Steve I was thinking of renting a car just for the trip from Ortisei to Milan, hoping to be able to stop in several towns, and spending the night in one of the towns. Its just that now my husband feels it might not be safe to drive in that weather.

I don't think you'll have too much trouble driving to Milan.

You could hire a car from Bolzano and your route will likely be snow-free.
(There is snow in Bolzano today - but it doesn't usually last long as it's low-lying).

You could decide at the last minute in Ortisei depending on conditions (- there is a Hertz in Ortisei).

Otherwise it's easy enough by public transport from Ortisei.

Public transport is also an option between Cortina and Ortisei

And there are public transport options between Venice and Cortina as you may already know.

Steve

Ortisei webcam today:

http://villahubertus.com/ita/index.html

They've had 80-140cm this weekend - you won't be short of snow ;)

No I didnt know, I will research the public transport. I researched the taxis and they are expensive.

Hadeel -

Steve's advice is right-on as usual, but I'll just jump back in here to confirm that the road from Cortina to Val Gardena can be an "interesting" experience in winter. We spend a lot of time on snowy mountain roads in New England, so we're quite experienced with that sort of thing, but it's a challenge even for the experienced.

We drove that route in a moderate snowstorm on our first trip to the area. The road is narrow and winding, with numerous hairpin turns and it climbs steeply up an down repeatedly. With every "up" we'd progress from rain to snow with increasing elevation, get barely over the pass with much tire-spinning, sliding, and limited visibility, then descend into the next valley and rain, only to repeat the procedure a few miles further along.

After a few hours of that kind of fun, we just managed to get to the top of the last pass (Passo Sella) before our final plunge into Selva only to find the road closed, with a locked gate across it. The toughest part of the whole trip was trying to get turned around in about a foot of snow, but with a bit of pushing and creative language we managed. From there it was a nice 3-hour detour west nearly to Bolzano and then north and finally back east into Val Gardena, and through Ortisei to Selva. I'll be quite happy if I never have to do that again.

So, if you have the option of not driving, and I know there are several, you're probably smart to consider that. Leaving Ortisei, however, there are no real passes to cross and it's likely the roads will be fine (and you can always check before starting).

It's great that it's apparently going to be an early snow year, and you'll get a real taste of good skiing. As I think I mentioned long ago, we're headed to Grindelwald at the end of February and they appear to be getting good early snow as well, so we're optimistic for a big snow year.

Dick

Any websites for the public transport in Venice, Cortina and Ortisei?

Hadeel - What days are you travelling?

There is a weekend bus service from Venice to Cortina. You can find details on:

http://www.dolomiti.org/dengl/Cortina/cinfo/info04.html

If you are travelling to Cortina on a weekday, the public transport option is:

- train from Venice S. Lucia up to Calalzo, then
- connecting bus (- from Calalzo station) to Cortina

For timetables see:
www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html

Best trains are:
07.55 (- direct)
12.02 (- 1 change - P. Alpi)
13.36 (- 1 change - P. Alpi)
15.02 (- direct)


Cortina-Ortisei by taxi will be expensive. The public transport option is via Dobbiaco by bus/train.

What day are you travelling? I'll look it up if you like.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Reading Dick's experience makes me sure that we won't be able to drive to Cortina. Bahrain is flat, and no rain. So no way we will be able to drive on steep narrow winding roads with rain and snow. However, we will look into driving from Ortisei to Milan.
Steve, we land in Venice on Sunday 7th December, will go to Cortina on 11th, and then move to Ortisei on 14th, then leave Ortisei on 18th. I appreciate your help. I'm eternally grateful.

Travelling on a Sunday isn't ideal, unfortunately, Hadeel.

You may want to shop around and see if you can get a good quote in Cortina for a taxi transfer to Ortisei to save time.

The public transport option on a Sunday requires changes - and will take close to 4 hrs.

The best I can find (- but N.B. you need to check and confirm this with the tourist office in Cortina) is:

Bus: Cortina-Dobbiaco F.S (Railway Station)
- dep. Cortina 08.55 (- arr. Dobbiaco F.S. 09.35

Train (R): Dobbiaco-Fortezza
- dep. Dobbiaco 09.41 (- arr. Fortezza 10.45)

Train (EC): Fortezza-Bressanone
(- dep. Fortezza 10.50 (- arr. Bressanone 10.58)

Bus: Bressanone-Ortisei
- dep. Bressanone 11.32 (- arr. Ortisei 12.25)
[This bus picks up outside Bressanone railway station).

Let me know if I can be of more help ...

Steve

Refs:

Buses - (SAD)
www.sad.it

Trains:
www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html

Oh thats a lot of transfers. Like you said I should look for taxi quotes. Trains and buses are out of the question. Thanks Steve for the effort and the concern. I hope one day I will be able to help you out someway. Please keep my email with you in case you decide to come to Bahrain one day. [email protected]

Thanks Hadeel.

I think the taxi ride will be money well spent. If the passes are open, the drive via San Cassiano and Corvara/Colfosco (- Falzarego, Valparola and Gardena Passes) is one of the most beautiful drives in Europe.

Buon Viaggio :)

Steve

http://www.valgardena.it/download/ga...sei_centro.jpg

Steve:

Is that a recent photo?? Oh my good Lord, how beautiful is that!!!

Where is that taken?

John

My heart aches when I look at that photo, its sooo beautiful.

Steve, It seems that buses from Venice to Cortina are only on Sundays and Saturdays, also starting 20th December. Did I understand correctly?
That means we can't go by bus, we have to take the train. I'm not sure I understand how their website works.

Sorry Steve, your entry on 4th December confirms my query. So we have only one option to go by train. Thanks

HAD: In Steve's beautiful photo do you see a bright light in the sky just right of center?,
Normally you would think it is a "Star" in the sky, but I bet it is a "Snnowcat" (a tractor that grooms the slopes at night!)

Am I right Steve?

Had: They are getting the slopes to be just perfect for your visit! I wish I was joining you!!

John

We (myself, Steve, and John) are all having so much fun vicariously enjoying Hadeel's first ski trip to an place we all love that I thought I'd go ahead and post a couple of photos from the first time we skied the area, in 2006, to give Hadeel a little sense of what a wonderful area it is.

This was the view from the balcony of our hotel room in Selva, facing south and looking toward the Passo Sella with the Sella massif on the left:

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/122_2236.jpg

And, as we've been recommending the Alp di Suisi area as a great place for beginners, here it is. This view is from one of several restaurant/bars in the area looking east back toward the Sella (big flat mass on the left horizon) and then across to Sassolungo (3181 m) and Sassopiatto (the flatiron-shaped mountain on the right):

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/125_2504.jpg

Flyfish....you are killing me!

I have to meet up with you and Steve someday and share some Grappa on the pistes of Italy! (or Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany....damn I will even settle for Hunter Mountain ,NY!!

HAL: I am telling you, you might not want to go back to Bahrain after this trip!

John

Hadeel - Yes, your only public transport option mid-week is train from Venice to Calalzo as I mentioned, then bus to Cortina.

(This is usually a 'connecting' bus service from Calalzo station - so you shouldn't have to wait).

Whatever you do, make sure you do all the lifts in Val Gardena - especially -

- CIAMPINOI & DANTERCEPIES (- from Selva) and
- ALPE DI SIUSI/MONT SEUC & SECEDA/FERMEDA (- from Ortisei)

The views are just awesome :) Have a great trip!

John - It's Ortisei centre (- the 'blue' cafe is my favourite place for a vin brule aperativo :) )

That'll be the scene right now (- the Val Gardena website says they've had a lot of snow in the last few days.
I bet you're right about the snowcat. Count me in for that grappa ;)

Flyfish - Your photos are superb! Have you got any more like that? They bring back so many memories :)

The lifts opened today - you can see the skiers at Ciampinoi
http://www.valgardena.it/en/ciampinoi-live/page256.html

Alpe di Siusi webcam
http://www.montepiz.com/M1/m1test.jpg

http://www.seceda.it/english/fotos-w.htm

Don't you just wish you were there right now?

Steve

P.S. Hadeel - You can find the bus timetable Calalzo-Cortina (- operator: Dolomitibus) at:

http://www.dolomitibus.it/dolomitibus/jsp/orari.jsp

As I mentioned, the service connects with train arrivals from Venice -

e.g deps. Calalzo at:

- 10.55 (- 07.55 train from Venice)
- 14.55 (- 12.02 train " " "
- 16.20 (- 13.36 train " " "

Steve

Steve -

Thanks for the kind words. Through the magic of digital photography and cheap memory cards, I have enough images to bring you to your knees screaming for me to stop, but since you asked, and as long as the good folks at Fodor's don't mind, here are a few more from our 2006 trip:

This doesn't compare with your night shot of Ortisei, but here's a somewhat similar photo of Selva:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/124_2468.jpg

Here's the "home slope" at Selva, which comes down from the Ciampinoi gondola. It's a good bit steeper than it appears in this photo:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p.../122_2214A.jpg


This sunset is from our hotel room (from the bathroom window, if the truth be told). We stayed at Hotel Sun Valley - very nice, and excellent value:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/124_2466.jpg

Looking west back down the Val Gardena from the Dantercepes gondola (through the crudded up plexiglas, unfortunately):
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/124_2475.jpg

On the Sella Ronda circuit, I believe between Corvara and Arabba, looking southeast toward Lagazuoi (which we skied last year, and is an experience and a half - a super, long red run):
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...124_2479-1.jpg

These last two are off the circuit, on the lovely gentle slopes above Corvara. This is looking northwest back down into Corvara. The big peak on the right is Sassongher:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...6_2614_2-1.jpg

Finally, a photo of me (holding a beer - how unusual) above Corvara, but more importantly, looking west back to Passo Gardena, with the Sella massif to the left:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/126_2637.jpg

OK, enough. I'm even starting to bore myself.

John - do you ever get over to NH or VT?

Hadeel - Are you liking what you're seeing? You made a great choice of venue for a first ski trip.

Dick