe that’s a good reason to return.
Go: Italian Dolomites
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ half-board at the 4-star Hotel Continental in Selva is from £1,182pp including flights from Gatwick in March and transfers.
See inghams.co.uk/ski-holidays or call 01483 791 114.
MORE INFO: See valgardena.it/en and dolomitisuperski.com/en.
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/experience-thrills-and-spills-on-the-breathtaking-italian-slopes-and-marvel-at-the-spectacular-views-and-frozen-waterfalls/
News Pictures Experience thrills and spills on the breathtaking Italian slopes and marvel at the spectacular views and frozen waterfalls
You don’t have to pack away your bikini just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!
TEENS
Hayden Panettiere
Size: 8
Age: 18
Height: 5ft 1in
Weight: 8st
To achieve her kick-ass figure, Hayden – who plays cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes – follows the ‘quartering’ rule. She eats only a quarter of the food on her plate, then waits 20 minutes before deciding whether she needs to eat again.
Hayden says: “I don’t have a model’s body, but I’m not one of those crazy girls who thinks that they’re fat. I’m OK with what I have.”
Nicollette says: “I don’t like diets – I see it, I eat it! I believe in eating healthily with lots of protein, vegetables and carbs to give you energy.”
kim cattrall
Size: 10-12
Age: 52
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 9st 4lb
SATC star Kim swears by gym sessions with Russian kettle bells (traditional cast-iron weights) and the South Beach Diet to give her the body she wants. To avoid overeating, Kim has a radical diet trick – squirting lemon juice on her leftovers – so she won’t carry on picking.
Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
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