Andalo | Ski Resort Review

Andalo is a compact, charming Italian resort, on a sunny plateau sandwiched between the dramatic limestone towers of the Brenta Dolomites on one side, and the forested slopes of the Paganella massif on the other.

Few resorts in Italy do family skiing as well as Andalo—and it regularly features on our list of the best family ski resorts in Europe. It's small and reasonably-priced, with a mountain layout that might have been designed for mixed ability groups. There's an excellent selection of runs for all abilities, and plenty of non-skiing options for kids of all ages, both on and off the mountain. 

“Few resorts in Italy do family skiing as well as Andalo”

The village itself sits at around 1,050m, while lifts rise to over 2,100m, which isn't hugely high, but an extensive snow making system guarantees coverage for the season, which usually runs from mid-December to early April. 

Three things make Andalo particularly appealing. The first are the views, which are nothing short of spectacular. The jagged towers of the Brenta group can be seen from most of the pistes, and from the top, you get incredible vistas over the Adige valley, with Lake Garda in the distance one way, and the rest of the Dolomites in the other. 

The second is convenience. The lifts leave directly from the village centre, the runs all funnel into a few central hubs which makes meeting up easy. And the third (inevitably, this being Italy) is the food. Both in town and on the hill the restaurants are plentiful, tasty, and reasonably priced. Meanwhile, the summit restaurant, Rifugio La Roda, reliably serves the best food SNOW's editor has ever eaten, on any mountain, anywhere. That's a big claim, but he's eaten up there enough times to back it up. 

Andalo is not really a destination for powder hounds, nor will it scratch the itch if you want an enormous ski area. But it also attracts just a fraction of the crowds of more famous resorts. Lift queues here are rare, and the vibe is always relaxed and friendly. 

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Andalo – Ski Map & Pistes

Officially called the Dolomiti Paganella ski area, Andalo's slopes are shared with the neighbouring (and equally charming) village of Fai della Paganella, on the other side of the mountain. Between them, they offer around 50km of pistes, all interconnected by modern gondolas and fast chairlifts. 

While the area isn't enormous, the skiing is impressively varied for such a compact mountain. Intermediates are particularly well served, with lots of long, rolling blue and red pistes weaving through the forests. The grooming is excellent, and pistes are generally wide enough to feel comfortable for nervous skiers and improving children.

"Families and mixed ability groups will love the way the mountain is laid out"

Families and mixed ability groups will love the way the mountain is laid out. The pistes that don't run down to the villages run down to three mid-mountain gathering points, each with its own sunny-decked restaurant (Rifugio Dosson, Rifugio Meriz, and Chalet Forst) and its own kids' playground. Two of these (Dosson and Forst) are reachable by gondola, meaning you can take a pram up there. 

This layout is ideal for parents of babies and toddlers who want to take it turns to do quick laps between child-minding duties. Those with older kids will find it easy to find them after ski school, and mixed ability groups will be able to ski different pistes and still meet up for lunch—or even after every run, should they wish. 

Andalo isn't the best resort for advanced skiers, but the resort's longest black run, the Olimpionica, does present a formidable challenge. It's regularly used by international ski teams—including the Americans and the Norwegians—for slalom training. And in decades past, it's hosted major ski competitions, with legends such as Ingemar Stenmark and Marc Girardelli having raced here.

Despite Dolomiti Paganella's relatively low altitude, the snow reliability is excellent thanks to near-complete snowmaking coverage across the entire ski area. Even in marginal seasons, conditions remain impressively consistent from December through to early April.

Andalo – Off-Piste, Ski Touring & Backcountry

Andalo is first and foremost a piste-focused resort, but if you're prepared to hike or ski tour, there's plenty of cool stuff to explore in the surrounding area. On Paganella mountain itself, if the snow's really good, you can dip into the trees between pistes. But you're often better off strapping on skins. 

The neighbouring sub-peak of Canfedin, to the south of Paganella, has a bowl at 2,000m which offers lots of potential for fun, mellow 20-minute ski touring laps. And the officially designated ski touring route, which follows the path of the mountain bike run (and old piste) 3Tre through the forest offers an excellent top to bottom tour. The tree run back down is amazing when conditions are right. 

If you're really after adventure skiing, you're best bet is to hire a guide for a day (local guiding outfits Ambiez Mountain Guides and Dolomiti Outdoor come highly recommended) and heading up into the Dolomiti di Brenta, on the other side of the valley. Here, there are runs to suit all ability levels—from steep, narrow couloirs to wide open powder fields—all set in some of the most stunning scenery anywhere in the Alps. The Val Gelada (accessed from the Madonna di Campiglio side) and the ascent up to Cima San Maria from Malga Cavedago are well-established classics. 

Andalo – Restaurants, Bars & The Village

Andalo delivers exactly what many families want from an Italian ski holiday: a pretty village that's generally relaxed, but offers plenty to do after skiing. The resort has a strong local community feel, with lots of hotels and restaurants being run by the second, third and even fourth generation of the same family. 

“Lots of establishments are run by the second, third and even fourth generation of the same family”

Food is a major highlight. Expect classic Trentino cuisine including canederli dumplings, polenta, local cheeses, rich meat dishes and excellent regional wines. The mountain restaurants—in particular, La Roda at the summit of Paganella, and Rifugio La Montanara, accessible by lift, snowcat, or on foot, above the kids funpark in the Molveno sector—also punch well above their weight. We don't often recommend fish in the mountains, but the lobster pasta at La Roda has to be experienced to be believed. 

Après-ski exists, but it’s usually more about sipping a civilised Aperol Spritz, rather than dancing on a rowdy bar. That said, if you want to keep partying into the small hours the Tower Pub stays open well into the night serving up a potent mix of euro dance classics and strong cocktails. 

Where Andalo really stands out is off-slope entertainment for kids. The large sports centre offers swimming, skating, climbing and indoor activities, giving families plenty of options if children still have energy after skiing. There’s also sledging, winter walking, snowshoeing and horse-drawn excursions.

Andalo – Ski Hire

Ski hire in Andalo is excellent, with multiple rental shops conveniently located close to the main lift departures and village centre. There's even one — Noleggio Sci Rent and Go — built into the basement floor of Andalo's main cable car. 

Andalo – Ski School

Andalo has built one of the strongest reputations in Italy for family ski instruction, with ski schools specifically geared toward children and beginners.

“Few Italian resorts make learning to ski feel this seamless for families”

From age three upwards, children can join full-day programmes combining ski lessons, supervised care, lunch and entertainment. Many courses use modern teaching methods including radio headsets and video analysis, helping children progress quickly while keeping lessons fun.

The resort’s dedicated kids’ areas (located near the three mid-mountain hubs of Dosson, Meriz and Forst, as well as just above the base station in Andalo) are superb, with magic carpets, safe learning slopes, and playground-like environments that reduce the intimidation factor for little learners.

Needless to say, all the features that make it good for kids mean it's a great place for adults to learn too.