Pozza-Buffaure: Our Favorite Ski Area in Val di Fassa

Introduction to Pozza di Fassa

We discovered Pozza di Fassa earlier this summer while doing the trad climbing course, and already back then it earned a spot on our list of all-time favorites in the Dolomites.

Pozza is a charming town in the middle of the Fassa valley and it has all you can ask for. Good accommodation and dining options, thermal baths, and killer views everywhere you look. We already knew that it makes for a great base for hiking and climbing in the summer and we’ve recently learnt that it’s also pretty damn good for skiing in the Dolomites.

Pozza Buffaure - Val di Fassa

Lifts: 12
Slopes: 17
km of slopes: 23 km
Elevation: 1,350m - 2,420m
Nearest Town: Pozza di Fassa
Website: Visit Website
Skipass: Dolomiti Superski
Days of Fun: 1-2
Best Parking: Pozza Buffaure

The Buffaure Ski Area above Pozza

We’ve been steadily making our way through the ski areas on the Dolomiti Super skipass, and through Val di Fassa and Val di Fiemme in particular. We first visited Alpe Cermis by Cavalese and then Latemar above Predazzo. Eventually, on January 7th, 2026 we found ourselves snowboarding the Buffaure area for the first time. First time for both of us, actually.

Why Buffaure is Underrated

As we mentioned before, I (David) have skied a fair bit of the Dolomites with my parents when I was a kid, but we’ve never actually been to the Buffaure area. Not that we thought it had bad skiing or that it wasn’t worth it. It somehow just flies under the radar for a few reasons.

It’s not the biggest in terms of size or elevation
Although it is connected to the rest of the areas of Sella Ronda, it’s not part of the famous circuit. It’s merely just a detour.
Sure, Marmolada is also a detour, and even smaller, but Marmolada is an objective, Buffaure is just a place to ski.

Buffaure is just not as hot as its close siblings like Belvedere or Arabba. But despite all of the above, it still packs a surprisingly good ski day! And here’s why.

Accessing Buffaure by Pozza di Fassa

Pozza sits sort of in the middle of the Fassa valley, conveniently close to the road that goes over Passo Carezza to the A22 highway. You can be in Bolzano under an hour. Or you can just follow the main road through the valley and you’re in Trento within an hour and a half.

It’s also below all the towns people usually stay in for skiing the more central ski areas. So you’re done driving way before all the traffic to Sella Ronda even picks up.

And the best thing about Pozza? It still has free parking ( Pozza Buffaure ) right by the slopes. And that’s a luxury these days.

Alternatively, if you find yourself driving from the other direction, or if you want to be closer to Sella Ronda, you can also access the Buffaure ski area from the Pozza Alba parking lot.

Parking Guide

Our recommended parking options for the Buffaure ski area above Pozza di Fassa.

Our top choice for skiing in Pozza.

Pozza Buffaure Free

Capacity:300+ carsBathroom:YesCost:Free

Parking lot for accessing the Val di Fassa ski area via Buffaure in Pozza. It starts as a paved lot at the end of Pozza below the gondola station and continues as a series of gravel lots stretching along the road further up. If you're there just for skiing and don't care about accessing Pozza for après-ski, we recommend parking higher up above the gondola station. From there you can access the Buffaure Panorama red slope that you can take down to the gondola station. You can also use it to ski back basically to your car.

Paid parking lot on the north end of the Buffaure area with access to Belvedere too. Not our favorite but it works.

Pozza Alba Paid

Capacity:300+ carsBathroom:Yes — In the ski station by the gondolaCost:free for 2 hours, 10 EUR per day afterVisited:Jan 25, 2026

Spacious paved parking lot by the gondola and the cable car between Alba and Penia up the Fassa Valley above Canazei. It's paid but it's location makes it somewhat later to fill up compared to the lots in Canazei and Campitello. The parking meter only accepts cash but you can also pay with card in the ski pass office (during their opening hours only though)

Skiing Buffaure

Best Runs in Buffaure (Reds & Blacks)

If you decide to give Buffaure a chance, which we think you should, here are a few helpful tips.

First, obviously park at the free lot by the Buffaure gondola. Take the gondola up and as a first thing, do either the Panorama red slope or the Vulcano black slope while they are still groomed. On a powder day the black one is better as the end of the red is pretty flat and slow.

After that take the Buffaure gondola and also immediately take the Valvacin chairlift to the top of Col de Valvacin. Get a quick coffee at El Zedron and enjoy the views of the peaks on the other side of the valley. You won’t see any roads or ski resorts on that side so it feels very unspoiled and remote.

Lift Strategy & Flow

When you’re ready to shred again, both the red slopes around the chairlift are great, especially their upper parts and also the terrain in between on a powder day. Although you can link them with the red and the black mentioned above, we don’t think it’s worth it because of the annoying catwalk in between.

That basically covers the south side of the ski area. Now it’s time to move on to the Ciampac side.

From Col de Valvacin, take the short red no. 5 and then the long Orsa Maggiore chairlift with the bubble. That chairlift also has a red below it - no. 12.

We don’t think it’s worth staying there because the no. 5 is fun but too short and the no. 12 is long but not steep enough. Fun fact, though, from the chairlift, you can see a beautiful chalet everyone would love to live in. We found out that it’s in fact for sale right now but in case you were wondering how much property in the Dolomites costs, it’s unfortunately a whopping 1.6 million EUR.

Ciampac Basin Highlights

From the top of the Orsa Maggiore chairlift, a beautiful view of the Sella Ronda opens up as you dip over to the basin of Ciampac. We had the most fun on the reds and black in the upper part under the Roseal - Giumela chairlift.

The bottom of the basin is again a bit flat but that changes once you make it past the top station of the Alba-Ciampac gondola. That’s where the 2.2km long black no. 10 starts. It’s just the right amount of steep and it is FUN.

If you don’t fancy going down a black, you can also take the gondola down - it goes in both directions. Which is also convenient if you just want to get to Ciampac on foot to hang out at one of the lively huts at the bottom of the sunny basin.

Connecting from Buffaure to Sella Ronda

Apart from having good skiing, you can also use Pozza as your gateway to Sella Ronda. We measured that it took us about 40 minutes to get from the bottom of the Buffaure gondola in Pozza to the bottom of the cable car that goes to Belvedere from Alba.

You might end up sitting in your car for longer than that trying to make it through the traffic around Canazei if the nonnas are out and about. Plus thanks to the smart layout of the resort, it’s not 40 annoying minutes on endless catwalks, it’s actually some legit good skiing.

And if you’re worried about not making it back in time, Pozza is on the skibus that runs through all the towns in the valley. So you’ll make it back to your car one way or another.

Buffaure vs. Ciampac: Best Time of Day

We recommend visiting the Ciampac side earlier in the day as it cools down later in the afternoon once the sun dips behind Sas Porcel (2,481m). We learned that the hard way and boy, it was chilly.

The west facing Buffaure side is great in the afternoon sun. You can even stay up on the mountain for apres-ski and then just ski down all the way to your car without having to worry about making the last lift.

And know that no matter if it’s sunny or cloudy, there will be snow. One way or another!

Where to stop for coffee and food in Buffaure-Ciampac?

Let’s start by saying that the whole Buffaure-Ciampac area is very hut-rich and you probably won’t go wrong with any choice.

With that said, we usually start from Pozza and we like to stop for a quick coffee early on. Our favorite early morning stop is El Zedron at the top of Col de Valvacin on the Buffaure side. It’s right at the end of the chairlift and it has amazing views. Nothing gets us more excited about a ski day than the sunlit, pristine nature of Val San Nicolo.

Cozy Hut Stop

Sometimes when the weather is winning or when our legs are sore, it's time to warm up and take a break in a nearby cozy hut.

El Zedron

A quick coffee and cake stop to catch a breath at the top of Col de Valvacin.

Two coffees and a fat slice of cake with cream

10.00 EUR

For our afternoon coffee & beer stop and something to bite occasionally, we also prefer the Buffaure side. It’s west-facing so it still has the sun and it’s on the right side of all the passes, so we don’t have to worry about reaching our car. You have options but our favorite is definitely Rifugio Buffaure .

Conveniently located at the top of the Panorama and Vulcano runs, you can either take a quick break before getting some more runs in or you can just end there and finish the day off with a bang in their top notch apres-ski tent.

Cozy Hut Stop

Sometimes when the weather is winning or when our legs are sore, it's time to warm up and take a break in a nearby cozy hut.

Rifugio Buffaure

A quick stop the give my legs a break before the final laps of the day.

Espresso macchiato e birra media before the final laps on the Vulcano run.

8.00 EUR

Where to Stay in Pozza di Fassa (Ski Base)

When we were in town for our trad climbing course, we booked a room at Hotel Laurino — friendly staff, a comfy room, and a mountain-view balcony that made the early mornings feel extra worth it. Prices were super reasonable for the area, and they even upgraded us because it was Daysi’s birthday.

If you’re skiing, the location is clutch: it’s right in town, you can even walk to the Buffaure gondola, and you can also stroll to dinner in the evening without even needing to use your car. As a bonus, the hotel has a spacious parking that is included in the price.

Other than Hotel Laurino, there are plenty of other options as you can see on the map below:

Where to stay around Pozza Buffaure - Val di Fassa

Here's a map of the accommodations in the area. We also included some of the places we visited and the parking spots for better orientation.

In full transparency, we do get a commission if you book through our map. But don't worry, it's not coming from your pocket! The prices you see are the same as what you'd find on the booking platforms directly. And it helps us keep the site running.

Where to Eat in Pozza di Fassa

Pozza punches above its weight when it comes to food. Our favorites were Cafe Mirò for low-key panini and a quick dinner, Ristorante El Filò for a splurge-worthy tasting menu, and Pizzeria La Giare for a classic pizza night (book ahead — we didn’t, and ended up shivering on the patio). Even in shoulder season it felt like there was always somewhere open, so in winter you’ll have plenty of options after a ski day.

Buffaure Ski Day: Quick Summary

All in all Pozza proved to be as much fun in the winter as it was in the summer. We like it for a fun low-key day of skiing when you want to avoid the crowds in the more famous parts of Sella Ronda. But it also works surprisingly well for actually accessing these areas without having to worry about parking too much.

To read more about skiing the Buffaure ski area, read about our experience skiing there on a blue-sky sunny day and also on a powder day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the altitude/elevation of Pozza Buffaure - Val di Fassa?

The elevation range is 1,350m - 2,420m.

Is the Buffaure ski area worth visiting if you’re already skiing Sella Ronda?

Yes. It’s a quieter, lower-key day with great views and solid terrain, and it also works as a convenient gateway to Sella Ronda if you want to connect later.

Where should I park for skiing Buffaure?

The free lot right by the Buffaure gondola in Pozza di Fassa is the top pick. There’s also a paid lot in Alba if you want to be closer to the Sella Ronda connection.

What are the best runs in Buffaure?

Start with the Panorama red or the Vulcano black while they’re freshly groomed. The upper runs off Col de Valvacin and the Ciampac-side reds and blacks were our favorites.

Which side is better to ski first: Buffaure or Ciampac?

Hit Ciampac earlier in the day because it cools down once the sun drops behind Sas Porcel. Buffaure is great most of the day as the south-west facing slopes get a lot of sun.

Is Buffaure beginner-friendly?

There are beginner-friendly areas with mellow terrain on both sides of the ski area near the Buffaure and Alba gondolas. Stick around there and take the gondola back down if you want to skip the more challenging descents.

How long does it take to get from Buffaure to the Sella Ronda connection?

We timed about 40 minutes from the Buffaure gondola base in Pozza to the cable car that goes to Belvedere from Alba, and it’s mostly enjoyable skiing rather than endless catwalks.

Can I ride the gondola down instead of skiing a steep run?

Yes. Both the Buffaure and the Alba-Ciampac gondolas run both directions, so you can skip the steeper runs and still reach the parking lots on either side.

Where should I stop for a break on the mountain?

Rifugio El Zedron is a great quick coffee and cake stop with wide-open views. It’s an easy top-mountain reset before heading toward Ciampac. Other than that, there are huts pretty much everywhere.