Skiing Kronplatz Ski Resort: Review + Tips

Kronplatz Ski Resort (Plan de Corones in Italian) is part of the Dolomiti Superski Network in South Tyrol, Italy. The Kronplatz mountain forms the bulk of the resort, with access points from Reischach (Riscone) near Bruneck (Brunico in Italian), Olang (Valdaora), and Percha (Perca).

The resort also extends to Val di Marebbe, a side valley of Val Badia, home to the village of St. Vigil (San Vigilio). The ski area continues on to Piz de Plaies, directly accessible from Val Badia by the Piculin ski lift.

Kati and I skied at Kronplatz in mid-January, and our impressions of the resort were mixed. The main advantages of the resort are its long runs, train access (the Percha train station is steps away from the Ried-Kronplatz gondola), direct connection to 3 Zinnen Dolomite Ski Resort, multiple bases, panoramic views of the Italian-Austrian Central Alps border ranges as well as the Dolomites, and a good mix of blue (48%), red (28%) and black (14%) slopes. 

Its main shortcomings are the abundance of gondola lifts, the inconsistent quality of huts (from outstanding to very poor), and an atmosphere that lacks character compared with other Dolomites resorts.

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Pros and Cons of Skiing Kronplatz

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Kronplatz Ski Areas 

Kronplatz

South of Bruneck, Kronplatz mountain (2275 m) rises between Val Pusteria and Val Badia. This ski mountain enjoys lift connections from Reischach (Kronplatz I & II and Kronplatz 2000 lifts), Percha (Ried lift), Olang (Olang I & II and Marchner & Belvedere lifts), and Furkel Pass (Ruis lift). 

At the summit, marked by the Concordia 2000 peace bell, multiple lift stations converge and skiers can ski in any direction they choose. I particularly liked the red runs along the north face, which lead to the Kronplatz II middle station, and northeast runs which lead down to Gassl (Olang I valley station).

Advanced skiers ought to tackle the 4.9km-long Sylvester (#1) and 5.1-km-long Herrnegg (#4) pistes that run from Kronplatz all the way down to Reischach. 

A ski trip to Kronplatz is not complete without dining at the AlpiNN restaurant, situated just below the Kronplatz summit next to the Lumen museum of mountain photography. Norbert Niederkofler’s restaurant features his “cook the mountain” philosophy, with an emphasis on regional flavours and sustainability. The bright dining room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooks the Central Alps and the Lumen Slope. Make a reservation.

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Piculin and Piz de Plaies 

Piz de Plaies is the mountain that rises between San Vigilio and Piculin (Piccolino, Pikolein) in Val Badia. For those based in Val Badia, the Piculin lift is the quickest access point to the Kronplatz Ski Resort.

Expert skiers will enjoy the demanding 2-km-long Piculin run (#45) and 1.6-km-long Erta World Cup Run (#40), which both commence at the Piz de Plaies mountain station. Intermediate skiers will like piste #41, which leads down to San Vigilio. 

Tip | If you’re staying in the Alta Badia Ski Resort, there is free ski bus that runs between Sponata in Badia, Pederoa in La Val, and the Piculin valley station.

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Pre da Peres and Furkel Pass

Pre da Peres is a small ski area around Furkelpass (Passo Furcia), about halfway between San Vigilio and Kronplatz. The Pre da Peres piste (#32R) is one of the most technically challenging runs in the resort. 

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Where to Stay in the Kronplatz Ski Resort

Choosing where to stay in Kronplatz comes down to personal taste. 

Village	Accommodation	Why Stay
St. Vigil / San Vigilio	Excelsior Dolomites Life Resort (4-star ski-in ski-out), Stoa (adults-only hotel), Ama Stay (4-star hotel), Hotel Mareo Dolomites (4-star hotel), Aria De Munt (3-star guesthouse)	Nestled in the Dolomites Mountain village vibe  Winter Hiking and Cross-Country Skiing
Reischach / Riscone	Garni Volgger (3-star), Hotel B&B Bar Cafè Feldmessner (3-star), Hofergut (apartments), Hotel Rudolf (4-star), Hotel Majestic (4-star), Hotel Petrus (5-star), Falkensteiner Hotel Kronplatz (5-star)	Main base of Kronplatz Close to Bruneck, a lovely city with a medieval center and lots of shops, cafés and restaurants.  Après-Ski
Olang / Valdaora	Hotel Olangerhof (4-star ski-in ski-out), Berghotel Zirm (4-star steps away from slope), Hotel Kristall (4-star steps away from slope), Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus (5-star with ski shuttle)	Sunny mountainside accommodations Easy and efficient access to slopes and lifts Relaxed atmosphere
Furkelpass / Passo Furcia	Bio Alpine Hotel Gran Foda (3-star ski-to-door)	Located between San Vigilio and Kronplatz ski areas

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St. Vigil / San Vigilio 

If you want to stay in a mountain village nestled in the Dolomites, stay in San Vigilio, located in Val di Marebbe, a side valley of Val Badia. This is the most scenic base in Kronplatz.

There are numerous high-quality accommodations in San Vigilio. I particularly love AMA Stay, a 4-star hotel in the center of town with an à la carte restaurant, bar, gym, rooftop pool and immaculate spa. To get to the Miara lift, guests ride the ski bus 1 stop. For a deeper look into this excellent hotel, read our AMA Stay hotel review. 

The 4-star, ski-in ski-out Excelsior Dolomites Life Resort sits on the Pedagà slope. While the hotel is warmly family-friendly, adults can retreat to an exclusive rooftop spa featuring a panoramic infinity pool, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in the Dolomites. Here’s our Excelsior Dolomites Life Resort review.

More places to consider: Stoa (adults-only hotel), Hotel Mareo Dolomites (4-star hotel), and Aria De Munt (3-star guesthouse). 

For travelers who enjoy a mix of winter activities beyond alpine skiing, San Vigilio is the perfect fit. You can ride the bus to Pederü Berggasthaus to start the winter hike to Rifugio Fanes and Rifugio Lavarella in Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site). If the huts are open, the path is prepared. Otherwise, you’ll need snowshoes. 

In addition, there is a 23 km cross-country track that winds through Marebbe Valley and later Tamersc Valley all the way to Pederü Berggasthaus. 

The main disadvantage of staying in San Vigilio is that it’s further away to the main resort. Unlike Reischach and Olang, which are 1 lift to the Kronplatz summit, those that stay in San Vigilio have to navigate multiple lifts to get to Kronplaz. 

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Reischach / Riscone 

Set in Val Pusteria, Reischach is essentially the main base for skiing Kronplatz. The valley station here is big and well organised, with a massive car park, three gondolas, plenty of ski rental shops and lockers, plus a handful of lively après-ski bars.

The landscape feels wide open and airy, so you never feel boxed in by the mountains. The flip side is character; it’s convenient, but it doesn’t quite deliver the storybook charm or quaint village feel you might find elsewhere in the Dolomites.

Another bonus of staying in Reischach is its proximity to Bruneck, a charming small city with a medieval, pedestrianised center, lined with excellent shops, cafés, and restaurants.

If you’re staying in an apartment or B&B, you will have plenty of dining options in the evening. Our favorite restaurants are Restaurant RISCHON in Reischach, Ristorante b.local and K.BERNARDI – Enotheque in Bruneck, and Albergo Oberraut Ristorante above Bruneck.

Also, Reischach offers the best Après-Ski experience, though don’t expect anything too crazy. 

Best places to stay in Reischach: Garni Volgger (3-star), Hotel B&B Bar Cafè Feldmessner (3-star), Hofergut (apartments), Hotel Rudolf (4-star), Hotel Majestic (4-star), Hotel Petrus (5-star), Falkensteiner Hotel Kronplatz (5-star)

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Olang / Valdaora 

Olang comprises a number of small hamlets (Geiselsberg, Gassl, Mühlbach, Mitterolang, Niederolang and Oberolang) spread across the valley and lower slopes of the Kronplatz ski area. These are largely strung out along the route to Furkelpass, which links the Pustertal (Olang) with San Vigilio in Val Badia.

Though it lacks a vibrant village center, the destination makes up for it with excellent slope-side accommodations including 4-star ski-to-door Hotel Olangerhof, 4-star Berghotel Zirm (4-star), Hotel Kristall (4-star). 

Guests of the dazzling 5-star Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus are shuttled 4-minutes to/from the Olang I+II valley station.

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My Impression of Skiing in Kronplatz Ski Resort 

Kronplatz really stands out for the sheer length of its runs. From the summit, a 7 km descent takes you all the way down to Percha, and the renowned Sylvester and Herrnegg runs each clock in at roughly 5 km.

Furthermore, Kronplatz has excellent ski infrastructure, though nearly all the lifts are gondolas. Having to take your skis off all the time can be frustrating, but I suppose in windy or snowy weather, the gondolas are a blessing.

Kati and I ate at AlpiNN by Norbert Niederkofler (which was outstanding) and Prackenhütte (which was beyond tragic). It pays to look up reviews before committing to a ski hut, since quality varies significantly. 

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Kronplatz Ski Rental Shops

We rented gear at Skiverleich Rentasport Kronplatz at the Reischach valley station (Google Maps). It’s a huge ski rental shop, so you don’t have to wait long for help. The staff didn’t seem quite motivated. My experience was fine, but Kati wasn’t as lucky with her snowboard. Her bindings were partially broken, and she had to return to the valley station from the summit, which set us back 1 hour. 

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Dolomites Winter Travel & Skiing

Skiing:

• Skiing in the Dolomites: An Introduction
• Skiing in Val Gardena
• Skiing in Alta Badia
• Skiing in 3 Zinnen Dolomites
• Ski-in Ski-out Hotels in the Dolomites

Winter Travel:

• Dolomites in Winter: Top Things to Do
• Visiting the Dolomites in December

Dolomites Travel:

• Dolomites Travel Guide
• Places to Visit in the Dolomites
• Things to Do in the Dolomites
• How to Visit the Dolomites Without a Car
• Best Time to Visit the Dolomites
• Day Hikes in the Dolomites

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