Madesimo, Italian Alps
Italian Alps

Madesimo

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.

Find a hotel โ†’snow-surefreeridescenic
Altitude
1,550 - 2,884 m
Vertical drop
1,334 m
Pistes
60 km
Lifts
14
Snow score
86/100
Season
Dec 1 โ†’ Apr 28

Pistes and lifts

What you can ski here
AlpineSnowboardFreerideSki touring
57 marked runs
Blue
14
Red
28
Black
15
Average snow by month
125cm
Dec
180cm
Jan
225cm
Feb
215cm
Mar
135cm
Apr

Run counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain and Andorra; Italy, Austria and Switzerland start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.

Where to stay

A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.

Hotel Soldanella
4.3373 reviews
โ‚ฌ105
โ˜… Top pick

Hotel Soldanella

Very good ยท 373 reviews

Why we like it

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.

โ‰ˆ 750 m to the slopesBudget-friendly
From
โ‚ฌ105/ night
Check availability โ†’
Hotel Capriolo
4.5260 reviews
โ‚ฌ125

Hotel Capriolo

Very good ยท 260 reviews

Why we like it

Strong value for Madesimo, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.

โ‰ˆ 950 m to the slopesMid-range
From
โ‚ฌ125/ night
Check availability โ†’
Hotel La Meridiana
4.3216 reviews
โ‚ฌ105

Hotel La Meridiana

Very good ยท 216 reviews

Why we like it

A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Madesimo.

โ‰ˆ 900 m to the slopesBudget-friendly
From
โ‚ฌ105/ night
Check availability โ†’
Boscone Suite Hotel
3.8414 reviews
โ‚ฌ85

Boscone Suite Hotel

Good ยท 414 reviews

Why we like it

A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Madesimo.

โ‰ˆ 700 m to the slopesBudget-friendly
From
โ‚ฌ85/ night
Check availability โ†’
Hotel Andossi
4.5139 reviews
โ‚ฌ115

Hotel Andossi

Very good ยท 139 reviews

Why we like it

Strong value for Madesimo, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.

โ‰ˆ 1.1 km to the slopesMid-range
From
โ‚ฌ115/ night
Check availability โ†’
Dada Hotels: Arlecchino Madesimo
3.4458 reviews
โ‚ฌ105

Dada Hotels: Arlecchino Madesimo

Good ยท 458 reviews

Why we like it

A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Madesimo.

โ‰ˆ 1.2 km to the slopesBudget-friendly
From
โ‚ฌ105/ night
Check availability โ†’
Sport Hotel Alpina
4.645 reviews
โ‚ฌ115

Sport Hotel Alpina

Excellent ยท 45 reviews

Why we like it

Strong value for Madesimo, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.

โ‰ˆ 1.1 km to the slopesMid-range
From
โ‚ฌ115/ night
Check availability โ†’
Il Ruscello Mountain Apartment
4.825 reviews
โ‚ฌ130

Il Ruscello Mountain Apartment

Excellent ยท 25 reviews

Why we like it

Strong value for Madesimo, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.

โ‰ˆ 1.1 km to the slopesMid-range
From
โ‚ฌ130/ night
Check availability โ†’

Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.

Ski-in/ski-out

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.

Get to know the resort

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.

Madesimo, Italian Alps
Madesimo, Italian Alps

Hotels in Madesimo

Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.

Plan your trip

Frequently asked questions

Is Madesimo good for beginners?+

Madesimo offers 60 km of pistes across 14 lifts, from 1,550 m to 2,884 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.

When is the best time to ski Madesimo?+

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.

Where should I stay for true ski-in/ski-out?+

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.

How big is the Madesimo ski area?+

Madesimo has 60 km of marked pistes served by 14 lifts, between 1,550 m and 2,884 m of altitude.

Is Madesimo more for beginners or experts?+

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.