Short answer
Folgaria sits on the Alpe Cimbra plateau in Trentino, about 90 kilometres from Verona airport. The Folgaria–Fiorentini ski area has 74 kilometres of pistes, mostly blue and red, and together with Lavarone the pass covers just over 100 kilometres. In the 2026/27 season, children born 2019–2025 get a free pass when an adult buys one, and ski school takes children from the age of four.
Quick facts
- Country / region
- Italy, Trentino (Alpe Cimbra, province of Trento)
- Ski area
- Skiarea Folgaria–Fiorentini, same pass as Ski Center Lavarone
- Pistes
- 74 km
- Lifts
- 26
- Season
- December – end of March
- Nearest airports
- Verona (approx. 90 km by car)
- Train
- Train to Rovereto, then bus to Folgaria (18 km)
- Price level
- ●●●●● (1 = cheap, 5 = expensive)
Family rating
4 / 5
- Beginner slopes Five magic carpets in different parts of the mountain, a children's lift at Fondo Grande and more than half the pistes graded blue.
- Snow reliability The mountain tops out at just over 1,800 metres, so the ski area relies on artificial snow in mild winters.
- Distance from accommodation to lifts The lifts start from several small villages on the plateau. Stay in Costa, Fondo Grande or Serrada if you want to walk to the slopes.
- Travel time About 90 kilometres from Verona, with motorway almost all the way and a bus from the railway station in Rovereto.
The rating is our overall assessment for families with children based on the criteria above – not a paid placement.
Folgaria is not a resort with towering peaks. It sits on Alpe Cimbra, a broad high plateau between Trento, Rovereto and the Veneto border, where the forest opens out into meadows and the lifts climb to rounded summits just above 1,800 metres. For a family with small children, that is exactly the point: the slopes are wide, the gradients kind and the journey short.
The plateau is also one of the ski areas in Italy that has invested most in families. There are magic carpets in several parts of the mountain, children's parks where parents can leave the kids, and a free pass for the youngest. If you want to compare with the rest of the country, read the overview of skiing holidays in Italy.
The ski area on the plateau
Skiarea Folgaria–Fiorentini has 74 kilometres of pistes and 26 lifts. Almost 38 kilometres are easy, just over 32 kilometres intermediate and only four kilometres difficult. Together with the neighbouring area of Lavarone, the pass covers a system with just over 100 kilometres of pistes, and this is where the US alpine ski team comes to train.
Ahead of the 2025/26 season, the Francolini–Sommo Alto gondola opened. In the gondola the children sit indoors, which is much appreciated on a windy morning.
The area is split into several sections, each with its own valley station:
| Section | Magic carpet for beginners | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fondo Grande–Francolini | Yes, the ski school's area and a children's lift | The first day on skis and most group lessons |
| Costa–Ortesino | Yes, Baby Costa | Families staying in Costa near the children's park |
| Serrada–Martinella | Yes, Baby Serrada | A quieter village with its own ski school |
| Fondo Piccolo | Yes, Baby Fondo Piccolo | Blue pistes in several directions |
| Fiorentini–Passo Coe | Yes, Baby Passo Coe | Children who ski confidently and want to see more |
Children's parks and ski school
Ski school: Scuola Italiana Sci Folgaria has offices in Fondo Grande, Costa and Serrada and has been awarded the Gold quality label for teaching children. The group lessons are divided by age:
- Baby, ages 4–5: a calm and playful start. During the Christmas holidays the course runs every morning in Costa, Fondo Grande and Serrada.
- Classic, from age 6: the regular weekly courses over Christmas, the February half-term and ordinary ski weeks.
- Day courses are available from the age of four, if you don't want to commit to a whole week.
Lavarone has its own ski school, and Scie di Passione also runs lessons on the plateau. Book in advance if you are travelling over Christmas or carnival week in February.
Children's parks: In Costa you will find Casa dell’Orsetto Prunpeer, a children's park for ages four to twelve with inflatable play equipment. Parents don't need to stay, so you can get a few runs in on your own. La Casa di Bertold in Lavarone, by the lift ticket office, works the same way.
Neveland in Lavarone is a snow park with two magic carpets, a lift for snow tubes, tubing runs, a small quad track for children and a first-steps carpet for the youngest. The tubing lift runs at weekends and during the Christmas holidays. It is a good plan for a day when the children need a break from skiing but not from the snow.
If you stay at one of the hotels or apartments in the Family Emotions network, you get a discount at the children's parks.
Lift passes and age rules
A free lift pass awaits children born 2019–2025 in the 2026/27 season, when a parent or relative buys a 1–14-day pass at the standard price. The child's pass is valid for the same number of days as the adult's. It applies to one child per adult, and the free pass must be requested in the same purchase. Show a passport or ID card for the child. The offer cannot be combined with other discounts.
Children born 2009–2018 ski on a junior pass, which is cheaper than the adult pass. You can see current prices in the ski area's booking system. Christmas, New Year and February are peak season, while early December, the second week of January and the period after mid-March are cheaper.
Pack a helmet for the whole family. Since the 2025/26 season, Italy has required every skier and snowboarder to wear a helmet, whatever their age.
Getting to Folgaria
- Flying to Verona: Verona Villafranca airport is about 90 kilometres away, the closest of all.
- By car: take the A22 motorway towards Brennero and turn off at Rovereto Nord or Trento Sud. From the Veneto side you can also take the A31 to Piovene Rocchette.
- Train and bus: a bus from the airport reaches Verona's railway station in about ten minutes. From there, direct trains run to Rovereto, and Trentino Trasporti buses continue up to Folgaria and Lavarone. Rovereto is 18 kilometres from Folgaria.
Taxis from airports and stations are also available in Folgaria and Lavarone. How car, train and plane compare is explained in travelling to the resort – car, train or plane.
Is Folgaria right for your family?
Folgaria is at its best for children aged three to ten, for beginners and for parents who want an easy trip at a low cost compared with the big resorts. It suits you less well if you want long, steep runs or guaranteed snow high up. When the children want to move on, Madonna di Campiglio and Val di Fassa are the next step in Trentino, and for the full picture of the area there is the Dolomites. You will find a broader comparison of the family resorts in the Alps in ski holiday in the Alps with children.
Packing for Folgaria – easy things to forget
Frequently asked questions
Do children ski free in Folgaria?
The youngest do. If your child was born 2019–2025, the lift pass is free in the 2026/27 season, provided a parent or relative buys a standard 1–14-day pass at the same time. Each paying adult can bring one free child, the free pass must be requested in the same purchase, and the child's age must be proven with ID. For children born 2009–2018 there is a junior pass that costs less than the adult pass.
From what age does ski school take children in Folgaria?
Scuola Italiana Sci Folgaria runs group lessons for children from the age of four. Four- and five-year-olds join the Baby course, which during the Christmas holidays runs every morning in Costa, Fondo Grande and Serrada. From the age of six, children join the regular courses. The school has offices in all three areas.
Is there childcare on Alpe Cimbra?
Yes. The Casa dell'Orsetto Prunpeer children's park in Costa and La Casa di Bertold in Lavarone take children aged four to twelve, and parents don't need to stay. There is inflatable play equipment. If you stay at a Family Emotions hotel, you get a discount.
Which part of Folgaria is best for beginners?
Fondo Grande has the ski school's beginner area with a magic carpet and its own children's lift, and from there chairlifts go up to both Sommo Alto and Martinella. Costa, Fondo Piccolo, Serrada and Passo Coe also have their own magic carpets, so there is an easy start wherever you stay.
How do you get to Folgaria from Verona?
Verona Villafranca airport is about 90 kilometres away. By car, take the A22 motorway north and turn off at Rovereto Nord. Without a car, take the bus from the airport to Verona's railway station, the train to Rovereto and from there the Trentino Trasporti bus up to Folgaria, just under 20 kilometres.
Do children have to wear a helmet on the slopes in Italy?
Yes, and the requirement covers the whole family. Since the 2025/26 season, Italy's helmet requirement has applied to all ages, adults included, whether you are on skis or a snowboard.
