- Details
- Written by: Roger Fulton and Sophie Nicholson
- Last Updated: 09 Mar 2026
Words such as ‘hidden gem’ and best-kept secret’ are too often tossed about by ski writers and can lose their descriptive impact as a result. But skiing the slopes of the holiday region 3 Zinnen Dolomites for the first time you can’t help but wonder ‘how the hell did I not know about this place before?’
You’ve got five ski mountains, 115km of superb uncrowded and varied runs (including Italy’s steepest black), scenery that’s spectacular even by Dolomite standards, authentic, picturesque villages, plus plenty of welcoming huts and mountain restaurants where you can chill out and enjoy delicious regional specialities. 3 Zinnen Dolomites is a seriously under-rated, under-the-radar delight.
So where exactly is this paradise? Well, 3 Zinnen sits in the extreme north-east of the Dolomites – and, indeed, the country – in the region of Sud Tirol. It hugs the Austrian border (there are actually plans to expand the ski area over the border), creating a complex cultural mix here, where German and Italian are spoken side by side, with even the place names coming in both languages.
3 Zinnen is brilliant for all abilities, from beginners to pro skiers, and is chilled rather than loud when it comes to après, preferring a side order of wellness with many hotels having their own spa. A two-time winner of the title Italy’s Best Ski Resort in the World Ski Awards, the resort is spread around five main villages – Sesto/Sexten (international tennis star Jannik Sinner's hometown), San Candido/Innichen, Dobbiaco/Toblach, Villabassa/Niederdorf and Prags/Braies – all connected via a mix of ski slope, shuttle bus and the Pustertal Express train line that runs along the Pustertal valley.
The train stop in Versciaco/Vierschach, next to San Candido is essentially the main gateway to the slopes.
3 Zinnen’s ski history dates back to the Fifties, when the first cable car was installed on Mt Baranci, rising up behind San Candido. As more slopes were created and lifts put in place, the ski area expanded across the five mountains, originally with everything under the control of different companies. It wasn’t until 2008 that all these individual companies became one. And it wasn’t until 2016 that the region adopted the banner of 3 Zinnen Dolomites, acknowledging the iconic Tre Cime peaks that, while only accessible by ski tourers and snowshoers in the winter, are an irresistible landmark for summer hikers.
Firmly on the international ski map now, 3 Zinnen Dolomites is still evolving and improving, with lift upgrades and new pistes appearing at a steady rate. The Dolomites’ superb snowmaking guarantees 100% piste coverage.
For UK skiers, the most direct route here is the Sky Alps service to Bolzano and from there via regional trains or shuttle transfers to your chosen resort. You can also fly to Innsbruck or Venice, around a 2-3 hr transfer away. A few UK ski operators, such as Crystal, offer packages to 3 Zinnen which takes a lot of the effort (but also some of the adventure and enjoyment) out of getting here. A Sud Tirol guest pass provides free use of all public transport in Sud Tirol.
3 Zinnen - Ski Map & Pistes:
3 Zinnen has a nicely balanced mix of blue, red and black pistes. Beginners will feel comfortable on easily accessible nursery slopes spread among the villages, intermediates will relish cruisy blues and tree-lined runs and experts certainly won’t feel neglected, with some challenging red and black terrain.
The overwhelming bulk of runs falls across a main ski area bookended by Versciaco and Croda Rossa. This is divided into four zones – Monte Elmo, Stiergarten, Croda Rossa and Val Comelico. Best access is from Versciaco, pretty much a ‘ski portal’ next to the station. A single, busy but efficient main gondola takes skiers up to the Monte Elmo mid-station plateau. This lift is being upgraded in summer 2026. From here a mix of blue and red runs fan out down to the Hasenkopfl 8-seater chair which takes you up to the top station and highest point in the 3 Zinnen area, Monte Elmo at 2,225m.
Up here the views are panoramic and jaw-dropping. On one side you look out towards the Austrian border, and opposite, across to the Sexten Sundial – a series of evenly-spaced peaks which were used by local inhabitants down the centuries to tell the time. Just poking up behind these are the iconic Tre Cime themselves, though from this distance they appear underwhelming. This zone is characterised by an enjoyable and undulating network of blue, red and black runs. The top-to-bottom home runs are a gorgeous long, flowing red, piste 13, or a very do-able black,13b.
The other uplift to Monte Elmo is from Sesto/Sexten, via the Helmjet, a 10-seater gondola, installed in 2020. For a blue route back down to Sesto, you have to cross over to the Stiergarten zone, where you can take red/blue slopes back to the Helmjet station.
From Stiergarten there is also a piste link to Signaue in the expanding and largely uncrowded Rotwand/Croda Rossa zone which reaches a height of 2,000m and has a great mix of blue and red slopes. Here you’ll also find Italy’s steepest black run, the ever-shady Holzriese, with its 72% gradient.
A long blue run from the top of Croda Rossa to Passo Monte Croce brings you towards the fourth zone, Val Comelico, which is actually in Belluno in the Veneto region. Full lift links are still to be built here – you continue your journey to the ski area at Pagola via Salto ski busses, which also run from Moos and Signaue. Val Comelico is unlike the other three sectors, being fiercely Italian in character, completing a mix of Austro/German, Italian and Sud-Tirolean cultures.
A 43km ski circuit from Versciaco to Croda Rosa and back, the Giro delle Cime, is a great signposted way to explore this main ski area and you can sign up for guided tours.
The other ski areas in 3 Zinnen are significantly smaller. The ‘biggest’ of these is on Mt Baranci at San Candido, with a small but fun group of blue, red and black runs. A popular teaching area for beginners, it’s worth noting that the black run, 19b, is a bit sharp and any mishaps will be in full view of those gathered in the base area! You can also go night skiing here on Tuesday and Fridays.
Further along the valley there are very small ski areas at Rienza and Prags/Braise mainly dedicated to families and beginners, though the red slopes here are also used for training, including by pro skiers and national ski squads. Dobbiaco and Niederdorf are hugely popular areas for cross-country skiing.
If you’re just going to ski ‘local’ you can buy a 3 Zinnen lift pass, which is around €30 cheaper than the full Dolomiti Superski pass, which you will need if you catch the train to Kronplatz at Perca. Alternatively, it’s about 40 minutes by road from Dobbiaco to the Olympic resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
3 Zinnen - Off-Piste, Backcountry & Ski Touring:
3 Zinnen Dolomites doesn’t officially do off-piste, but as so often happens advanced skiers will find a way to flirt with unpisted terrain. Ski touring is quite popular, however, with guided tours (as well as snowshoe walks) to Tre Cime from Sesto/Sexten and from Dobbiaco.
3 Zinnen - Restaurants, Bars & The Town:
One of the delights of 3 Zinnen is the contrast between staying in the heart of nature or in town. For a ski-in, ski-out hotel in a quiet village, pick Sesto, or neighbouring hamlets Moos and Waldheim.
From the wonderful Berghotel spa retreat on the outskirts of Moos, you get ski-in/ski-out access via a drag lift to a blue run that links to the main Helmjet. Very handy.
Nearby, the elegant Bad Moos – Dolomites Spa Resort is another excellent ski-in/ski-out option, known for its enormous buffet breakfasts and dinners – including a dangerously tempting dessert buffet of torta and strudel – as well as a superb wellness centre with indoor and outdoor pools, perfect for easing ski legs after a day ripping around the mountain. Super friendly staff, too.
Also in Sesto, the stylish Hotel Monika is a standout choice, combining contemporary Alpine design with one of the most impressive spa and wellness areas in the region. Expect panoramic views, beautifully presented regional cuisine and a strong focus on sustainability, making it a particularly appealing base for skiers who like their mountain hotels with a little extra polish.
Or opt for San Candido if you fancy exploring the shops, bars and high-quality restaurants of this pedestrianised market town and don’t mind being woken at 7am by church bells! We can recommend the central, 4-star, family-run Il Tyrol with its own pool and spa – and ski bus stop right outside. Dobbiaco is probably the best place to stay if you’ve come for the extensive cross-country skiing.
For those all-important coffee and lunch stops on the mountain, you’ll find plenty to choose from, including the modern Helm Restaurant at Monte Elmo (which comes with its own prosecco bar for a bit of après vibe), and the Hahnspielhütte (located near the highest point, it’s the oldest mountain hut in the area, dating back to 1959). The name means Capercaillie, by the way.
Another favourite is the Jägerhütte, a rustic mountain hut perched above the Croda Rossa slopes, known for its sunny terrace and hearty South Tyrolean dishes.
Other recommended spots include Larchenhütte on piste 11 between Monte Elmo and Stiergarten (great for kaiserschmarrn!) and Hennstoll (literally hen-house) at the Signaue/Croda Rossa valley station. One of the most authentic huts in 3 Zinnen, it was built in 2009 using wood from trees felled to create pistes 10/10b at the same time.
3 Zinnen doesn’t really do rowdy alcohol-fuelled après-ski, but you can celebrate the end of a successful ski day with a beer at the Groberhütte at the bottom of piste 13 in Versciaco. If you do fancy pepping things up, pop across the slope to Max Alm which often plays lively music in the afternoons. A little way back up the hill the Rauthütte, sitting right on the Raut piste 18a, has a little snow bar outside and also sometimes plays apres ski music.
On top of the skiing, there are plenty of other activities on offer, from tobogganing (at Baranci and Croda Rossa), guided winter hikes and snowshoe walks and alpaca walks. For families, a photo next to the giant 8m high snowman family at Croda Rossa is a bit of fun and the Acquafun centre in San Candido is a must-visit for its pools, slides and lazy river. Another must is a wander round the Reinhold Messner Haus, a fascinating museum created by the legendary climber from a disused cable car station, which is filled with striking art, statuary and memorabilia. It’s located just behind the Helm Restaurant, along with an animal park, where you can also enjoy the unusual experience of feeding time for Messner’s collection of majestic yaks (Thursdays, 2pm).
3 Zinnen - Ski Hire:
There are excellent ski rental services at the main base stations in Sesto, Versciaco and San Candido and at Croda Rossa up the valley. We found Punka in the main complex at Versciaco to be helpful and efficient. Ski rental & deposit Sextner Dolomiten is about 50m from the Helmjet gondola in Sesto. We also found Sportpoint between Sesto and Moos friendly and very quick. There are also three branches of Papin Sport in San Candido.
3 Zinnen - Ski School:
There are several across the region, all offering courses for all levels. Choose from Sesto Ski and Snowboarding School, the Ski and Snowboard School San Candido (based on Mt Baranci), which is the oldest, the Ski and Snowboard School Helm/Monte Elmo and the Ski Academy at San Candido.
For more information on activities, services and events in 3 Zinnen Dolomites, go to the official website dreizinnen.com
Instagram: @3zinnendolomites
Facebook: @3ZinnenDolomites
