The Skiers' Guide to Canazei - Belvedere

Tucked away in the breathtaking Dolomites of northern Italy, Canazei-Belvedere offers skiers access to one of Europe's most spectacular mountain landscapes. This charming Italian resort serves as a gateway to the famous Sella Ronda circuit, making it a brilliant base for exploring the vast Dolomiti Superski area without the premium prices of some neighbouring resorts.

Canazei sits at 1,450m with access to slopes reaching up to 2,958m, providing a vertical drop of over 1,500m and generally reliable snow conditions. The area features 31 runs serviced by an impressive lift system including 6 gondolas, 13 chairlifts, and 4 drag lifts.

Our users have awarded the resort an overall rating of 4.44/5, with particularly strong scores for lift efficiency (4.64/5), ski school quality (4.63/5), and groomed runs (4.53/5).

As one Snomad community member put it: "Canazei is a magical resort with mind-blowing scenery, an amazing infrastructure and beautifully groomed pistes."

The ski area delivers a fantastic mix of terrain, with 4 beginner runs, 26 intermediate runs, and 1 advanced run. While these figures might suggest limited variety, the resort's connection to the Sella Ronda opens up vast possibilities.

The area scores particularly well for intermediates (4.50/5) and advanced skiers (4.50/5), with snowboarders (4.31/5) also finding plenty to enjoy across the well-groomed slopes.

"Fantastic resort for on-piste skiing," writes Jacob, an advanced skier. "Local accommodation far cheaper than alternative ski areas in Italy and Europe, yet links in to the second largest continuous ski area in the world."

The modern lift system receives consistent praise with the resort scoring exceptionally for lift efficiency (4.64/5). Richard, an intermediate snowboarder, noted: "Modern lift system... queues manageable even with the many green and orange Sella Ronda followers."

For those seeking challenges beyond the groomed runs, Geoffrey, an advanced skier, highlights: "Sass Pordoi lift from Passo Pordoi takes you to the top of the Group Dei Sella, from where there are several great off-piste runs (a guide is essential though)." The area scores moderately for off-piste (3.35/5) and powder zones (3.48/5), with limited opportunities compared to some Alpine resorts.

The resort scores impressively for eating out (4.20/5), with users consistently praising the quality and value of mountain restaurants.

One Snomad community member liked the "good quality food at a good price," while Neil, an advanced skier, was impressed by the "amazing food" and noted that "mountain huts are great, high quality food and service."

Richard praised the "relatively good value mountain restaurants," a sentiment echoed by many users. The area offers authentic Italian cuisine both on and off the mountain, with traditional mountain refuges providing welcoming pit stops during a day on the slopes.

When exploring beyond the main Sella Ronda route, John, an advanced skier, suggests: "Personally feel the Selva side (next valley over) is more picturesque and has far more great lunch spots."

Canazei offers a moderate après-ski scene (3.77/5), focusing more on quality than wild partying. The village provides a good balance of bars and restaurants with an authentic Italian atmosphere rather than the raucous scenes found in some Austrian resorts.

Sally, an advanced skier, described it as a "lovely village with nice bars," while Steve noted that "the village is not wild for après but lively enough with bars and cafes and restaurants."

Jin, an advanced snowboarder, recommends: "Stay up until last lifts for a beautiful quiet home run down to some excellent Italian style après in the prettiest village."

John, another advanced skier, enjoyed the "drinking and dancing" with his group of 19 ranging from ages 8 to 60, suggesting the resort caters well to mixed groups seeking relaxed evening entertainment.

The resort scores exceptionally well for family friendliness (4.46/5), making it an excellent choice for skiing with children of various ages.

Gavin, an expert snowboarder, noted: "Good resort for family and plenty of variety of piste for experienced kids - hence happy family," although he mentioned there are "not many easy runs for the inexperienced in Canazei."

The high scores for groomed runs (4.53/5) and ski school quality (4.63/5) contribute to the family-friendly environment, ensuring children can learn and progress with confidence.

Lesley, an intermediate skier, shared: "There are loads of pistes, mainly reds and blues suitable for a wide range of skiers/snowboarders. You can find quieter areas to ski if you leave the main Sella Ronda route."

The resort receives strong marks for accommodation options (4.36/5), with a good variety of places to stay across different price points.

Ros, an advanced skier, found the town "lovely, good for non-skiers as has plenty to do and some lovely walks," though noted difficulty finding chalets, which is their preferred accommodation type.

Lesley mentioned her family group has "used apartments, hotels and the super campsite Marmolada which is really handy for the gondola," indicating the range of options available.

Several users highlight that Canazei offers better value accommodation than other resorts in the Dolomiti Superski area. John, an advanced skier, noted that Canazei "gives you quick access to the Sella Ronda and all its skiing, at lower prices than the more fashionable and better known resorts."

Access to the slopes is generally good, with Leon mentioning that Campitello and Canazei were "close to the lifts," while those staying slightly further out can use the regular ski bus service that Neil described as running "regularly to take us into town for the ski lifts."

Canazei-Belvedere, like many resorts in the South Tyrol region, operates with a growing focus on environmental responsibility. The area benefits from Italy's increasing investment in renewable energy sources to power lifts and snowmaking systems. The efficient lift infrastructure minimizes unnecessary energy usage, while the resort's connection to public transport networks helps reduce private vehicle emissions.

The Dolomiti region as a UNESCO World Heritage site faces additional environmental oversight that encourages sustainable practices. However, specific green initiatives unique to Canazei are less prominently marketed than in some Alpine resorts with formal sustainability certifications.