Sappada

Sappada is praised as a place for families with small children: the instructors are called attentive and professional, and recent investment has gone into the learning slopes and children's areas. Visitors value the sunshine, the attractive village with its distinctive preserved culture, and the extensive cross-country network that people travel here for in its own right.

The lifts draw criticism for being old and slow, and for confident skiers the area is frankly too small. A sore point is the two most interesting runs, Siera Nazionale and Sappada 2000, which reviews say are shut more often than open, mostly because of the weather up top. Links between sectors are awkward and the ski bus ignores its timetable. Complaints about scarce parking and difficult access come up regularly. The village winds down early and there is essentially no apres-ski.