Italy

Alagna

Traditional ski resort offering fantastic off piste skiing in the huge Monterosa ski area

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Alagna resort guide - a general overview

Alagna is furthest East of the three villages making up the extensive Monterosa ski area (the other villages are Champoluc to the West and Gressoney in the middle of the system). The ski and board domain is much, much larger than the 180km of pistes suggests and the whole area is a paradise for expert skiers looking for uncrowded terrain. The long, empty pistes are all blues and reds. There are no black pistes therefore all the challenging skiing is to be found off-piste.

Alagna is a peaceful, rustic village with an old church and many traditional wooden Walser chalets - it bears no resemblance to a ski resort and that is its charm. Tourism is yet to taint the village or the attitude of the locals who are all welcoming and helpful. If you want to know what skiing was like 50 years ago then this is surely the place to find out. Nightlife is centred around some great family run restaurants serving up fantastic pasta and carne as well as a couple of rustic bars where you will find the locals and visitors mixing amicably.

Confident intermediate skiers will have a great time as the pisted area is large. However, if you are an expert who likes to freeride then you will be in heaven. Ski holidays in Alagna offer stunning scenery; a massive, high, snow-sure ski area (empty during the week); friendly locals and great traditional Italian mountain cooking await you. This is a resort well worth hiring a guide for a couple of days to get the most out of a short break or even if you stay for a week.

Photos courtesy of Alagna Valsesia Tourist Office, Andreas Ebner.

Resort stats

180km

1,200m - 3,260m

Level of skiing

Beginners
Intermediates
Experts
Snow sure
Off-piste
Ski area

Qualities

Charm factor
Non-skiers
Nightlife
Resort layout
Fine dining
Short transfer
Resort value

Airports

Milan malpensa
2hrs
Turin
2hrs 30mins

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Fabulous off-piste for experts and intermediates in Alagna's "Freeride Paradise"
  • The mountains are empty during the week. No lift queues and no skier or boarder traffic
  • Good snow reliability and grooming
  • Quiet, totally unspoiled village
  • Three valley lift system gives skiing over a very large area

Cons

  • The challenging skiing is all off-piste. Most pistes are suitable for intermediates
  • Limited nightlife scene in any of the villages

Restaurants

Alagna Resort Restaurants

For guests not dining at their hotel, Alagna offers a fantastic selection of restaurants.

Il Corno Bianco celebrates local cuisine and tradition through a refined and creative use of regional ingredients, combining seasonal produce with the authentic flavours of Valsesia and Piedmont. Every dish is carefully prepared with great skill and attention to detail, highlighting exceptional meats, fish, cured meats and cheeses. The elegant dining room, furnished in beautiful larch wood, creates a warm alpine atmosphere that blends perfectly with the surrounding mountain setting. Reservations are recommended.

Dir und Don in the centre of town offers a wide selection of traditional dishes, including excellent pizzaswhich are also to take away. The intimate restaurant is ideal for enjoying flavourful local cuisine accompanied by an extensive wine list.

Ristorante Alagna Valsesia Montagna di Luce is a wonderful choice for a traditional local meal just above the resort. The cosy restaurant is known for its fantastic food and welcoming ambience, with every dish beautifully presented to delight both the palate and the senses.

Restaurant Unione offers a warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere, perfect for those seeking a quieter dining experience. Specialities include raclette, polenta, venison and traditional miacce, all served with genuine local hospitality.

Cà Nosta near the centre and ski lifts is ideal for everything from a quick lunch to a leisurely evening meal. The menu features traditional starters, homemade pasta dishes, wild game served with polenta, Argentinian grilled meats and homemade desserts, all enjoyed either in the charming dining room or outdoors. The staff are also happy to arrange themed evenings, birthday celebrations and special occasions upon requests.

Hostaria di Bricai is highly recommended, and reservations are essential. Set within a traditional stone-and-wood hostaria, the restaurant serves authentic regional cuisine in a wonderfully cosy setting beside crackling wood stoves.

Alagna Mountain Restaurants

La Baita on the run back into Alagna is a traditional mountain restaurant offering exceptionally good local specialities.
There is actually a good and varied choice of mountain restaurants dotted around the Monterosa ski area so ask the resception at the hotel and they can give you some insider tips.

Alagna Apres Ski

Once you have dropped your skis back at the hotel, Alagna apres ski is open to all looking to enjoy some fine Italian wines and delicious local delicacies. Vineria An Bacher Wi is by far the most popular apres ski bar, and definitely the place to go - often serving complimentary local hams and cheeses between 5pm & 6pm. If you are after something a little livlier then try the popular Caffè delle Guide situated just below the Monterosa Hotel.

There is also a cool bar called Zam Tachji di Flori Ely which is on the other side of the river from the Hotel Cristallo that is accessed via a dark track (sensible mountain foot wear essential) up the hill, this looks over Alagna and has great food - it's a lovely traditional chalet.

Alagna Nightlife

Nightlife is fairly sparse in Alagna. Hotels, bars and restaurants are the best places to soak up the local atmosphere.

Alagna Resort Map

Key

  • Funicular
  • Cable Car
  • Gondola
  • Chair lift
  • Drag lift
  • Property