Macugnaga Ski Resort Italy
Set deep in the Valle Anzasca on the eastern side of the Monte Rosa massif, Macugnaga ski resort is a quiet, remote outpost in the Italian Piedmont with a surprisingly low-profile reputation despite its incredible location.
The two separate ski areas of Macugnaga (Belvedere & Monte Moro) provide over 1,450m of skiable vertical for a ridiculously cheap lift pass price, plus ski touring links into the Saastal of Switzerland. If one can cease gawking at the stupendous views of the glacier-draped landscape, the skiing & snowboarding can be fast, fun & adventurous.
Pros & Cons for Macugnaga Ski Resort
Pros
- Scenic, traditional Italian ski resort with a relaxed, unpretentious feel.
- Breathtaking surrounds.
- Uncrowded slopes & limited to no lift lines (except perhaps on sunny weekends).
- Good range of piste trails for all abilities.
- Superb learn to ski terrain for novices in the Belvedere sector.
- Opportunities for skiing larch forests.
- Loads of off-piste backcountry & freeride adventure potential.
- Wonderful mountain rifugi & village eateries/bars
- Lively village that retains a sense of tradition.
- Good value lift pass price.
- Nice range of hotel, apartment & chalet accommodation in the two ski resort villages.
- Several gorgeous villages are local further down the valley & need to be explored (like Bannio).
Cons
- North-aspect terrain on Monte Moro can be heavily impacted by sun & wind.
- Limited length & number of pistes only good for a short stay.
- Old lift infrastructure including 3 very slow chairlifts.
- The cable car from Staffa village up to Alpe Bill has limited capacity (only 15 persons) & can be the source of mid-morning lift queues.
- No established valley trail to the village from the Monte Moro sector.
- Toilets & other amenities on the mountain are poor.
- The road up the Valle Anzasca to Macugnaga would be seriously challenging in full winter conditions, mainly due to its narrowness.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- If staying at accommodation in the resort villages, the most efficient means of getting to the lifts is to walk.
- Public transport to the region is ok, but not the most regular or simplest to navigate for an international tourist.
- No high-speed lifts with heated seats, no 5-star accommodation & no high-end boutique shopping, so if you have grown used to that, Macugnaga is not the place for you ……. or maybe it is the place for you and just the thing you need to rediscover the simple pleasures of skiing & life in the mountains?
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
The Macugnaga skiing & snowboarding terrain totals around 32km worth of trails for all abilities. Lifts & runs are split between two areas, with the bases around 1½km apart (by road). The smaller Belvedere area has 550m of skiable vertical on north-east aspect, tree-lined slopes. Main access is via chairlift from Pecetto. The larger Monte Moro area is on sunny south-facing slopes, accessed by a small old cable car from Staffa up to 1,700m elevation at Alpe Bill. A relatively modern cable car & chairlift serve the 1,100m of skiable vertical. From the top of Monte Moro, one can make descents into Switzerland toward Saas Fee but getting back up and into Italy will require human power (skinning). There is no valley trail down to the village from Alpe Bill.
Check out the Macugnaga Ski Trail Map below.
The Belvedere sector has several delightful, long, larch-lined pistes above the mid-station. They would be perfection on a snowy storm day when the high alpine was socked in. Below mid, the terrain flattens dramatically and provides a wonderful zone for novices & progressing beginners. At the base, two conveyors provide gentle uphill movement for first-timers.
The Monte Moro sector has treeless high alpine terrain from the top chairlift with intermediate & advanced pistes. Between the chairlift & Alpe Bill, larch and other vegetation provide limited shelter during storms. From the top cable car station, there is are two short surface tows suitable for beginners, but only on fine weather days.
An ample off-piste is available in both sectors. Larch forest provides some fun in the Belvedere, and long alpine off-piste into larch is the go from Monte Moro. Backcountry options are endless, but generally only for the adventurous. Some of the best, most challenging, alpine descents from the Monte Rosa massif end in the valley above Macugnaga but are generally accessed via the lifts from the adjacent valley at Alagna & Monterosa Ski.
The ski lifts at Macugnaga range from the positively ancient (i.e. circa 1959!) to the comparatively modern. Do not expect any high-speed modern gondolas or chairs with heated seats here! Cold bums and long, bumpy lift rides are the norm. (We did note though that all the lifts, and particularly the cable cars, were extremely well maintained, with all the running gear looking shiny and new - comforting indeed.) The lift pass price is low for a reason. Enjoy it while you can!
Where is Macugnaga Italy?
Macugnaga sits deep below the highest peaks of the Monte Rosa hard up on the border with Switzerland in north-western Piedmont. Whilst at the end of a remote valley, the ski resort is only 110km (1½-2hr) northwest by road from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) & 42km west of the main train station at Domodossola. The area is easy to get to via train & bus from Milan via Domodossola, but bus services are extremely limited on weekends. The Comazzi buses leave from the Domodossola train station six times a day during the week & only twice a day on weekends. See an old version of the bus timetable here. The same company runs seven direct bus services from Milan Malpensa to Domodossola, with the journey taking less than 1½hr.
Due to the relatively limited nature of bus services to Macugnaga, for reasons of value & time efficiency, we recommend looking at a private transfer, particularly if in a group of 3 or more people.
Search & book all airport transfers to Macugnaga.
Of course a rental car provides the most convenient means of travel to Macugnaga but be aware of potential issues when renting from Milan Malpensa airport - vehicles are very rarely winterised and the road to Macugnaga can be testing in full winter conditions! We drove to Macugnaga in balmy spring conditions. The road up the valley is narrow in parts and would be a difficult drive with masses of oncoming traffic. Time your run up to the hill well to avoid the local bus coming at you! Once there, day trippers can park opposite both lift bases for a small daily fee (introduced in season 23-24). In between the two lift bases, there is a large 2-level car park, that is usually empty, provides the better option on a busy weekend day.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Italian ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Italy page.
Macugnaga Accommodation
The commune (municipality) of Macugnaga consists of two villages in a lovely, forested valley, one at the base of each ski area. The hamlet of Pecetto is below the Belvedere at 1,369m altitude & the larger village of Staffa sits at the base of the Monte Moro ski lifts at 1,327m. Both are separated by less than a kilometre and essentially blend into one another. Staffa has the more vibrant centre, with a (perhaps) surprisingly lively restaurant, bar & nightlife scene, particularly on weekends! Both are surrounded by the undeniably stunning mountain splendour of the Monte Rosa massif. Between the two centres is the old 'dorf', a collection of traditional buildings stemming from the original Walser settlers that dates back to the 16th century.
An excellent range of high quality, but affordable, hotels & apartments are available in Macugnaga. All are within easy walking distance of the ski lifts & village centres. Some of the more highly-rated hotels include Hotel Signal in Pecetto near the Belvedere, Dream Hotel (closest hotel to Monte Moro ski lifts), and Hotel Dufour (in the centre of Staffa). For apartments, the best include Residence Weissthor (hotel apartments in Pecetto near the Belvedere), whilst in Staffa the Residence Monterosa and Residence Cima Jazzi are great. There are also many individual chalets & apartments available for holiday rental throughout the valley.
Search & book all Macugnaga ski accommodation.
Away from Macugnaga, down valley there are numerous other well-priced accommodations in the various hamlets & villages. Some the villages are destinations in themselves and exploration is more than worthwhile. We stayed in a self-contained apartment at Pontegrande below the compact village of Bannio. Bannio proved to be an incredible place to explore. Evening strolls through its many laneways followed by aperitifs and dinner at the wonderful Albergo Ristorante Bar Passo Baranca proved to be a highlight for us.
Local Services
The Valle Anzasca and the villages below Macugnaga have only limited services such as supermarkets & ATMs. Many of the businesses only accept cash, so either get it before you enter the valley, or stop at the Postamt car park in Vanzone to get some from the only ATM we saw in the entire valley. The machine is literally sitting in the car park and can be easy to miss when driving past.
Review
The Powderhounds were intending to review Macugnaga during season 2019/20, but our best laid plans were then changed to the doomed 20/21 season. We finally visited in March 2024 and witnessed the best and worst of the ski area! Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.
See how Macugnaga compares to the rest of the Italian ski resorts on the Italy ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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