Alagna
Traditional ski resort offering fantastic off piste skiing in the huge Monterosa ski area
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.
Resort stats
130km
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
5 hotels in Alagna, Italy View All
Alagna, Italy
Hotel Indren Hus
Alagna, Italy
Hotel Montagna Di Luce
Alagna, Italy
Hotel Cristallo
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 those not dining in their hotel, Alagna has some fantastic restaurants well worth trying. Dir und Don is in the centre of Alagna. There are two parts to it, the interior has been beautifully decorated in wood, and there is one section which is mainly pizzas, calzone, pasta and some meat dishes and salads, as well as delicious desserts. The second part is more formal, serving really excellent food. Bar Union is a family run restaurant serving the very best of local cuisine such as Polenta e Selvaggina (polenta and game) and of course Fonduta di Formaggi (cheese fondue). If you are after a very special treat you must go to the Montagna di Luce hotel & restaurant. This is a really traditional mazot style buiding with a fantastic chef. Other favourites of ours are the Restaurant Ca Nosta. The new restaurant Il Corno Bianco in the latest hotel to open in Alagna is getting good reviews.
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 Cafe Della 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.
Funicular
Cable Car
Gondola
Chair lift
Drag lift
Property
