DESTINATIONS SKI & SNOW | ITALY


stay WHERE TO Hotel Petrus


This 50-room property in Riscone, just a five-minute drive from the chairlifts of Kronplatz, is run by the


Aichner family. My room had its own infrared sauna, while others have massage chairs, balcony hot tubs and other standout features. Food is first rate, with ingredients from the hotel’s garden. A large pool offers indoor and outdoor swimming, plus there’s a spa and saunas.


Prices start at €150 B&B or €180 half board per person, based on two sharing. hotelpetrus.com/en


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Skiers pass Oberholz restaurant; Alpinn by


Norbert Niederkofler; pizzeria Il Corso PICTURES: Thomas Ondertoller; Marco Zanta; Andrea Bianchi Photography; Hannes Niederkofler


Falkensteiner Hotel Bozen WaltherPark


This central Bolzano pad opened last July in the


WaltherPark district, which includes a shopping centre. The hotel has a rooftop


terrace with views of the Dolomites. Its restaurant serves Japanese fusion at dinner and a breakfast buffet offers South Tyrolean fare.


Rooms from €170 per night. falkensteiner.com/ hotel-bozen


but is better suited to advanced skiers. It’s home to the Black Five – a quintet of challenging black runs – one of which, Piculin, is among the steepest in Italy with gradients of up to 72%. I give that a wide berth, but conquer another of the five, Erta, which will host the women’s giant slalom at the Ski World Cup in February. I live to tell the tale, though I won’t win any prizes for getting down it gracefully. I reward myself with lunch at Alpinn, a restaurant at the top of the Kronplatz lifts headed by celebrated chef Norbert Niederkofler. He has earned acclaim for his ‘cook the mountain’ philosophy, featuring local, seasonal ingredients and reducing food waste by using everything from fish skins to vegetable cooking water. The dedication to sustainable cooking extends to the quality – my venison ragu tagliatelle and tiramisu were both exquisite.


SKI-FREE DAYS


Alpinn is in the same building as the Lumen Museum of Mountain Photography, which opened in 2018. One of the most technologically advanced museums in the Alps, it has numerous interactive features including a 360-degree sensory mirror room, which immerses you inside changing mountain landscapes. It’s one of two museums at the summit of Kronplatz, alongside MMM Corones where I learn about the history of climbing and the daring feats of mountaineers.


INSIDER INSIGHT


Artur Costabiei, head of international PR, South Tyrol Tourism Board “We’re planning to make the UK the fifth or sixth-largest market for South Tyrol; right now, it’s eighth or ninth. We have always had to rely on airports such as Verona, Venice and Innsbruck, resulting in a longer transfer, but the direct route from Gatwick is good news for anyone wanting to visit. German is the main language, s poken by 70% of people. There are 20% native Italian speakers and 10% native Ladin speakers, an ancient language that came from the Romans. Each culture has its own traditions, special dishes and languages, which make South Tyrol a diverse and interesting region.”


Those still keen to learn more can tack on a half-day visit to Bolzano and its 14 museums. Most notable is the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, where Ötzi the Iceman – a 5,300-year-old mummy discovered in the Alps in 1991 – is on display. Among the array of shops, cafes and restaurants dotted along Bolzano’s picturesque streets, I enjoy one of the best Neapolitan pizzas I’ve ever had at Il Corso, a colourful and contemporary pizzeria. After all, South Tyrol prides itself on its cuisine, whether it’s in the heart of the city or amid its snowy mountain peaks.


TW BOOK IT


SkyAlps’ direct service from Gatwick to Bolzano operates on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday in winter, with a typical return trip ranging from £300-£380. skyalps.com


Crystal Ski Holidays offers seven nights at Hotel Petrus Riscone from £1,644 per person, half board, based on two sharing a Double Room with balcony. Includes 20kg luggage, flights from Bristol to Innsbruck plus transfers, departing February 28. crystalski.co.uk


Inspiring Travel sells a seven-night stay at Falkensteiner Hotel Kronplatz from £2,665 per person, half board, based on two sharing a Double Deluxe Room. Includes transfers and flights from Gatwick to Bolzano, departing February 21. inspiringtravel.co.uk


32 15 JANUARY 2026 travelweekly.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52