Santa Caterina Valfurva

Updated October 2026 · Sources: Santa Caterina Valfurva (santacaterina.it), Bormio Ski (2026/27 prices), Trenord, Wikipedia

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Santa Caterina Valfurva is a mountain village in Alta Valtellina, in the province of Sondrio, in Lombardy. It is a hamlet of the municipality of Valfurva, at 1,738 metres above sea level, at the head of the Valfurva valley and about 12 km from Bormio. The village lies entirely inside the Stelvio National Park, in the Ortles-Cevedale group, at the foot of Monte Sobretta and the road to the Gavia Pass.

Driving distances: Bormio about 12 km (25 minutes), Sondrio about 75 km (1 hour 30), Tirano about 50 km (1 hour), Livigno about 50 km (a little over an hour), Milan about 215 km (3 hours 45), Bergamo Orio al Serio airport about 185 km (3 hours 15). There is no railway station: the nearest is Tirano. The Gavia Pass is about 17 km away and open only in summer.

Why go: in winter, 35 km of pistes between 1,738 and 2,880 metres, including the Deborah Compagnoni run from the 2005 World Championships, a large cross-country track and snowshoe trails. The 2026/27 season runs from 4 December to 11 April. In summer, the Forni Valley leads to the foot of one of the largest glaciers in the Italian Alps, with mountain huts you reach on foot. It is quieter and smaller than Bormio or Livigno.

The village and its history

Santa Caterina is a small mountain village with hotels, apartments and ski rental shops, easy to explore on foot. Its old name was Magliavaca, probably from the marshy plain where the Frodolfo and the Gavia stream meet. In 1698 the parish priest Baldassarre Bellotti identified a spring of iron-rich water: a small spa resort grew up, and the first English and German climbers arrived in the 19th century.

There are no thermal baths today: the spring was lost after works in 1948. What remains is the Acquateca, an octagonal building run by the local Pro Loco, with an exhibit on the mineral water and a drinking fountain. It is at La Fonte, on Via Magliaga.

The Forni Valley

This is the best-known walk in the area. The Forni Valley starts just above the village and leads to the foot of the Forni Glacier, surrounded by a ring of peaks: the tourist office counts thirteen, including Cevedale, Pizzo Tresero and Monte San Matteo. The glacier covers about 11 km² between roughly 2,600 and 3,670 metres. In 150 years it has lost about 36% of its surface and its tongue has retreated by about 2 km; today it is split into several parts.

A 4 km paved road climbs from the village to the car parks at Forni, where the trails begin. From March to October or November the road is toll-paid: in 2026 the daily ticket for cars and motorbikes was 10 €. In summer, jeep services also run from Santa Caterina.

Rifugio Branca and Rifugio Pizzini

The two historic huts of the valley are the Branca, at 2,487 metres near Lago delle Rosole, and the Pizzini, at 2,700 metres in Val Cedec. From Forni the Branca is about 1 hour away along the vehicle track or the glaciological trail; the Pizzini is about 1 hour 30 on foot. In summer the Pizzini also has a jeep service on reservation. Opening dates change every year: check before you set out.

Gavia Pass

The Gavia road (SS300) starts at Santa Caterina, climbs to about 2,620 metres and drops to Ponte di Legno, in Lombardy, province of Brescia. It is about 30 km of paved road, narrow and exposed in places. It is open only in summer, usually from June to October, and can close for snow even in mid-season. Rifugio Berni and Rifugio Bonetta are on the road.

Val Zebrù and Madonna dei Monti

At Madonna dei Monti, on the sunny side of the Valfurva, the Val Zebrù begins: a quiet valley of the Stelvio Park where deer and chamois are easy to spot. Rifugio Campo is about 2 hours on foot from the Niblogo car parks; Rifugio Quinto Alpini, at 2,877 metres, takes about 4 hours 30.

Valley museum and Stelvio National Park

The Museo Vallivo della Valfurva (Testorelli) tells the history and traditions of the valley, is open all year and runs workshops for children. A good idea for a rainy day. Santa Caterina is the only village in the area lying entirely inside the Stelvio National Park: information and trails on the Park website.

The Santa Caterina ski area has 35 km of pistes and 10 lifts. You start in the village at 1,738 metres and reach 2,880 metres on Monte Sobretta. An 8-seater gondola links the village to the Valle dell’Alpe; there a four-seater chairlift goes higher. For children there is a magic carpet and a small practice area.

Level. There are 2 blue runs (2 km), 12 red (27 km) and 2 black (6 km). It suits people who already ski well, with long reds and short queues, more than complete beginners. The Deborah Compagnoni, the main run, was opened for the 2005 World Championships, is floodlit and can be skied in the evening. From 2014 to 2017 it hosted the men’s World Cup downhill in late December.

Ski pass 2026/27

The Santa Caterina and Bormio season runs from 4 December 2026 to 11 April 2027, snow permitting. A day pass valid only at Santa Caterina exists, at the same price as the Bormio one. Adult day pass (ticket-office price):

• 40 € from 4 to 18 December 2026 (4 hours: 37 €);
• 59 € from 19 to 25 December, 9 to 29 January and 30 March to 11 April (4 hours: 54 €);
• 65 € from 26 December to 8 January and 30 January to 29 March (4 hours: 60 €).

Online, prices are dynamic, with discounts up to 25%. Children born in 2019 or later ski free with an adult who buys a 1 to 21-day pass. The multi-day pass covers 110 km of pistes in three areas (Santa Caterina, Bormio, Cima Piazzi–San Colombano), linked by a free bus. Full price list on the Bormio Ski website.

Cross-country skiing

The Pista Valtellina is the heart of cross-country skiing: it has hosted international races, including the World Cup, and has loops of 5 and 10 km. In 2026 the track opens on 31 October with the Snowfarm project. Rental shops are near the entrance.

Snowshoes and ski touring

The snowshoe trails are waymarked and suit everyone. The Percorso dei Fiocchi is a 3 km loop (2 hours, 50 m of ascent) from the village. The Sentiero delle Sorgenti climbs to Plaghera, at 2,000 m: 6 km, 260 m, about 1 hour 30 uphill. The Sentiero dei Forni is 10 km with 420 m of ascent to Rifugio Forni (2,178 m), 2 hours each way out. For ski touring there is a route at Plaghera of 3.7 km and 250 m of ascent. Before leaving the groomed paths, check the avalanche bulletin.

At 1,738 metres the days stay cool even in August. Trails start from the village, the lifts and Forni. The summer trail map is on the Santa Caterina tourist office website. The main areas:

• Forni Valley: trails to the glacier and to the Branca and Pizzini huts (see above).
• Val Zebrù: a quiet valley with huts and alpine wildlife.
• Val d’Uzza, San Nicolò and Sant’Antonio: panoramic walks on the sunny side of the Valfurva, among larches and small villages.
• Gavia valley: trails that combine nature and First World War history.
• Sobretta side: routes from the lift station.

By bike. The Gavia is a historic Giro d’Italia climb: the road from Santa Caterina to the pass is about 17 km long, with gradients up to 16%. The pass has featured in the Giro about fourteen times and was the Cima Coppi in eight editions. Summer opening dates of the lifts: not confirmed, ask the tourist office.

Valtellina cooking: pizzoccheri, sciatt, bresaola and cheeses such as Valtellina Casera and Bitto. Up high, on the Gavia road and at Plaghera, the huts serve hot meals; many are closed out of season.

• Bormio (12 km, 25 minutes): thermal baths, old town and the Stelvio run. With a multi-day pass a free bus links the areas.
• Stelvio Pass (about 33 km via Bormio, summer only): 40 hairpins on the Lombard side, closed in winter.
• Ponte di Legno (about 30 km, summer only): from the Gavia you drop into Val Camonica.
• Livigno (about 50 km): a large ski area and duty-free zone, beyond the Foscagno Pass.
• St. Moritz (about 90 km, 2 hours, in summer): via Livigno and the Forcola; or the Bernina train from Tirano.

Santa Caterina is small and accommodation is limited, mostly hotels and apartments. Choose by what you plan to do:

• Near the gondola: for daily skiers who want to start on foot. Handy with children.
• Village centre: for people without a car, who want to eat out, with cross-country and snowshoe trails close by.
• Towards Forni and the Gavia: more isolated, for summer hikers and cyclists.
• Madonna dei Monti, Sant’Antonio, San Nicolò: quieter and cheaper, with a car; you drive to the pistes.
• Bormio: more restaurants and the thermal baths, if you do not mind the 12 km drive.

For a family week an apartment is more practical. Book early for Christmas, New Year and August.

By car

From Milan: SS36 to Lecco, then SS38 via Colico, Sondrio, Tirano and Bormio, then the SS300 into the Valfurva. It is about 215 km and 3 hours 45, longer on winter weekends. From Switzerland in winter you go via Zernez, the Munt La Schera tunnel, Livigno and the Foscagno Pass: about 255 km from Zurich (4 hours). The Gavia (Ponte di Legno side) is closed in winter. Carry winter tyres or chains from October to April.

By train

There is no station. The nearest is Tirano: from Milano Centrale the direct Trenord trains take about 2 hours 30, roughly every hour. The Bernina train from St. Moritz also arrives at Tirano.

By bus

From Tirano the Perego line goes to Bormio. From Bormio another line goes up the Valfurva to Santa Caterina. Services are few and change with the season: check the timetable with the operator. With the multi-day pass a free bus links the three ski areas.

By plane

The nearest airport is Bergamo Orio al Serio, about 185 km (3 hours 15), the usual choice for low-cost flights. Then Milan Linate (about 215 km), Malpensa (about 230 km) and Verona (about 220 km). From the north: Zurich, Innsbruck and Munich. Without a car: train from Milan to Tirano, then bus. Transfers can be booked in advance.

Parking

The village is walkable. Park in the public car parks or at your accommodation. In high season those near the lifts fill up early. At the Forni Valley there are large car parks, but the access road is toll-paid.

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Vanderlei Bissiato (CC BY-SA 3.0), Andrij Bulba (CC BY 2.0), Giorgio Galeotti (CC BY 4.0), Torsolo at Italian Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0), Vanderlei Bissiato (CC BY-SA 3.0), GeXeS (CC BY-SA 4.0), silvio alaimo sj (CC BY 3.0).