Bormio with children – an old town, an Olympic run and hot springs

Bormio is not a purpose-built ski station but a real town with a medieval centre, squares, church towers and narrow streets. It lies at 1,225 metres in Alta Valtellina, at the very top of Lombardy, and the mountain above it reaches 3,012 metres. The Romans bathed in hot springs here, and the men's alpine events of the 2026 Olympics were decided here.

For families, the combination is unusual: a big altitude range, a lift pass that covers three areas and thermal baths to go to after a day of skiing. If you want to compare with other Italian resorts, read the overview of skiing holidays in Italy.

Three ski areas on one pass

The Bormio Skipass lift pass is valid in three areas with a total of 110 kilometres of pistes and 30 lifts. A free ski bus runs between them for anyone with a pass for two days or more.

Area	Pistes	Lifts	Best for
Bormio (Bormio 2000 and 3000)	50 km	12	The whole family, from magic carpets to the Olympic run
Santa Caterina Valfurva	35 km	8	Families who already ski confidently
Cima Piazzi–San Colombano	25 km	10	The youngest and beginners

Bormio is the main area. The gondola goes from the town up to Bormio 2000, and from there the cable car continues to Cima Bianca at 3,012 metres. The vertical drop is almost 1,800 metres, so the longest runs go all the way down to the town.

Santa Caterina lies further into the Valfurva, in the Stelvio National Park. The village is smaller and quieter, and most of the pistes are red, so it is best for a day when the children already ski confidently.

Cima Piazzi–San Colombano in Valdidentro, west of Bormio, is what the ski area itself calls the family area. The slopes are easy and the crowds smaller, and for a family with children aged four to six it may be the best place to spend a whole day.

The Alta Valtellina pass also includes Livigno, which is about an hour's drive away over the Foscagno Pass.

Children's areas and ski school

Most of what there is for children is at Bormio 2000, where the gondola from the town arrives:

• The beginner area has two magic carpets and two small lifts. Several ski schools have their meeting point here.
• PlayWood is a free snow playground with wooden houses, slides, seesaws and a castle, right next to the beginner slope.
• Fun Area Bormio 2000 has a fun slope and a family park, good for children who want to try small jumps.
• Funslope Valbella at around 2,500 metres has rollers, banked turns and a “sheriff” that measures your speed. It suits children who ski on their own and is reached by the Bormio 3000 chairlift.

Lower down, at Ciuk at 1,636 metres, there is a small beginner area with its own magic carpet that can be reached by car.

Ski school: there are several ski schools in Bormio, including Sertorelli, Scuola Nazionale Sci & Snowboard, Gallo Cedrone, Anzi and Contea di Bormio. Sertorelli recommends starting at around the age of four and divides its group lessons by age and level. Gallo Cedrone also has a kindergarten for the youngest. Lessons are available in English, and it pays to book ahead for the February holiday weeks. We go through how to plan the week in ski trip with children – tips and advice.

Lift passes for children: in the 2026/27 season, children born in 2019 or later get a free Baby pass when an adult buys an adult pass for the same number of days, up to 21 days. It applies to one child per paying adult, and the child's pass is printed with their name and photo. Children born in 2011–2018 have a junior pass that costs considerably less than the adult pass.

Helmet use has been compulsory for everyone skiing or snowboarding in Italy since the 2025/26 season, whatever their age.

The thermal baths – the rest day

Hot springs have been used in Bormio since Roman times. For families with children, Bormio Terme in the middle of the town is the obvious choice. It has thermal pools, play equipment and slides for the children, while the wellness area is for adults. The water is naturally warm and chlorine-free.

QC Terme Bagni Vecchi and Bagni Nuovi are a little way up towards the Stelvio Pass. Bagni Vecchi has caves in the mountain and an outdoor pool with a view over the valley. They are primarily for adults, so save them for an evening when someone can stay with the children, and check the age limit when you book.

The Olympic Stelvio run

At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, all the men's alpine events were held in Bormio: the downhill on 7 February, the team combined on the 9th, the super-G on the 11th, the giant slalom on the 14th and the slalom on 16 February. The venue, Stelvio Ski Centre, was also where ski mountaineering made its Olympic debut.

The Stelvio run is considered one of the most demanding downhill courses on the World Cup circuit, and the finish is in the town. For children it is exciting to stand in the finish area and look up, but it is not a run for family skiing. The children are better off getting their Olympic feeling on the fun slope.

How to get to Bormio

• Flying to Bergamo: drive over the Aprica Pass, which is kept open in winter. Allow just over three hours.
• Flying to Milan: take the SS 38 along the northern part of Lake Como and up through the Valtellina. Allow three and a half to four hours.
• By train: take Trenord from Milano Centrale to Tirano, about two and a half hours, and then Perego's bus to central Bormio. There is more about travelling by train in train to the Alps – how it works.

The Stelvio and Gavia passes are closed in winter, so don't count on them. Compare the ways of getting there in travelling to the resort – car, train or plane.

Is Bormio right for your family?

Bormio suits families who want a lively town with restaurants and baths, not just pistes. With small children, it is best to stay near the gondola, so the morning doesn't start with a long walk in ski boots. If you want ski-in, ski-out and snow well into May, Livigno is close by, and for more ideas in Italy you can compare with Madonna di Campiglio and the Dolomites. Don't forget the ski trip packing list.