Reinswald Ski Resort Italy
Reinswald ski resort in the South Tyrol of Italy is a secret little haven north of the beautiful city of Bolzano. On a good midweek day, Reinswald (a.k.a. San Martino) feels like your own private ski area, but without the cost!
A typical 'small' Italian ski resort, Reinswald has 900m skiable vertical, gondola access, no crowds, ski trails for all abilities, loads of mountain restaurants plus plenty of non-ski activities like sledding & winter walking. Typically for 'small' Italian ski resorts, Reinswald is a wonderful ski experience & puts some larger ones to shame!
Pros & Cons for Reinswald Ski Resort
Pros
- High-quality piste trails on deserted slopes.
- Snow sure, with most terrain over 2,000m elevation, plus full snow-making below.
- Family friendly ski area (but for better skiers).
- Full vertical (top to bottom) intermediate trails over 5km long.
- Uncrowded.
- Expansive, uncrowded off-piste & sidecountry.
- Affordable, good value lift pass.
- Fun 4½km long toboggan run & extensive winter walking network.
- Superb accommodation at an affordable price-point.
- Typically excellent South Tyrolian mountain huts/restaurants.
- Frequent & free local bus service from the valley up to the gondola base.
Cons
- Relatively small amount of piste trails (22km) (but it feels like it skis BIG).
- Limited advanced piste terrain.
- Novices need to improve rapidly to make the most of the ski terrain.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Small, quiet alpine village.
- Ski-in accommodation available.
- West-facing terrain (cold mornings, warm afternoon).
- Lots of families with toboggans (or sleds or sledges)!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Reinswald is one of those ‘smaller’ European ski resorts that in the right conditions is highly appealing to Powderhounds. With only 22km of piste trails, it could be dismissed as irrelevant, but the terrain aspect, nearly 900m of genuine skiable vertical & broad alpine & forest freeride options make it a real treat. The top to bottom intermediate slopes are fantastic. If anything, it is a little limited for beginners - the best run down for beginners is the long sledding trail! Advanced riders will want to point it on the mostly intermediate terrain or seek out the off-piste. From the highest lifted point of 2,460m at Sattele, a short skin up to either Plankenhorn (2,589m) or Getrumspitze (2,588m) not only adds some vertical, but opens up super backcountry which is deserted during the week. In poor weather, the slopes below the gondola top station provide sheltered, tree lined slopes.
Reinswald’s ski lifts may be few, but they provide all that is required to effectively access the terrain. The long 6-seater gondola allows beginners, sledders & pedestrians to get up comfortably. The quad chair is perfect for the top 400m vertical of alpine terrain, and typical of the region. Don’t expect super high-speed or heated seats, but then again, the affordable lift pass won’t break the bank either.
Worth knowing for freeriders & ski-tourers is that the resort’s extensive winter walking/sledding trails provide a nice way to get back into the ski area from the sidecountry on certain aspects. Skiing down into the Getrumalm restaurant for lunch is worth it too. Just make sure it’s open!
See the Reinswald ski trail map below.
In addition to being close to many Dolomites ski resorts, Reinswald is part of the Ortler Ski Arena & Austria is only a hop, skip & a jump away. The choice is unlimited. Nearby resorts include Monte Cavallo & the small Bolzano local ski hill of Renon, plus the glaciers of Val Senales (Schnalstal Glacier) & Solda-Sulden.
See the Ortler Ski Arena resorts map.
Where is Reinswald Italy?
Reinswald ski resort is 30km north of Bolzano, perched above the Sarntal (Val Sarentino) & in the province of Südtirol (South Tyrol or Alto Adige). Innsbruck Austria is less than 2hr drive away north of the resort. Aside from the village at the ski resort, the nearest major town is the gorgeous village of Sarnthein-Sarentino 12km away (16 minutes by car).
Gateway international airports are Venice (VCE) or Munich (MUC) (both 300km away) & for those travelling from UK or Europe, Innsbruck (INN) (only 107km up the road from the resort!).
Reinswald is most easily accessed by rental car or private transfer, however public transport is regular up into the Sarntal, but requires a connection to get to Reinswald. The final section of road from Unterrienswald up to the gondola is very steep in parts and may be challenging in icy conditions for anyone not used to mountain driving.
Public buses (route 150) run regularly (every 30min) up to Sarentino-Sarnthein (and beyond to the hamlet of Astfeld-Campolasta) from the transport hub of Bolzano from near the train. From Sarnthein or Astfeld, the route 152 bus heads up to Reinswald at least every hour. For skiing, if not staying on the mountain, the buses up to Reinswald are free for anyone staying in the valley with a guest card (most local accommodation will provide a guest card). A dedicated ski bus runs the whole way to the ski resort from Bolzano, but only on weekends & public holidays so is generally of little use to visitors.
Reinswald Accommodation
The Sarntal (Val Sarentino) region has numerous very high-quality lodging options ranging from high-end & boutique hotels, through to magnificent traditional guesthouses. Full homes & apartments are available for holiday rental both on the mountain and throughout the valley. To be closest to the action, staying in the resort village of Reinswald is the best option. Next down the road is the hamlet of Unterreinswald , followed by Astfeld and then the main town of Sarnthein. No matter where one stays, a bus stop to the ski area will be nearby and is free if staying in the valley.
At the base of the gondola, the village of Reinswald (a.k.a San Martino but that’s just too confusing given the other S. Martino’s in the broader region!) is perched beautifully overlooking the Sarntal. Reinswald is small but has most services available plus some excellent lodgings. The pick of them is the new(ish), ski-in Panoramic Lodge with its glorious views, superb rooms & fabulous facilities. We love how it is ‘bookended’ with a traditional farm holding on either end. Such is village life in the mountains! A little way down the quite steep road, the 4-star Kircher Boutique Hotel is half the price of the Panoramic, but still with exquisite rooms, food & facilities. If either of these is full, try one of the village’s holiday apartments.
Search & book all Reinswald ski accommodation.
Down the road in the valley before the climb up to Reinswald is the quiet hamlet of Unterreinswald. Just near the ski bus stop, the Almhotel Bergerhof is a good choice for anyone wanting a fabulous hotel in a quant rural setting.
Further down the valley, the first major village is Astfeld (a.k.a. Campolasta) which has several great value guesthouses right near the bus stop to the mountain. We enjoyed our stay at the Gasthof Zum Weissen Rössl. It has some of the most affordable, super comfortable rooms near Reinswald & comes with a great breakfast in the neighbouring restaurant. Across the road, the more modern Gasthof Sonne looks the goods as well.
Still further down the valley, but not that far(!), is gorgeous Sarnthein (a.k.a. Sarentino). Deep in amongst the town’s narrow, cobbled streets is Hotel Gasthof Höllriegl, the most perfect accommodation in Sarnthein near Reinswald. Nearby are the wonderful Friedheim Apartments with self-contained studios, plus 1, or 2-bedroom apartments, which are super-affordable for solos (for reasons unknown to us) and excellent value for groups in general. In Sarnthein, we recommend having dinner at the Gasthof Post.
A short drive down the road from Sarnthein, it might be easy to miss the superb, atmospheric lodgings at Hotel Bad Schörgau. This is a good place for those with a rental car.
For the ultimate luxury stay, high above Sarnthein is the 'magic place' called Terra. Its magical combination of gorgeous lodgings, facilities, views and the finest local food & wine could be the perfect winter tonic.
Search & book all Sarntal accommodation.
Further afield, Bolzano is a short drive away south of the ski resort. Bolzano is modern, cosmopolitan city with a beautiful old town centre of narrow, portico lanes & interesting shops, restaurants, markets & bars. If staying in Bolzano, we recommend looking at one of the incredible self-contained apartments in the historic, renovated residences & warehouses in the old town.
Search & book all Bolzano accommodation.
Review
The Powderhounds visited Reinswald in early March 2024, and found it to be one of those quiet stashes we so adore in Europe. The combination of affordability & quality in the resort are exceptional. 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 Reinswald 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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