Intro to Paganella
Paganella is a ski area on the east side of the Brenta Dolomites just 40 minutes drive from Trento. It’s not the biggest, but it’s packed with a surprising amount of great red runs and one (1) black run. We can literally see Paganella from our balcony in Trento every morning. But since it’s on the Skirama Dolomiti ski pass, and we only have 5 guest days for that one, we’ve only skied it twice. Here’s our honest review.
Getting to Paganella
Getting to Paganella is super straighthforward which is what makes it so popular. From the A22 you take the SS43 going west and you take a left turn right after you exit a little confusing system of tunnels. Then you climb up through a bunch (12) of hairpin turns and drive towards Andallo - the town directly below the slopes.
Alternatively, you can also access the area through Fai della Paganella but the drive there takes basically the same time and it’s on a smaller road.
Alternatively, alternatively, you can also come to Paganella from west around the beautiful lake Molveno.
As a bonus, you can even get to Paganella by taking the train & bus from Trento. We haven’t done that yet but some of our friends were doing that on the reg (short for regular) the whole season.
Parking at Paganella
Both times we went, we parked in Andallo, and it was pretty smooth.
The first time the area was pretty busy and the big Valle Bianca was almost full and paid so we opted out for the smaller free spot at Via Ponte and we felt like true locals.
The second time I went with my friends, the area was almost empty and the main lot was free so we parked right by the gondola.
TBD
Skiing Paganella
With 50km of slopes spread over a single peak it’s not going to take you long to figure the mountain out but here are a few tips we learned during our visits.
Paganella for the Smallest Ones
Paganella is actually extremely family friendly and there is plenty to do with even the smallest children.
If your kids are too small to ski, but you still want to have soe fun on the snow, your two best options are just a gondola ride away from Andalo.
You can either take the gondola no 7. going to the west-most side of the area. At the top, there is a big snow playground with snow-tubbing and other fun stuff. All conveniently located right by a decent restaurant Chalet Forst .
TODO: Hut stop
Alternatively, you can take the central gondola no. 1 to its intermediate station. Up there is another huge snow playground right by Rifugio Dosson . It’s even bigger than the first one but the downside is that it get’s busier.
Paganella for beginners
Besides families, Paganella is also great for beginners. Whether you’re looking to take a lesson, or you just want to ski some easy terrain, you’ll have no problem finding a good spot.
Ski schools at Paganella
We’ve counted at least 4 different areas dedicated to ski schools at Paganella. Not bad for a mountain that size!
Two of them are on either side of Andalo, each with a short chairlift and a very mellow terrain. There’s another on by the snow playground up the gondola no 7. And then there’s another one on the opposite side at the top of the Santel-Meriz chairlift. Don’t worry, enventhough it’s a chairlift, you can take it back down to the parking lot once you’re done with your lessons. That area is catered to by a great restaurant Ristorante Meriz which was actually our favorite place to stop for food and drinks.
#TODO: Hut Stop
Easy Terrain at Paganella
If you’re past your school years but you still need some practice before hitting the steep stuff, then the right (west) side of the mountain is your place to be.
Especially for snowboarders, we recommend doing a few laps on the Baby Express gondola (no 4.). It has a super wide and easy to navigate blue to it where you can get a bunch of runs under your belt without having to be nervous about taking a normal chairlift.
We think it’s even better than taking the central gondola to the intermediate station. Albeit not steep, the run at the bottom of that gondola is pretty narrow and it can get a bit overwhelming especially with a lot of other people.
Once you’re comfortable taking chairlifts, we recommend taking the central gondola (no 1.) all the way to the top, and then traversing to the right to the two chairlifts - no 10. and no 11. The blue runs around these are flat, wide, and the right amount of steep.
There are multiple restaurants in that area and once you’re done skiing, if you don’t feel like taking the steeper red slope down, you can make it to the top of the gondola from either of the chairlifts.
Advanced Terrain at Paganella
If you looking for some steeper runs at Paganella, you’re generally the best off staying to the left (east) of the central gondola no 1. You can’t really go wrong in that area.
It’s mostly red runs ranging from 2 to 5 km with a variety of steeper and less steep sections. They are all similar in nature and they are all fun.
We had the most fun all the way to the east of the area around the Santel-Meriz and Meriz chairlifts. That is the most north-facing part of Paganella and the snow stays good there the longest.
When we visited Paganella for the second time, the weather was not exactly coopperating - the visibility at the top was terrible and the snow at the bottom was terrible as well because it was quite warm that day. But we still managed to get some good laps on the middle portion of the mountain around the Meriz chairlift.
##The Final Verdict: Is Paganella Any Good Were we going to the alps for the first time, we probably would not choose Paganella as THE resort to visit. But if you’ve already been to the famous places like Sella Ronda, Marmolada, or Cortina and you’re looking for a low-key place with good skiing, Paganella is a solid choice.
We probably wouldn’t stay the whole week but it would keep us entertained for a few days. Even on a bad weather day we skied over 65km with decent vert and we had fun.
On a blue sky day, you get an amazing views of the Adige Valley from the top and the omnipresent panorama of the Brenta peaks from every run you ski. That’s a recipe for a great few days in the mountains.
FAQ -> Getting to the top on foot via gondola 1 and chairlift 2
Work in Progress
This section is still being crafted. Check back soon for more content!
