Corno del Renon / Rittner Horn

The praise is for wide, well-groomed sunny pistes and for a Dolomite panorama that pulls up non-skiers too. A modern eight-seat gondola to the Schwarzseespitze and the gentle terrain make it comfortable for families and first-timers, and grooming earns top marks in visitor ratings. Easy access from Bolzano by public transport, a good restaurant at the top and a network of winter walking trails round out the positives.

Size is the sticking point: there are few runs, and a strong skier runs out of material fast. Snow reliability and off-piste score among the lowest marks reviewers hand out, and against neighbouring areas Renon clearly comes off worse. Plenty of visitors call the prices out of proportion to what is on offer, apres-ski is minimal and the top is often windy. One specific gripe is the 166 bus from Collalbo to the gondola base, whose winter timetable is described as unreliable.