A snowy, north-facing resort near the Swiss border at the end of the Valchiavenna, Madesimo is famous for the Canalone, one of the longest freeride descents in the Alps. Stone village, big snow, serious skiing.
Madesimo is a ski resort with genuine ski-in/ski-out hotels in Italy, in the Italian Alps. The village sits at 1550 m and the lifts top out at 2884 m, with 60 km of pistes and 14 lifts. Its BestSnowHotels snow score is 86/100, and the season usually runs Dec 1 → Apr 28.
How we score and classify resortsRun counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Chile; Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.
A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Very good · 373 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Madesimo.
Guests rate this hotel as very good (4.3/5 from 373 reviews). It sits about 750 m from the slopes. A budget-friendly option for Madesimo, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.
Very good · 262 reviews
Strong value for Madesimo, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Very good · 216 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Madesimo.
Good · 414 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Madesimo.
Very good · 139 reviews
Strong value for Madesimo, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Good · 458 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Madesimo.
Excellent · 45 reviews
Strong value for Madesimo, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Excellent · 25 reviews
Strong value for Madesimo, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.
Madesimo is a small stone-built village right at the base of the lifts; many hotels sit on the snow-front for true ski-in/ski-out near the Swiss border.
Madesimo lies at the snowy end of the Valchiavenna right by the Swiss border, a compact stone-built village under the Pizzo Stella with 60 km of north-facing piste rising to 2884 m. The skiing is steep for Italy, with the Canalone Walter Bonatti, a 1500 m vertical freeride descent, drawing experts from across the Alps. Snow holds well thanks to altitude and aspect, and the village stays low-key and traditional, a strong contrast to the busier Lombard names.
Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Everything on our site connected to Madesimo: its area, the lists it makes, head-to-heads and trip guides.
Madesimo offers 60 km of pistes across 14 lifts, from 1550 m to 2884 m. Whether it suits beginners depends on the dedicated learner zones at the base of the slopes, so check the local ski-school options for green and blue run access.
The season runs from Dec 1 to Apr 28, with a snow score of 86/100. The best conditions are usually from late January through February, while spring skiing in March and April brings longer days and softer afternoons.
Madesimo is a small stone-built village right at the base of the lifts; many hotels sit on the snow-front for true ski-in/ski-out near the Swiss border.
Madesimo has 60 km of marked pistes served by 14 lifts, between 1550 m and 2884 m of altitude.
Madesimo counts about 57 marked runs in total. The colour breakdown above shows how they split by difficulty, a good guide to whether the resort fits your level.
The closest alternatives, an easy switch if dates or hotels are tight.
Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
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