VAL GARDENA, ITALY

The Sella Ronda has been revolutionized over the last few years by heavy investment in both the lift system and artificial snow making. Both are now among the best and most extensive in Europe. Add extraordinarily picturesque Dolomite scenery, a lift pass that covers over 460 lifts and 1200km of runs, cheap Italian prices and jolly mountain refuges, and you have a compelling case for visiting.

Only experts who find a lack of challenging runs frustrating will be disappointed with the slopes. If what you want is a feeling of traveling around great scenery, there's little to beat the Sella Ronda - a trip around the Gruppo Sella massif, easily covered in a day by an average intermediate. On the way round you will hit many separate local slopes worth exploring - but also crowds and queues.If you don't want to stay in Selva, there are plenty of smaller, quiet, attractive places on the circuit to base yourself in.

What's Great	What's Not-So-Great
+ Vast network of connected slopes - suits intermediates particularly well + Stunning, unique Dolomite scenery + Superb snow making and grooming + Jolly mountain huts with good food + Many new lifts with only a few bad Sella Ronda circuit bottlenecks left now + Good nursery slopes + Excellent value	? Small proportion of tough runs ? Lifts and slopes can be crowded, especially on Sella Ronda circuit ? High proportion of short runs, not so many long ones- Rather unattractive, straggly village, with little 'ski-in, ski-out' convenience ? Erratic snow record; slopes vulnerable to warm weather ? Main language is German, which detracts from jolly Italian feel