I’m all about visiting Alpe di Siusi during the summer with kids, and that’s when we usually visit. But, if you have the chance to play in the snow with your family in the winter – go for it!
Alpe di Siusi (aka Seiser Alm in German) is an amazing all-around snow wonderland for kids and adults. It’s an excellent place to go skiing with your kids in Italy (a common question I get).
I’m a mamma of three and we’re based in central Italy but we adore the Dolomites! I’ve been visiting the area since 2004, during the summer and the winter. I’ve been with my kids, my husband, my parents, friends, family, and clients.
My most recent trip was with my 7-year-old son, as part of a quick winter visit to the Dolomites before school started back up after the Christmas holidays.
Let’s take a look at my guide to Alpe di Siusi in the Winter with kids. I’ll go over:
- Why Alpe di Siusi makes a perfect winter destination for families
- The best time to visit Alpe di Siusi in the winter
- What you can do with your family on the Alpe
- How to arrive (car, bus, gondola)
- Winter family-friendly dining options on Alpe di Siusi
- Where to stay for an Alpe di Siusi visit
- Packing tips for you and your kids
Andiamo – Let’s go!
Be sure to check out
Dolomites with Kids – Winter Edition
Family Packing List for the Dolomites in the Winter
Curious about a summer visit to Alpe di Siusi? Take a look at
Alpe di Siusi with Kids
Visiting Alpe di Siusi
Alpe di Siusi or Seceda – Which Should You Visit?
Why Visit Alpe di Siusi with Kids in Winter
The list is long! Here’s why our family loves visiting Alpe di Siusi in the winter:
- The are activities for all ages – from babies to adults
- Alpe di Siusi gets sunshine all day because it’s an plateau
- You can easily buy anything you need or have forgotten
- The area is set up well for families – snow play and lessons are convenient and easy
- It’s easy to reach by public transport or car, and from other parts of Italy
- A visit to Alpe di Siusi for a family is affordable (relatively)
- You can choose accommodations on Alpe di Siusi or in nearby villages
- The public transport is fantastic, so you can visit without a car
- Ski/snowboard/sledding equipment and clothing are available for rent
- Kids clubs are available
Alpe di Siusi may not be for you if:
- Your kids aren’t interested in playing in the snow. In that case, you may want to check out Dolomites in Winter – For Non-Skiers.
When is the Winter Season on Alpe di Siusi?
The ‘winter season’ is hard to define because if you’re wanting to play in the snow on Alpe di Siusi, you’ll need to plan on there being snow!
Luckily, snow is pretty much guaranteed here from December through March, and there’s often snow in November and April as well. If there’s not a lot of snow on the slopes, ski areas will utilize the enormous snowmaking machines you see next to the slopes.
The high (read: most crowded and expensive) season in the Dolomites during the winter is the period from just before Christmas to just after Epiphany in January. Another peak moment comes around Carnevale time.
We just visited in the first week of January, and we noticed the crowds get significantly smaller as we neared the end of our trip.
So, when should you book? For the best chances of snow, book between December and March. For cheaper rates and fewer crowds, avoid Christmas/New Year’s/Carnival.
Webcam: You can see the current weather and amount of snow on Alpe di Siusi on the Bullaccia webcam.
Read more about visiting Italy in January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December.
Map of Alpe di Siusi with Kids – Winter Edition
What to Do with Kids on Alpe di Siusi on a Winter Visit
Play in the Snow

On our recent visit, my 7-year-old was as happy as can be just jumping around in the snow, making snow angels, throwing snowballs, and making ‘snow cones.’ It’s fun and it’s free.
Take a Lesson

Skiing is definitely the most popular snow activity for kids here. There are toddlers on the mini slopes up to teens perfecting their craft on the most intimidating slopes… and everything inbetween.
You can get lessons in many languages, including English.
Sign up online or in-person.
What We Did: My son really wanted to take a snowboard lesson (he’s a beginner but has taken lessons before). He had a blast (the instructors are excellent), but after seeing all of the other kids skiing, he decided he wants to try skiing here on our next visit.
We reserved our lessons in person (for the next day). With our reservations, we also got a discount on equipment at K&K rentals. At K&K, we got fitted for boots, helmets, my son’s snowboard, and my skis/poles. They set our equipment aside and it was ready for us when we walked in the next day.
There are English-speakers and it’s very kid-friendly. It does take a bit of time to get the equipment, so if you have the opportunity to get organized the day before, I highly recommend it. We played in the snow and went sledding that day, so we had extra time to prep for our lessons the next day.
When you’re finished with your lessons, you can keep practicing on the mini slopes or try a new challenge outside of the lesson area.
Good To Know: Kids and adults taking lessons meet instructors in the same place, so if you’re taking lessons too (I was!), you can wait with your child.
Go Sledding

There are some epic sledding tracks here, as well as gentle slopes, so there’s something for everyone. You can rent plastic sleds or wooden/metal toboggans at all of the rental shops in Compaccio. There are six sled runs on Alpe di Siusi, and we spent time at two of them – this gentle slope and the 1.8 kilometer run that starts at the Bullaccia restaurant and finishes close to the bottom of the Bullaccia gondola.
We bought the 5-trip card for the Bullaccia lift, and we did them all in a row! The Bullaccia sled track is thrilling, fast, and fun! This was my favorite family activity on Alpe di Siusi on our recent trip.
Helpful Tip: If you’re sledding with your child, get the toboggan that holds two people (vs a smaller sled for just your child). The longer runs are too difficult for little kids to do on their own (I had a 7-year-old and was glad we were together). You’ll need to do some hard breaking and steering on the longer tracks. And, like skiing and snowboarding… don’t forget your helmet!
Ride in a Horse Carriage

We saw plenty of families taking carriage rides around Alpe di Siusi. Make sure you’re bundled up!
Go Ice Skating
Ok, this isn’t exactly on Alpe di Siusi, but you can ice skate on Laghetto di Fiè at the base of the Sciliar, immersed in nature. You can also rent ice skates on site. The only thing is, you need a car, as there’s no convenient bus to get you there.
Play in the Kids Club
While ages up to 8-ish can go to the kids clubs, I’ve only ever seen small children in them. They can eat there, play indoors our outdoors, and have fun with others their ages. You can reserve online or on-site.
Sip on hot chocolate. It’s always worth taking a break for a cioccolata calda. It’s really thick here, so if you’re not sure if your kids will like it, just order one to try first.
Good To Know: Older kids and teens may also enjoy snowshoeing, hiking, or cross-country skiing on Alpe di Siusi.
Getting to the Alpe di Siusi in the Winter

By Car – If you’re driving your own car, you can either park at the base of the chairlifts (near Siusi or in Ortisei) or you can drive up from the Siusi side and park in Compatsch (on Alpe di Siusi).
Important: The road up to Compatsch is closed (going uphill) between 9:00 and 17:00, so if you want to park on Alpe di Siusi, make sure you get there early.
Important: If you’re planning on driving in the Dolomites in the winter, you’ll need to have winter tires on or have chains in your vehicle.
Read more about
Driving in the Dolomites
Driving in Italy
Renting a Car in Italy
By Bus – There are plenty of buses heading to the base of the gondolas (and even some that go all the way up to Compatsch). I recommend using the sudtirolmobil app or website to plan your journey.
Using the bus is an easy way to get to Alpe di Siusi with your kids. On my recent visit with my 7-year-old, we used public transport the entire time.
Good To Know: If you’re waiting for the bus on the main road at the base of the Seiser Alm gondola (bus #170), your kids can play at the playground. You can see it in the woods behind the bus stop (and a little to the right) if your back is to the road. The entrance is via the sidewalk.
By Gondola – Gondolas and chairlifts are fun any time of year, but especially when you’re floating above a snowy landscape! You can take the Seiser Alm (Siusi side) or Mont Seuc (Ortisei side) gondolas to get up to Alpe di Siusi. I prefer Seiser Alm because it takes you to Compatsch, the ‘main’ village on Alpe di Siusi.
Helpful Tip: Make sure you keep your gondola tickets in a special place because you’ll need them for the return trip! (Speaking from experience…)
Read more about
Dolomites in Winter Without a Car
Taking the Train from Florence to Bolzano
Train Travel in Italy with Kids
Eating on Alpe di Siusi with Kids in the Winter

There are plenty of dining options on Alpe di Siusi – pretty much the same you’d have during the summer months.
Mountain huts and restaurants are open, and the restaurants in Compatsch are convenient too if your kids are taking ski lessons.

We ate at:
- Bullaccia Restaurant – It’s at the top of the Bullaccia gondola and the food is typical mountain fare (think canederli dumplings, potatoes, sausage, and pasta). We love this place because of the play area (all three of my kids are entertained here) and the views are spectacular. We ate outside in the sunshine, but there’s also space indoors if you want a cozy meal (but note that you may have to wait longer for an indoor table). This place is convenient for skiing (it’s on a slope) and it’s also the start of the (over a mile long) sledding track.
- Nordic Bar & Restaurant – This place is super convenient if you’ve got kids taking ski or snowboard lessons in the beginners area. There are indoor and outdoor seating areas and the service is quick. If you need the toilet, it’s in the building but downstairs. We met up here after our lessons for a hearty lunch.
Don’t worry about packing snacks unless your kids want specific foods. If you need to, you can stop at a grocery store before you head up to Alpe di Siusi. There are grocery stores in Ortisei, Fiè, Castelrotto (big), and Siusi. You can also buy small snacks on Alpe di Siusi, but we find with a good breakfast and a mountain lunch, we don’t really want any snacks.
Where to Stay for a Family Visit to Alpe di Siusi

You can stay on the Alpe di Siusi – there are plenty of accommodation options, from mountain huts to apartments to luxury hotels. They do tend to sell out quickly (some even a year in advance!), so if you want to stay on-site, book as soon as you know your dates.
We choose not to stay on the Alpe because we really like basing in a village and having the freedom to easily move to other villages and towns. We also like having a good grocery store in the village we’re staying in. Fortunately, it’s really easy to get to/from Alpe di Siusi if you’re staying below. More on that in a minute.
The main villages I’d recommend for a family stay in the winter are:
- Ortisei
- Fiè allo Sciliar
- Castelrotto
Read more about
Where to Stay in the Dolomites with Kids
How to Do Laundry in Italy
FAQ: Can we make a day trip to Alpe di Siusi from Bolzano? Yes, it’s possible to visit Alpe di Siusi for the day if you’re based in Bolzano. You can drive up (make sure you’re up the hill before this road closes at 9:00) or take the bus (#170 is the best option, but look at the sudtirolmobil app or website) to the base of the Seiser Alm gondola and then take it up to Alpe di Siusi. It will be a full day, but it’s doable!
Read more about
Bolzano in Winter
A Winter Visit to Bolzano with Kids
Bolzano’s Christmas Market
Packing Tips for Alpe di Siusi in the Winter with Your Kids

A few ‘musts’ for heading up to Alpe di Siusi:
- Ski pants (or a warm, waterproof combo of pants)
- Warm, breathable top layers (like merino wool or fleece)
- Warm coat
- Warm socks (preferably wool or other non-cotton material)
- Waterproof gloves or mittens
- Hat (for when not wearing a helmet)
- Scarf or neck gaiter
- Sunglasses (or goggles)
- Sunscreen – I love the Sun Bum kids stick sunscreen because it fits in a pocket and it goes on clear.
- External charger for phone battery – your battery loses charge quickly in the cold weather, and you’ll be taking plenty of photos!
Know that you can rent all of your equipment at Alpe di Siusi. We rented at K&K at the top of the Seiser Alm gondola. Over a two-day period, we made rentals of: sled, boots, skis and poles, helmets, and snowboard.
If you need to buy snow clothing, I recommend looking in Bolzano at the Sportler or Sportler Alpin shops. And, if you’re visiting in January or early February, you’ll catch the saldi (sales).
There are lockers for rent in the underground area of the top of the Seiser Alm gondola (same place you rent ski equipment, book ski lessons, or drop little ones off in the kids club). At the time of writing, they take a 2€ coin.
Enjoy your winter visit to Alpe di Siusi with your kids! And, wave if you see us!
