Skiing in Alto Sangro: Aremogna, Pizzalto and Monte Pratello

Alto Sangro is the largest ski area in central and southern Italy. The slopes of Roccaraso, Rivisondoli and Pescocostanzo are linked and share a single Alto Sangro ski pass: more than one hundred kilometres of runs between 1,400 and 2,140 metres, for every level, with a snowmaking system that extends the season.

Aremogna

The heart of the ski area, above Roccaraso. Here you find wide runs and nursery slopes for beginners, ski schools, a snowpark for snowboarders and the lifts climbing up to Toppe del Tesoro, at 2,140 metres: the highest point of the ski area, with a view that alone is worth the ride. Cross-country trails loop around the Piano dell'Aremogna.

Pizzalto

Linked to Aremogna, it mixes easy runs and more demanding descents. A good choice if you already ski and want variety in the same day, with an area for small children too.

Monte Pratello (Rivisondoli)

The area closest to our homes in Rivisondoli: the lifts are a few minutes away. Wide open spaces, runs that are perfect for intermediate skiers and a few blacks for fun; the summit reaches 2,056 metres. After skiing, La Portella, one of the restaurants in our guide, is just round the corner.

Pescocostanzo and cross-country skiing

Pescocostanzo has its own lifts and, above all, the Bosco di Sant'Antonio, an ancient beech forest that in winter becomes one of the most beautiful places in the area for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Practical tips

• Start early: at weekends and during the Christmas and Carnival weeks the car parks at the lifts fill up in the morning.
• Buy your ski pass online: it is worth buying in advance on the official ski area website, where you will also find up-to-date slope conditions.
• Rental and schools: there are rental shops and ski schools both in the villages and at the base of the lifts.
• Where to stay: from Rivisondoli you reach both Monte Pratello and Aremogna in a few minutes, and in the evening you come back to a real village, with restaurants within walking distance.