Excellent ski slopes, healing thermal springs, architectural and historical monuments, excellent hotels, restaurants, bars: all this is Bormio in Italy - a resort town located in the Alps at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level. Vacationers come here throughout the year: skiing - in the winter, mountain biking - in the summer, being treated at the thermal resorts - all year round.
The history of the resort has more than one hundred years: the settlement was founded by the Romans, who were attracted by the local thermal springs. But how the ski resort of Bormio began to be positioned only in the middle of the twentieth century - they began to come here not only for treatment, but also for skiing.
Bormio is located in the Alps at an altitude of 1200 m above sea level
A major impetus to the development of the city's infrastructure was the Alpine Skiing World Championship - in 1985, Bormio was chosen as the venue for it. In preparation for such a grand event, the tracks were updated and improved, new cable cars were equipped, comfortable hotels, shops, as well as restaurants, bars, clubs and other entertainment venues were built, thanks to which the city turned into a rather fashionable resort.
Ski resort Bormio
Today, Bormio is about 120 kilometers of excellent tracks of various difficulty levels, of which about 20% are especially difficult black tracks, 55% red for mid-level skiers and 25% relatively flat blue. Here, both beginners who first started skiing and high-class professionals feel quite comfortable here.
The north-facing Cima Bianca and Le Motte-Oga black runs are for experienced skiers. These are, for the most part, virgin slopes with a small amount of vegetation, suitable for off-piste skiing. Since the snow is very hard there, safety nets are installed along the tracks for safety reasons.
More gentle red lines are located between Cima Bianca and Cimino station, as well as between Cimino and Bormio 2000 - they are distinguished by an almost complete absence of direct lines, so you should go down carefully and carefully. Sufficiently wide and well-rolled blue tracks for dummies are located on the northern slope - their angle of inclination does not exceed 25%.
Winter at the resort is moderately mild
There are 12 kilometers of cross-country trails for runners at the resort, in addition, there are excellent opportunities for freeriding - quite dangerous, but incredibly exciting. There is also a snow park with a halfpipe for virtuoso skiers.
The height difference in Bormio is the largest in the Italian part of the Alps - 1792 meters, the maximum skiing height is 3017 meters, the minimum, respectively, is a little over 1200. Two funiculars and more than 20 different lifts help to overcome these heights.
As in other ski resorts, a ski pass system operates here, providing access to all ski areas. The cost of a ski pass depends on the season (in low season the price is an order of magnitude lower), as well as the validity period - two, four, six days. It should be noted that a six-day ski pass is preferable, because it gives the opportunity to ride not only in Bormio, but for one day to go to the Swiss ski slopes located in the Engadine area.
The resort has ski schools for adults and children with different levels of training, the staff of which are experienced instructors who can put even the most awkward and unsportsmanlike on skiing.
Climate and weather
The climate in Bormio is typical for alpine resorts - the winter is moderately mild, the average temperature ranges from -3 to + 7C. January is considered the coldest month - the thermometer can drop to -8C. Humidity is moderate, so frost is tolerated very easily.
In Bormio, there are medical centers built on the site of the ancient Roman term
Despite the fact that the first snow falls already in November, the skiing season begins in December and lasts as long as five months - until April. On mountain peaks, where the negative temperature lasts throughout the year, snow caps never melt.
How to get to Bormio
The nearest international airports to Bormio are in Bergamo and Milan. In winter, at the height of the tourist season, a special shuttle bus MT Bus runs between Milan and the ski resort - the trip takes about three hours.
The resort offers about a hundred comfortable hotels
If you use the services of a taxi or a rented car, then you will reach the place much faster. You can order a taxi from the airport online here.
To rent a car, to avoid overpayments, it is better to use the popular European car rental price comparison service.
You can also get from Milan to Bormio by train - first to the Tirano train station, located 30 kilometers from the resort, and then by bus, going directly to the city.
In addition, you can get to the Bormio ski resort from Switzerland or Austria, having overcome mountain passes by car, but this option is not always acceptable due to snowfalls, during which some roads are closed.
You can also choose a ready-made tour in Bormio. The tour already includes flights, accommodation, meals, insurance and transfer.
Bormio Hotels
The ski resort offers its guests about a hundred comfortable hotels of various price categories: these are quite budget two- or three-star hotels, and luxurious four-five-star apartments. There are also private pensions served by Italian families.
Most hotels have bars and restaurants, as well as storage rooms for ski equipment. If you plan to go to Bormio in high season, you should book a hotel room in advance - no later than a couple of months before the trip, or better, even earlier.
The best selection of hotels in Bormio with their description, room photos, guest reviews and the possibility of instant booking is located at the link below.
What else to do
As we have already said, Bormio is not only a ski resort, but also a thermal resort. There are medical centers built on the site of ancient Roman baths, thanks to which guests of the resort can relax and recover as part of one vacation. Modern hospitals offer various types of baths, imperial, Roman, mud baths, indoor and outdoor pools, all kinds of therapeutic or simply tonic water procedures.
There are a lot of historical sights in Bormio
The town has a large sports complex, an ice palace and two outdoor skating rinks - Santa Caterina and Isolaccia, in summer there is a golf course. If you come in the warm season, be sure to visit the Botanical Garden Retsiya, which contains a unique collection of plants from the Pyrenees, Himalayas, Andes, as well as from the Caucasus. The garden is part of the Stelvio National Park, covering an area of about 1300 sq. Km.
Hiking is organized around the park, during which you can get acquainted with the animal world - roe deer, bears, badgers, hares, ferrets, foxes, squirrels, see owls, partridges, pheasants, golden eagles and other birds and animals.
Bormio has many interesting historical sights - the medieval castles of Yuval, Castelbello, Forte Strino, the Alberti tower, the castle of Coira, which stores an extensive collection of weapons. Quite interesting is an excursion to the cheese factory of Casel di Sombrabbi, famous for its cheeses since 1858.
Fashion shops of famous brands are located on Roma street
Fans of noisy nightlife will also not be disappointed - there are a lot of bars, restaurants, night clubs and discos in the city where you can have fun. Fans of shopping should definitely visit Roma street, which houses fashionable shops of famous brands.
During the tourist season, a mini-festival for tourists is organized weekly on the central square of Bormio, allowing you to get acquainted with the history of the resort, taste local wines, cheeses and sweets, see the performance of local dance groups.
Those who wish are offered excursions to nearby Bergamo, Milan, Lake Como, to Livigno, which is a duty-free zone.
Photos by: David Jones, Jules Joseph, Valtellina Turismo Mobile, tomas Rota, franz rossman, Fabio e Danilo Pulcy e Pan.
